子夏问曰：“‘巧笑倩兮，美目盼兮，素以为绚兮’。何谓也？”子曰：“绘事后素。”曰：“礼后乎？”子曰：“起予者商也！始可与言《诗》已矣。”
1Tsze-hsia asked, saying, 'What is the meaning of the passage-- "The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well- defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colours?"'
2The Master said, 'The business of laying on the colours follows (the preparation of) the plain ground.'
3'Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?' The Master said, 'It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him.'