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论语The Discourses and Sayings of Confucius Part 1

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Chinese Lover

辜鸿铭译

Translated by Gu Hongming


学而第一


(一)

子曰:“学而时习之,不亦说乎?有朋自远方来,不亦乐乎?人不知而不愠,不亦君子乎?”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “It is indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and, as you go on acquiring, to put into practice what you have acquired. A greater pleasure still it is when friends of congenial minds come from a far to seek you because of your attainments. But he is truly a wise and good man who feels no discomposure even when he is not. noticed of men.”

孔子说:“不断地学习知识,并时常温习,然后把所学到的知识应用到现实生活中去,这是一件很快乐的事。志同道合的朋友因仰慕你而从很远的地方赶来看望你,则是件更快乐的事。如果一个人即使被人误会,也能不怨恨、不恼怒,而选择泰然处之,便可称得上正人君子。

辜解

子曰:“学而时习之,不亦说乎?有朋自远方来,不亦乐乎?人不知而不愠,不亦君子乎?”孔子在这里所说的,完全是出于一个真正有教养之人的经验之谈。它表明,要想成为真正有修养的人须有什么样的精神、什么样的品格以及什么样的心态。一个真正有修养的人,首先应对其研究的对象倾注全部的、无私的爱。而只有钟情于学,他才能明白其所学。现在人们正大肆谈论着已经声名狼藉的中国古代教育体制的缺点,可就我根据孔子的经典来看,它还是有其优点的。在古代的教育体制下,某位学生如果能有幸成为一名真正的受过教育者,那么他一定是一名君子,是一名真正具有思想修养的人。而当人们谈及引进到中国的新的教育体制和教育制度时,我心中对此表示怀疑。


(二)

有子曰:“其为人也孝弟,而好犯上者,鲜矣;不好犯上,而好作乱者,未之有也。君子务本,本立而道生。孝弟也者,其为仁之本与?”

辜译

A disciple of Confucius remarked, “A man who is a good son and a good citizen will seldom be found to be a man disposed to quarrel with those in authority over him; and men who are not disposed to quarrel with those in authority will never be found to disturb the peace and order of the State. A wise man devotes his attention to what is essential in the foundation of Life.When the foundation is laid, wisdom will come. Now, to be a good son and a good citizen——do not these form the foundation of a moral life? ”

孔子的学生有子说:“一个人若孝顺父母,敬爱兄长,便绝不会以下犯上;而不会以下犯上的人,也绝不会破坏国家的和平与安定。君子会把精力放在基础的事务上,根本建立了,为人处世的智慧便由此而生。所以,孝顺父母,敬爱兄长——这难道不是‘仁爱’的基础吗?”

辜解

我把“孝弟”译成“成为孝子和良民”。第二个字“弟”,只不过具有表面意思,指的是兄弟之弟,进而还有年幼、年轻的意思。如果再进一步,作为修饰语,它指的是处于某位在年龄、地位或威望高者下面的年轻人,对上者谦恭或遵从法律。如果能对上者谦恭和遵从法律,他不是一个良民又是什么呢?孟子也说过类似的话:“爱其亲,畏其上,世永昌。”爱其亲为“孝”,即为孝子;畏其上为“弟”,即为良民。


(三)

子曰:“巧言令色,鲜矣仁。”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “With plausible speech and fine manners will seldom be found moral character.”

孔子说:“满嘴花言巧语却面目伪善的人,绝不是德高望重的人。”


(四)

曾子曰:“吾日三省吾身。为人谋而不忠乎?与朋友交而不信乎?传不习乎?”

辜译

A disciple of Confucius remarked, “I daily examine into my personal conduct on three points: ——First, whether in carrying out the duties entrusted to me by others. I have not failed in conscientiousness;Secondly, whether in intercourse with friends, I have not failed in sincerity and trustworthiness;Thirdly, whether I have not failed to practice what I profess in my teaching.”

孔子的学生曾子说:“我每天从三个方面进行自我反省:第一,为别人办事是不是尽心尽力了?第二,与朋友交往是不是做到诚实守信了?第三,老师传授给我的学业是不是温习了?”


(五)

子曰:“道千乘之国,敬事而信,节用而爱人,使民以时。”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “When directing the affairs of a great nation, a man must be serious in attention to business and faithful and punctual in his engagements. He must study economy in the public expenditure, and love the welfare of the people, He must employ the people at the proper time of the year.”

孔子说:“治理一个大国,需要严谨认真地处理国家大事,恪守信用,施令及时;节约财政开支,爱护官吏,役使百姓得避开农忙时节。”

辜解

孔子曰:“道千乘之国,敬事而信,节用而爱人,使民以时。”朱熹将“敬事而信”解释为“做好自己的分内之事以取信于民”。我认为“信”应该解释为“有恒”,如唐诗“早知潮有信,嫁于弄潮儿”。

我记得当年徐致祥[插图]弹劾张之洞的奏折中有一条指责他“起居无节”,意思是说他“工作休息没有节制”,后来李翰章又上奏说张之洞“治簿书至深夜”。同一件事情,称赞张之洞的人说他经常工作至深夜,而诋毁他的人却说他工作休息没有节制。说他半夜还在工作,这就是“敬事”;说他工作休息没有节制,这就是“无信”。如果一个人只有“敬事”而“无信”,也会百事俱废,徒劳无功。

西方人治理国家、处理政务,之所以能够百废俱举,把各项事务都处理得井井有条,就是践行了《论语》“敬事而信”的做法。北宋赵普曾说:“半部《论语》可治天下。”而我则以为,就凭“敬事而信”这半条《论语》也可以振兴中国。今天中国官场上下,如果都能做到“敬事而信”,那么州县长官就不用一年三百六十天有三百天都坐在官衙里了。

我又想起刘忠诚公(刘坤一)去世以后,张之洞调任两江总督,为了节省开支,他下令衙门里的所有幕僚全都自备伙食。幕属们为此苦不堪言,甚至多有抱怨。恰好当年会试试题就是《论语》“道千乘”这一章。我因此戏谓同僚说:“咱们张大帅可谓敬事而无信,只知道节省开支却不知道爱惜人才啊!人们都说大帅的学问贯通古今,我却觉得,大帅的学问即使是《论语》这一章,他也只读通了一半。”听者无不捧腹大笑。


(六)


子曰:“弟子入则孝,出则弟,谨而信,泛爱众,而亲仁,行有余力,则以学文。”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “A young man, when at home, should be a good son; when out in the world, a good citizen. He should be circumspect and truthful.He should be in sympathy with all men, but intimate with men of moral character. If he has time and opportunity to spare, after the performance of those duties, he should then employ them in literary pursuits.”

孔子说:“年轻人在家就应做个孝子,在外面就应做个良民,必须做到言行谨慎,诚实可信,与别人交往时要充满友爱,对于德高望重的人要亲近。这样躬行实践之后,如果还有余力的话,就再去学习文化知识。”

辜解

作为个人,我们必须首先考虑人的生活目的。换言之,即人应该做些什么?什么是人?英国思想家弗老德说:“我们欧洲人,从来没有思考过人是什么。”而我们东洋人则早已全然领会了人生的目的,那就是“入则孝,出则弟”,即在家为孝子,在国为良民。这就是孔子展示给我们的人生观,也就是对于长者即真正的权威人士必须尊敬,并听从他的指挥。“孝悌人之本”,是中国人的生活观,也是东洋人的人生观。


(七)


子夏曰:“贤贤易色,事父母能竭其力;事君,能致其身;与朋友交,言而有信。虽曰未学,吾必谓之学矣。”

辜译

A disciple of Confucius remarked, “A man who can love worthiness in man as he loves beauty in woman; who in his duties to his parents is ready to do his utmost, and in the service of his prince is ready to give up his lie; who in intercourse with friends is found trustworthy in what he says, ——such a man, although men may say of him that he is an uneducated man, I must consider him to be really an educated man.”

孔子的学生子夏说:“一个人尊重贤者的美德,胜过喜欢女子的美貌;侍奉父母,能够竭尽全力;忠于君主,能够舍生取义;同朋友交往,能够言而有信。这样的人,即便他没有接受过教育,我也必须承认他是一个有教养的人。”

辜解

孔子最优秀的学生之一子夏认为,如果做到了“贤贤易色,事父母能竭其力;事君,能致其身;与朋友交,言而有信”,这样的人即使没有什么学问,“我”也会觉得他是一个有教养的人。贤贤,即尊重贤者,也就是说,在和别人交往时,要能看到别人身上值得学习的地方,也能够竭忠尽智。具体而言:侍奉父母,能竭尽全力;忠于君主,能舍生取义;与朋友交往,能言而有信。这应该是我们进行社会教育的一个重要目标。英国有一位女作家也表达过这样的意思:“如果只懂得读写,接触再多的知识也只能培养出无赖;与其如此,还不如让这些缺乏真正人格的人远离教育。”


(八)


子曰:“君子不重则不威,学则不固;主忠信,无友不如己者;过则勿惮改。”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “A wise man who is not serious will not inspire respect; what he learns will not remain permanent.”

“Make conscientiousness and sincerity your First principles.”

“Have no friends who are not as yourself. When you have bad habits do not hesitate to change them.

”孔子说:“君子如果不庄重,就得不到别人的尊重,所学的知识也不会巩固;尽职尽责,要以忠信为准则;不和品行不如自己的人交朋友;如果有不良习惯,就该毫不犹豫地改正。”


(九)


曾子曰:“慎终追远,民德归厚矣。”

辜译

A disciple of Confucius remarked, “By cultivating respect for the dead, and carrying the memory back to the distant past, the moral feeling of the people will waken and grow in depth.”

孔子的学生曾参说:“通过悼念死者,追忆久远的过去,能够唤醒人们的道德情感,并使之趋于深厚。”

辜解

孔子曾指出:“践其位,行其礼,奏其乐,敬其所尊,爱其所亲,事死如事生,事亡如事存,孝之至也。”意思是说,当我们继承了父辈的位置,举行着和他们一样的礼仪,演奏着和他们一样的音乐,尊敬着他们所尊敬的事物,热爱着他们所热爱的东西,尽管他们已经去世,我们仍然要像他们还活着一样侍奉他们。这就是孝的最高境界。

孔子的后学曾参也说:“慎终追远,民德归厚矣。”意思是说,通过悼念死者,追忆久远的过去,可以使人们的道德趋于淳厚。在各种道德准则中,对君主和国家的忠诚是处于最高等级的,就像在宗教教义中,最高等级的准则是对神或上帝的敬畏一样。而在儒家看来,只有孝敬父母的人,才能做到忠君爱国。


(十)


子禽问于子贡曰:“夫子至于是邦也,必闻其政。求之与,抑与之与?”子贡[插图]曰:“夫子温、良、恭、俭、让以得之。夫子之求之也,其诸异乎人之求之与?”

辜译

A man once asked a disciple of Confucius, saying, “How was it that whenever the Master came into a country he was always informed of the actual state and policy of its government? Did he seek for the information or was it given to him? ”

“The Master, ” replied the disciple, “was gracious, simple, earnest, modest and courteous; therefore he could obtain what information he wanted. TheMaster's way of obtaining information——well, it was different from other people's ways.”

子禽问孔子的学生子贡说:“老师每到一个国家,总是能听到这个国家的政事。这是他自己去求得的呢,还是人家主动告诉他的?”子贡回答说:“老师温顺、善良、恭敬、俭朴、谦让,因此才能得到他想要的信息。老师获得信息的方式,总是有别于旁人。”


(十一)


子曰:“父在,观其志;父没,观其行;三年无改于父之道,可谓孝矣。”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “When a man's father is living, the son should have regard to what his father would have him do, when the father is dead, do what his father has done. A son who for three years after his father' s death does not in his own life change his father's principles, may be said to be a good son.”

孔子说:“父亲在世的时候,儿子应该观察父亲的志向;而父亲离世后,儿子应牢记父亲是如何处事的,并判断其是否合理;若父亲去世三年后,儿子仍不改父亲正确的处事准则,并能坚持下去,这样的儿子便可以称作‘孝’了。”


(十二)


有子曰:“礼之用,和为贵。先王之道,斯为美。小大由之,有所不行。知和而和,不以礼节之,亦不可行也。”

辜译

A disciple of Confucius remarked, “In the practice of art, what is valuable is natural spontaneity. According to the rules of art held by the ancient kings it was this quality in a work of art which constituted its excellence; in great as well as in small things they were guided by this principle. But in being natural there is something not permitted. To know that it is necessary to be natural without restraining the impulse to be natural by the strict principle of art,——that is something not permitted.”

孔子的学生有子说:“关于礼的作用,以顺其自然、恰到好处为贵。古代明君的治国之道,最宝贵的正在于此。但如果所有的事情一味地按照和谐的原则去做,有时候也是行不通的。单纯为了和谐而和谐,却不能用礼来节制,也是不可行的。”

辜解

中国自古就以礼仪之邦自居,而且人们一般把这种传统归因于孔子,或者更早时期的周公。孔子的弟子有若曾说:“礼之用,和为贵。先王之道,斯为美。”同时儒家还认为:“礼者,敬人也。”我们知道,对一个民族礼仪风俗的判断应该基于对此民族的道德原则的认识之上。对一个民族的历史没有了解,也就无法对该民族的社会制度形成正确的判断。而且,对政府和国家政治机构的研究,也必须基于对他们的哲学原则和历史知识的理解之上。所以,想要对中国古代儒家政治有所研究,从“礼”出发应该是一条捷径。


(十三)


有子曰:“信近于义,言可复也;恭近于礼,远耻辱也;因不失其亲,亦可宗也。”

辜译

A disciple of Confucius remarked, “If you make promises within the bounds of what is right, you will be able to keep your word. If you confine earnestness within the bounds of judgment and good taste, you will keep out of discomfiture and insult, If you make friends of those with whom you ought to, you will be able 1o depend upon them.”

孔子的学生有子说:“只有在正确的范围内做出承诺,你才能信守诺言。只有经过正确的判断,并在符合礼的情况下保持诚信,你才会远离耻辱。只有和值得信赖的人交朋友,你们的关系才会可靠。”


(十四)


子曰:“君子食无求饱,居无求安,敏于事而慎于言,就有道而正焉,可谓好学也已。”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “A wise and good man, in matters of food, should never seek to indulge his appetite: in lodging, he should not be too solicitous of comfort. He should be diligent in business and careful in speech. He should seek for the company of men of virtue and learning, in order to profit by their lessons and example. In this way he may become a man of real culture.”

孔子说:“君子在饮食方面不要求食欲的饱足,在居住方面不要求奢求舒适,敏于行而慎于言,并且总是寻找有道德的人为伴来匡正自己的德行。通过这种方式,他便有可能成为一个有学问的人。”


(十五)


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,告诸往而知来者。”

辜译

A disciple of Confucius said to him, “To be poor and yet not to be servile; to be rich and yet not to be proud, what do you say to that? ”

“It is good.” replied Confucius, “but better still it is to be poor and yet contented; to be rich and yet know how to be courteous.”

“I understand.” answered the disciple, “We must cut, we must file.”“Must chisel and must grind.” “That is what you mean, is it not? ”

“My friend, ” replied Confucius, “now I can begin to speak of poetry to you. I see you understand how to apply the moral.”

孔子的学生子贡问道:“虽然贫穷却不谄媚,虽然富有却不骄纵,您认为怎么样?”

孔子回答道:“这也算可以了。尽管这还不如虽然贫穷却乐于道,虽然富贵却喜好礼仪。”

子贡说:“我明白了。就是说要像对待骨、角、象牙和玉石一样,需要不断切磋琢磨,人也必须经过一番艰苦磨砺才会有所成就。您说的就是这个意思吧?”

孔子回答:“很好!现在我可以给你讲《诗》了,我看你已经明白了如何举一反三。”

辜解

少年辛苦终身事,孔子也说自己“十有五而志于学”。因此想要在学问上有所成就,就必须首先确立“安贫乐道”的学习志向,而不能只为谋生赚钱。我的朋友加伊路斯博士是个中国通,他曾说:“为了学中国话,我错失了很多赚钱的机会。”从一定程度上来说,学习中国语言文化与好工作、赚钱之间有着不可调和的矛盾,就像西方一些人致力于研究莎士比亚或华兹华斯就必然受穷一样。因此我要真诚地告诫热衷于中国语言和文化的西方人:你们必须放弃优越的物质条件,一如你们的骄傲自大,通过他人的肤色来看他们的人格价值和社会价值。四亿中国人同样是上帝的子民,他们不是为了西方人的享乐而存在,而是可以给予西方人学习真正的社会和人生价值的机会。


(十六)


子曰:“不患人之不己知,患不知人也。”

辜译

Confucius remarked, “One should not be concerned not to be understood of men; one should be concerned not to understand men.”

孔子说:“一个人不要怕别人不了解自己,而应该关心自己是否能理解别人。”


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