The Analects论语

Book 19, Passage 19.12

Tsze-yu said, 'The disciples and followers of Tsze-hsia, in sprinkling and sweeping the ground, in answering and replying, in advancing and receding, are…

子游曰:“子夏之门人小子,当洒扫应对进退则可矣,抑末也。本之则无,”…
All 25 passages in Book 1912 of 25
2 sentences · 3 notes
子zǐ游yóu曰yuē:“子zǐ夏xià之zhī门mén人rén小xiǎo子zǐ,当dāng洒sǎ扫sào应yìng对duì进jìn退tuì则zé可kě矣yǐ,抑yì末mò也yě。本běn之zhī则zé无wú,如rú之zhī何hé?”子zǐ夏xià闻wén之zhī,曰yuē:“噫yī!言yán游yóu过guò矣yǐ!君jūn子zǐ之zhī道dào,孰shú先xiān传chuán焉yān?孰shú后hòu倦juàn焉yān?譬pì诸zhū草cǎo木mù,区qū以yǐ别bié矣yǐ。君jūn子zǐ之zhī道dào,焉yān可kě诬wū也yě?有yǒu始shǐ有yǒu卒zú者zhě,其qí惟wéi圣shèng人rén乎hū!”

1Tsze-yu said, 'The disciples and followers of Tsze-hsia, in sprinkling and sweeping the ground, in answering and replying, in advancing and receding, are sufficiently accomplished. But these are only the branches of learning, and they are left ignorant of what is essential.-- How can they be acknowledged as sufficiently taught?'

2Tsze-hsia heard of the remark and said, 'Alas! Yen Yu is wrong. According to the way of the superior man in teaching, what departments are there which he considers of prime importance, and delivers? what are there which he considers of secondary importance, and allows himself to be idle about? But as in the case of plants, which are assorted according to their classes, so he deals with his disciples. How can the way of a superior man be such as to make fools of any of them? Is it not the sage alone, who can unite in one the beginning and the consummation of learning?'

Chinese commentary · 3 notes

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

抑:连词,表示转折。这里是“可是”的意思。

倦:“诲人不倦”的倦。这里指教诲。

譬诸草木:譬之于草木。草木有大小,比喻学问有深浅,应当分门别类,循序渐进。

All 25 passages in Book 19