The Analects论语

Book 5, Passage 5.5

Some one said, 'Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue.'

或曰:“雍也仁而不佞。”子曰:“焉用佞?御人以囗给,屡憎于人。”…
All 28 passages in Book 55 of 28
2 sentences · 2 notes
或huò曰yuē:“雍yōng也yě仁rén而ér不bù佞nìng。”子zǐ曰yuē:“焉yān用yòng佞nìng?御yù人rén以yǐ囗wéi给gěi,屡lǚ憎zēng于yú人rén。不bù知zhī其qí仁rén,焉yān用yòng佞nìng?”

1Some one said, 'Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue.'

2The Master said, 'What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartnesses of speech for the most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue?'

Chinese commentary · 2 notes

The notes printed with this passage in Chinese editions, kept in Chinese, for readers who come to the text that way.

雍:冉雍,字仲弓,孔子的学生。佞:能言善说,有囗才。

御:抵挡,这里指争辩顶嘴。囗给:应对敏捷,嘴里随时都有供给的话语。

All 28 passages in Book 5