CONFUCIAN ANALECTS

The Master said, “Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.”

original: 子曰、巧言令色、鮮矣仁。

The philosopher Tsăng said, “I daily examine myself on three points: — whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful; — whether in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere; — whether I may have not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher.”

original: 曾子曰、吾日三省吾身、爲人謀而不忠乎、與朋友交而不信乎、傳不習乎。

3. FAIR APPEARANCES ARE SUSPICIOUS.

Fine words and an insinuating appearance original: 巧言令色 — see the Book of Documents original: Shû-ching, II, iii, 2. The character skillful original: 巧 refers to "skill in workmanship"; then, "skill" or "cleverness" generally, and sometimes with a negative connotation, as used here, meaning "artful" or "hypocritical." The character for order original: 令 means "a law" or "an order," but also "good"; here it is used like the previous term with a negative meaning, signifying "pretending to be good." Color original: 色 refers to "the manifestation of the feelings made in the color of the countenance," and is used here to describe one's general outward appearance.

4. HOW THE PHILOSOPHER TSĂNG DAILY EXAMINED HIMSELF, TO GUARD AGAINST HIS BEING GUILTY OF ANY IMPOSITION.

Tsăng, whose given name was Shăn original: 參 and whose courtesy name was Ziyú original: 子輿, was one of the primary disciples of Confucius. A follower of the sage from the age of sixteen, he was considered inferior in natural talent to some other students. However, through his deep filial piety xiao: the virtue of respect for one's parents and ancestors and moral discipline, he won the Master’s high esteem and mastered his doctrines through perseverance. It is said that Confucius employed him to compose the Classic of Filial Piety original: 孝經. The authorship of The Great Learning original: 大學 is also attributed to him, though likely incorrectly. Parts of his writings are preserved in the Book of Rites original: Li Chî. His ancestral tablet is placed among the "Four Assessors" of Confucius, holding the place of highest honor on the west, even above Mencius.

The term examine original: 省 is read hsing. The phrase three examinations original: 三省 is literally "three times," but context and the consensus of scholars suggest it means "on three points." Body original: 身 refers to "one's personality" or "myself." The word for original: 爲 is used here in the fourth tone. Loyalty original: 忠 is derived from the characters for middle original: 中 and heart original: 心, signifying "action from the center of the heart" or faithfulness. Regarding friends original: 朋友, the second character original: 友 depicts "two hands joined," symbolizing union.

The phrase to pass on but not practice original: 傳不習 is quite mysterious. This translation follows the famous commentator Zhu Xi original: Chû Hsî. However, the scholar He Yan original: 何晏 explained it differently: "Whether I have given instruction in what I myself had not studied and practiced?" It seems more accurate to interpret "pass on" original: 傳 actively as "giving instruction" rather than passively "receiving instruction." See Mao Xihe's original: Mao Hsî-ho Revised Errors in the Four Books original: 四書改錯, Volume XV, Article 17.