The Analects论语

Book 12, Passage 12.3

Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue.

司马牛问仁,子曰:“仁者,其言也讱。”曰:“其言也讱,斯谓之仁已乎?”…
All 24 passages in Book 123 of 24
3 sentences · 1 notes
司sī马mǎ牛niú问wèn仁rén,子zǐ曰yuē:“仁rén者zhě,其qí言yán也yě讱rèn。”曰yuē:“其qí言yán也yě讱rèn,斯sī谓wèi之zhī仁rén已yǐ乎hū?”子zǐ曰yuē:“为wéi之zhī难nán,言yán之zhī得dé无wú讱rèn乎hū?”

1Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue.

2The Master said, 'The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech.'

3'Cautious and slow in his speech!' said Niu;-- 'is this what is meant by perfect virtue?' The Master said, 'When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?'

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.

讱:说话谨慎,不容易出囗。

All 24 passages in Book 12