CONFUCIAN ANALECTS 論語

子游問孝、子曰、今之孝者、是謂能養、至於犬馬、皆能有養、不敬、何以別乎。

子夏問孝、子曰、色難、有事、弟子服其勞、有酒食、先生饌、曾是以為孝乎。

CHAPTER VII. Tsze-yû asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The filial piety of nowadays means the support of one's parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support;—without reverence, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the other?"

CHAPTER VIII. Tsze-hsiâ asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The difficulty is with the countenance. If, when their elders have any troublesome affairs, the young take the toil of them, and if, when the young have wine and food, they set them before their elders, is THIS to be considered filial piety?"

7. How there must be reverence in filial duty. Tsze-yû was the designation of Yen Yen, a native of Wû, and distinguished among the disciples of Confucius for his learning. He is now 4th on the west among "the wise ones." 養 to minister support to is in the 4th tone, being the act of an inferior to a superior. Chû Hsî gives a different turn to the sentiment—"But dogs and horses likewise manage to get their support." The other and older interpretation is better. 至於 coming to, meaning "as to." 別 to discriminate.

8. The duties of filial piety must be performed with a cheerful countenance. 事 followed by

勞=the "troublesome affairs" in the translation. The use of 弟子 younger people/disciples in the phrase here extends filial duty to elders generally—to the brothers of one's father as well as to the parents themselves. We have in translating to supply their respective nominatives to the two "have." 食, read tsze, "rice," and then, food generally. 先生饌 give to the elders to eat = "They give them to their elders to eat." 先生 elders/teachers. The phrase, here meaning parents, uncles, and elders generally, is applied by foreign students to their teachers. 曾 then, is a transition particle. To these different interrogatories, the sage, we are told, made answer according to the character of the questioner, as each one needed instruction.