Hsio R. / 15

子贡曰贫,而无谄,富而无骄,何如。子曰,可也,未若贫而乐,富而好礼者也。子贡曰,诗云,如切如磋,如琢如磨,其斯之谓与。子曰,赐也,始可与言诗已矣,吿诸往而知来者。

Modern Chinese Guide

子贡说:贫穷却不谄媚,富贵却不骄傲,怎么样?孔子说:可以了;但还不如贫穷而乐于道,富贵而好礼。子贡说:《诗经》说“如切如磋,如琢如磨”,就是这个意思吧?孔子说:赐啊,现在可以同你谈《诗》了;告诉你已经发生的,你就能推知将要说的。

James Legge Translation

1. Tsze-kung said, "What do you pronounce concerning the poor man who yet does not flatter, and the rich man who is not proud?" The Master replied, "They will do; but they are not equal to him, who, though poor, is yet cheerful, and to him, who, though rich, loves the rules of propriety." 2. Tsze-kung replied, "It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish.'—The meaning is the same, I apprehend, as that which you have just expressed." 3. The Master said, "With one like Ts'ze, I can begin to talk about the odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence."

Notes and themes

  • 底本:Wikisource 整理的 James Legge《The Chinese Classics》公版中英文本。
  • 中文由繁体转为简体,后续白话解释需逐章审校。
  • 白话参考底本:《白话论语读本》,张兆瑢、沈元起编译,上海广益书局1948 年新三版。
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