Eight Rows of Dancers (Pa Yih)

Confucius said of the head of the Chi family, who had eight rows of pantomimes in his area, 'If he can bear to do this, what may he not bear to do?'

Confucius spoke of the head of the Chi family, who had eight rows of ceremonial dancers in his courtyard. He said, 'If he can bring himself to do this, what might he not bring himself to do?'

The three families used the Yung ode, while the vessels were being removed, at the conclusion of the sacrifice. The Master said, '"Assisting are the princes;— the son of heaven looks profound and grave:"— what application can these words have in the hall of the three families?'

The three families used the Yung ode as the vessels were removed at the end of the sacrifice. The Master said, '"The princes assist. The son of heaven looks solemn and dignified." How can these words apply in the hall of the three families?'

The Master said, 'If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety? If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with music?'

The Master said, 'If a man lacks humanity, what place does he have in proper rituals? If a man lacks humanity, what place does he have in music?'

Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies.

Lin Fang asked what should come first in ceremonies.

The Master said, 'A great question indeed!

The Master said, 'What a great question!

'In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant. In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than a minute attention to observances.'

'In festive ceremonies, simplicity is better than extravagance. In mourning ceremonies, deep sorrow is better than careful attention to every ritual detail.'

The Master said, 'The rude tribes of the east and north have their princes, and are not like the States of our great land which are without them.'

The Master said, 'The uncivilized tribes of the east and north have their princes. They are unlike the states of our great land, which have none.'

The chief of the Chi family was about to sacrifice to the T'ai mountain. The Master said to Zan Yu, 'Can you not save him from this?' He answered, 'I cannot.' Confucius said, 'Alas! will you say that the T'ai mountain is not so discerning as Lin Fang?'

The head of the Chi family was about to offer a sacrifice to T'ai mountain. The Master said to Zan Yu, 'Can't you stop him from doing this?' Zan Yu answered, 'I can't.' Confucius said, 'Alas! Are you saying that T'ai mountain is less discerning than Lin Fang?'

The Master said, 'The student of virtue has no contentions. If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors; thus he ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. In his contention, he is still the Chun-tsze.'

The Master said, 'The student of virtue does not compete with others. If he must compete, would it not be in archery? But he bows politely to his competitors before going up into the hall. Then he comes down and requires the loser to drink as a penalty. Even in competition, he is still the Chun-tsze.'

Tsze-hsia asked, saying, 'What is the meaning of the passage— "The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colours?"'

Tsze-hsia asked, 'What does this passage mean: "The pretty dimples of her lovely smile! The clear contrast of black and white in her eye! The plain background for the colours?"'

The Master said, 'The business of laying on the colours follows (the preparation of) the plain ground.'

The Master said, 'The colors are applied after the plain background has been prepared.'

'Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?' The Master said, 'It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with him.'

'Then do ceremonies come afterward?' The Master said, 'Shang can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to discuss the odes with him.'

The Master said, 'I could describe the ceremonies of the Hsia dynasty, but Chi cannot sufficiently attest my words. I could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Sung cannot sufficiently attest my words. (They cannot do so) because of the insufficiency of their records and wise men. If those were sufficient, I could adduce them in support of my words.'

The Master said, 'I could describe the ceremonies of the Hsia dynasty, but Chi cannot provide enough evidence to support my words. I could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Sung cannot provide enough evidence to support my words. (Neither can do so) because they lack enough records and wise men. If they had enough records and wise men, I could use those sources to support my words.'

The Master said, 'At the great sacrifice, after the pouring out of the libation, I have no wish to look on.'

The Master said, 'At the great sacrifice, once the ritual drink has been poured out, I have no wish to watch.'

Some one asked the meaning of the great sacrifice. The Master said, 'I do not know. He who knew its meaning would find it as easy to govern the kingdom as to look on this;'— pointing to his palm.

Someone asked about the meaning of the great sacrifice. The Master said, 'I do not know. Anyone who understood the sacrifice's meaning would find governing the kingdom as easy as looking at this palm.' He pointed to his palm.

He sacrificed to the dead, as if they were present. He sacrificed to the spirits, as if the spirits were present.

He made offerings to the dead as if they were present. He made offerings to the spirits as if the spirits were present.

The Master said, 'I consider my not being present at the sacrifice, as if I did not sacrifice.'

The Master said, 'If I am not present at the sacrifice, I consider it as if I had not performed the sacrifice.'

Wang-sun Chia asked, saying, 'What is the meaning of the saying, "It is better to pay court to the furnace than to the south-west corner?"'

Wang-sun Chia asked, 'What does this saying mean: "It is better to seek favor with the furnace than with the southwest corner"?'

The Master said, 'Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray.'

The Master said, 'No. Anyone who offends Heaven has no one to pray to.'

The Master said, 'Chau had the advantage of viewing the two past dynasties. How complete and elegant are its regulations! I follow Chau.'

The Master said, 'Chau had the advantage of learning from the two earlier dynasties. How complete and elegant Chau's rules are! I follow Chau.'

The Master, when he entered the grand temple, asked about everything. Some one said, 'Who will say that the son of the man of Tsau knows the rules of propriety! He has entered the grand temple and asks about everything.' The Master heard the remark, and said, 'This is a rule of propriety.'

When the Master entered the grand temple, he asked about everything. Someone said, 'Who would say that the son of the man of Tsau knows the rules of proper conduct! He has entered the grand temple and asks about everything.' The Master heard the remark and said, 'Asking questions is a rule of proper conduct.'

The Master said, 'In archery it is not going through the leather which is the principal thing;— because people's strength is not equal. This was the old way.'

The Master said, 'In archery, piercing the leather target is not the main goal, because people differ in strength. This was the traditional approach.'

Tsze-kung wished to do away with the offering of a sheep connected with the inauguration of the first day of each month.

Tsze-kung wanted to end the practice of offering a sheep to mark the first day of each month.

The Master said, 'Ts'ze, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony.'

The Master said, 'Ts'ze, you care about the sheep. I care about the ceremony.'

The Master said, 'The full observance of the rules of propriety in serving one's prince is accounted by people to be flattery.'

The Master said, 'People see following all the rules of proper conduct when serving your ruler as flattery.'

The Duke Ting asked how a prince should employ his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince. Confucius replied, 'A prince should employ his minister according to according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness.'

Duke Ting asked how a ruler should use his ministers and how ministers should serve their ruler. Confucius replied, 'A ruler should treat his ministers according to the rules of proper conduct. Ministers should serve their ruler faithfully.'

The Master said, 'The Kwan Tsu is expressive of enjoyment without being licentious, and of grief without being hurtfully excessive.'

The Master said, 'The Kwan Tsu expresses joy without being indecent, and grief without becoming harmfully excessive.'

The Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the altars of the spirits of the land. Tsai Wo replied, 'The Hsia sovereign planted the pine tree about them; the men of the Yin planted the cypress; and the men of the Chau planted the chestnut tree, meaning thereby to cause the people to be in awe.'

Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the altars to the spirits of the land. Tsai Wo replied, 'The Hsia ruler planted pine trees around the altars. The men of the Yin planted cypress trees. And the men of the Chau planted chestnut trees, intending to fill the people with awe.'

When the Master heard it, he said, 'Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame.'

When the Master heard it, he said, 'There is no need to discuss what is already done. There is no need to protest against what has already run its course. There is no need to blame anyone for what is past.'

The Master said, 'Small indeed was the capacity of Kwan Chung!'

The Master said, 'How small Kwan Chung's capacity was!'

Some one said, 'Was Kwan Chung parsimonious?' 'Kwan,' was the reply, 'had the San Kwei, and his officers performed no double duties; how can he be considered parsimonious?'

Someone asked, 'Was Kwan Chung frugal?' The reply was, 'Kwan had the San Kwei, and none of his officers held two jobs. How can he be considered frugal?'

'Then, did Kwan Chung know the rules of propriety?' The Master said, 'The princes of States have a screen intercepting the view at their gates. Kwan had likewise a screen at his gate. The princes of States on any friendly meeting between two of them, had a stand on which to place their inverted cups. Kwan had also such a stand. If Kwan knew the rules of propriety, who does not know them?'

'Then, did Kwan Chung know the rules of proper conduct?' The Master said, 'The princes of States have screens at their gates to block the view. Kwan also had a screen at his gate. When two princes of States met on friendly terms, they had a stand for placing their cups upside down. Kwan also had such a stand. If Kwan knew the rules of proper conduct, who does not know them?'

The Master instructing the grand music-master of Lu said, 'How to play music may be known. At the commencement of the piece, all the parts should sound together. As it proceeds, they should be in harmony while severally distinct and flowing without break, and thus on to the conclusion.'

The Master instructed the chief music master of Lu, saying, 'How to play music can be understood. At the start of a piece, all the parts should sound together. As the music continues, the parts should be in harmony, yet each should remain distinct and flow without interruption. The music should continue this way to the end.'

The border warden at Yi requested to be introduced to the Master, saying, 'When men of superior virtue have come to this, I have never been denied the privilege of seeing them.' The followers of the sage introduced him, and when he came out from the interview, he said, 'My friends, why are you distressed by your master's loss of office? The kingdom has long been without the principles of truth and right; Heaven is going to use your master as a bell with its wooden tongue.'

The border warden at Yi asked to meet the Master. He said, 'Whenever men of great virtue have come here, I have never been denied the chance to meet them.' The Master's followers introduced the warden to him. After the meeting, the warden said, 'My friends, why are you upset that your master has lost his position? The kingdom has long been without truth and justice. Heaven is going to use your master as a bell with a wooden clapper.'

The Master said of the Shao that it was perfectly beautiful and also perfectly good. He said of the Wu that it was perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.

The Master said the Shao was perfectly beautiful and also perfectly good. He said the Wu was perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.

The Master said, 'High station filled without indulgent generosity; ceremonies performed without reverence; mourning conducted without sorrow;— wherewith should I contemplate such ways?'

The Master said, 'Holding high office without generosity, performing ceremonies without reverence, and mourning without sorrow. How can I bear to look at such behavior?'