語論 CONFUCIAN ANALECTS

子曰、詩三百、一言以蔽之、曰、思無邪。

子曰、道之以政、齊之以刑、民免而無恥。

道之以德、齊之以禮、有恥且格。

子曰、吾十有五而志于學

Chapter II. The Master said, “In the Book of Poetry are three hundred pieces, but the design of them all may be embraced in one sentence—‘Having no depraved thoughts.’”

Chapter III. 1. The Master said, “If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame.

2. “If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good.”

Chapter IV. 1. The Master said, “At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning.

2. The pure design of the Book of Poetry. The number of compositions in the Shih-ching is rather more than the round number here given. 一言 = 一句, “one sentence.” 蔽 = 蓋 to cover/embrace, “to cover,” “to embrace.” 思無邪 having no depraved thoughts, see Shih-ching, IV, ii, 1, st. 4. The sentence there is indicative, and in praise of the duke Hsî, who had no depraved thoughts. The sage would seem to have been intending the design in compiling the Shih. A few individual pieces are calculated to have a different effect.

3. How rulers should prefer moral appliances. 1. 道 to lead/guide, as in I, v. 之 them, refers to 民 the people, below. 政 government/laws, as opposed to 德 virtue, = laws and prohibitions. 齊 to regulate/make uniform = “corn earing evenly”; hence, what is level, equal, adjusted, and here with the corresponding verbal force. 民免, “The people will avoid,” that is, avoid breaking the laws through fear of the punishment. 2. 格 has the signification of “to come to,” and “to correct,” from either of which the text may be explained,—“will come to good,” or “will correct themselves.” Observe the different application of 且 moreover and 而 and/but in pars. 1 and 2, i. 而 = “but”; 且 = “moreover.”

4. Confucius’s own account of his gradual progress and attainments. Commentators are perplexed with this chapter. Holding of Confucius that 生而知之, 安而行之, “he was born with knowledge, and did what was right with