Book 17, Passage 17.15

The Master said, 'There are those mean creatures! How impossible it is along with them to serve one's prince!

子曰：“鄙夫可与事君也与哉？其未得之也，患得之；既得之，患失之。”…

All 26 passages in Book 1715 of 26

3 sentences · 1 notes

子zǐ曰yuē：“鄙bǐ夫fú可kě与yǔ事shì君jūn也yě与yǔ哉zāi？其qí未wèi得dé之zhī也yě，患huàn得dé之zhī；既jì得dé之zhī，患huàn失shī之zhī。苟gǒu患huàn失shī之zhī，无wú所suǒ不bù至zhì矣yǐ。”

1The Master said, 'There are those mean creatures! How impossible it is along with them to serve one's prince!

2'While they have not got their aims, their anxiety is how to get them. When they have got them, their anxiety is lest they should lose them.

3'When they are anxious lest such things should be lost, there is nothing to which they will not proceed.'

Chinese commentary · 1 notes

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

患得之：这里是“患不得之”的意思。这是当时楚地的俗语。