Yang Ho / 7

佛肸召。子欲往。子路曰,昔者由也,闻诸夫子曰,亲于其身,为不善者,君子不入也,佛肸以中牟畔,子之往也,如之何。子曰,然,有是言也,不曰坚乎,磨而不磷,不曰白乎,涅而不缁。吾岂匏瓜也哉,焉能系而不食。

Modern Chinese Guide

佛肸来召孔子,孔子想去。子路说:从前我听老师说过,亲自做坏事的人那里,君子是不去的。如今佛肸占据中牟发动叛乱,您却要去,这怎么说得通呢?孔子说:对,我是说过这话。但不是说坚硬的东西吗,磨也磨不薄;不是说洁白的东西吗,染也染不黑。我难道是个匏瓜吗?怎么能只挂在那里而不给人吃呢?

James Legge Translation

1. Pi Hsi inviting him to visit him, the Master was inclined to go. 2. Tsze-lu said, "Master, formerly I have heard you say, 'When a man in his own person is guilty of doing evil, a superior man will not associate with him.' Pi Hsi is in rebellion, holding possession of Chung-mau; if you go to him, what shall be said?" 3. The Master said, "Yes, I did use these words. But is it not said, that, if a thing be really hard, it may be ground without being made thin? Is it not said, that, if a thing be really white, it may be steeped in a dark fluid without being made black? 4. "Am I a bitter gourd! How can I be hung up out of the way of being eaten?"

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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