The Analects论语

Book 9, Passage 9.11

Yen Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines, sighed and said, 'I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and…

颜渊喟然叹曰:“仰之弥高,钻之弥坚,瞻之在前,忽焉在后。”…
All 31 passages in Book 911 of 31
3 sentences · 5 notes
颜yán渊yuān喟kuì然rán叹tàn曰yuē:“仰yǎng之zhī弥mí高gāo,钻zuān之zhī弥mí坚jiān,瞻zhān之zhī在zài前qián,忽hū焉yān在zài后hòu。夫fū子zǐ循xún循xún然rán善shàn诱yòu人rén,博bó我wǒ以yǐ文wén,约yuē我wǒ以yǐ礼lǐ,欲yù罢bà不bù能néng。既jì竭jié吾wú才cái,如rú有yǒu所suǒ立lì卓zhuó尔ěr。虽suī欲yù从cóng之zhī,末mò由yóu也yě已yǐ。”

1Yen Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines, sighed and said, 'I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind.

2'The Master, by orderly method, skilfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety.

3'When I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so.'

Chinese commentary · 5 notes

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

喟然:叹气的样子。

弥:更加,越发。

循循然:有步骤地。

卓尔:高高直立的样子。尔,相当于“然”。

末:无。

All 31 passages in Book 9