In His Village (Heang Tang)

Confucius, in his village, looked simple and sincere, and as if he were not able to speak.

In his village, Confucius seemed unassuming and sincere, as if he could not speak.

When he was in the prince's ancestorial temple, or in the court, he spoke minutely on every point, but cautiously.

In the prince's ancestral temple or at court, he spoke in detail about every point, but chose his words carefully.

When he was waiting at court, in speaking with the great officers of the lower grade, he spake freely, but in a straightforward manner; in speaking with those of the higher grade, he did so blandly, but precisely.

While waiting at court, he spoke freely but directly with lower-ranking officials. With higher-ranking officials, he spoke gently but precisely.

When the ruler was present, his manner displayed respectful uneasiness; it was grave, but self-possessed.

When the ruler was present, he appeared respectful and uneasy. His manner was serious but composed.

When the prince called him to employ him in the reception of a visitor, his countenance appeared to change, and his legs to move forward with difficulty.

When the prince summoned him to help receive a visitor, his expression seemed to change. His legs seemed to move forward with difficulty.

He inclined himself to the other officers among whom he stood, moving his left or right arm, as their position required, but keeping the skirts of his robe before and behind evenly adjusted.

He bowed toward the other officers standing around him, moving his left or right arm according to their positions. But he kept the front and back of his robe evenly arranged.

He hastened forward, with his arms like the wings of a bird.

He hurried forward, his arms like a bird’s wings.

When the guest had retired, he would report to the prince, 'The visitor is not turning round any more.'

After the guest left, he would tell the prince, 'The visitor is no longer turning around.'

When he entered the palace gate, he seemed to bend his body, as if it were not sufficient to admit him.

When he entered the palace gate, he seemed to stoop, as if the gate were too small for him.

When he was standing, he did not occupy the middle of the gate-way; when he passed in or out, he did not tread upon the threshold.

When standing, he did not stand in the middle of the gateway. When entering or leaving, he did not step on the threshold.

When he was passing the vacant place of the prince, his countenance appeared to change, and his legs to bend under him, and his words came as if he hardly had breath to utter them.

As he passed the prince’s empty place, his expression seemed to change, and his legs seemed to bend beneath him. He spoke as if he hardly had enough breath to get the words out.

He ascended the reception hall, holding up his robe with both his hands, and his body bent; holding in his breath also, as if he dared not breathe.

He climbed up to the reception hall, holding up his robe with both hands and keeping his body bent. He also held his breath, as if he dared not breathe.

When he came out from the audience, as soon as he had descended one step, he began to relax his countenance, and had a satisfied look. When he had got to the bottom of the steps, he advanced rapidly to his place, with his arms like wings, and on occupying it, his manner still showed respectful uneasiness.

As he left the audience, his face began to relax as soon as he had gone down one step. He looked satisfied. At the bottom of the steps, he moved quickly to his place, holding his arms like wings. Once in his place, he still showed a respectful uneasiness.

When he was carrying the scepter of his ruler, he seemed to bend his body, as if he were not able to bear its weight. He did not hold it higher than the position of the hands in making a bow, nor lower than their position in giving anything to another. His countenance seemed to change, and look apprehensive, and he dragged his feet along as if they were held by something to the ground.

When carrying his ruler’s scepter, he seemed to bend under it, as if he could not bear its weight. He held the scepter no higher than his hands would be when bowing. He held it no lower than his hands would be when giving something to someone. His expression seemed to change and become anxious. He dragged his feet as if something held them to the ground.

In presenting the presents with which he was charged, he wore a placid appearance.

When presenting the gifts he had been entrusted to deliver, he looked calm and composed.

At his private audience, he looked highly pleased.

At his private meeting, he looked very pleased.

The superior man did not use a deep purple, or a puce colour, in the ornaments of his dress.

The noble man did not use deep purple or puce for decorations on his clothing.

Even in his undress, he did not wear anything of a red or reddish colour.

Even in his casual clothes, he did not wear anything red or reddish.

In warm weather, he had a single garment either of coarse or fine texture, but he wore it displayed over an inner garment.

In warm weather, he wore a single garment of either coarse or fine fabric. But he wore this garment over an inner garment, leaving the outer one visible.

Over lamb's fur he wore a garment of black; over fawn's fur one of white; and over fox's fur one of yellow.

He wore a black garment over lamb’s fur, a white garment over fawn’s fur, and a yellow garment over fox’s fur.

The fur robe of his undress was long, with the right sleeve short.

The fur robe he wore informally was long, with a short right sleeve.

He required his sleeping dress to be half as long again as his body.

He required his nightshirt to be one and a half times as long as his body.

When staying at home, he used thick furs of the fox or the badger.

At home, he used thick fox or badger furs.

When he put off mourning, he wore all the appendages of the girdle.

When his mourning period ended, he wore all the accessories attached to his belt.

His under-garment, except when it was required to be of the curtain shape, was made of silk cut narrow above and wide below.

Unless a curtain shape was required, his undergarment was made of silk cut narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.

He did not wear lamb's fur or a black cap, on a visit of condolence.

He did not wear lamb’s fur or a black cap when visiting someone to offer condolences.

On the first day of the month he put on his court robes, and presented himself at court.

On the first day of the month, he put on his court robes and went to court.

When fasting, he thought it necessary to have his clothes brightly clean and made of linen cloth.

When fasting, he believed his clothes had to be spotlessly clean and made of linen.

When fasting, he thought it necessary to change his food, and also to change the place where he commonly sat in the apartment.

When fasting, he felt he needed to change his food and sit somewhere other than his usual place in the room.

He did not dislike to have his rice finely cleaned, nor to have his minced meat cut quite small.

He did not mind having his rice thoroughly cleaned or his meat minced very finely.

He did not eat rice which had been injured by heat or damp and turned sour, nor fish or flesh which was gone. He did not eat what was discoloured, or what was of a bad flavour, nor anything which was ill-cooked, or was not in season.

He did not eat rice that had turned sour from heat or damp, or fish or meat that had spoiled. He did not eat food that was discolored or tasted bad. Nor did he eat anything poorly cooked or out of season.

He did not eat meat which was not cut properly, nor what was served without its proper sauce.

He did not eat meat that was cut improperly or served without the proper sauce.

Though there might be a large quantity of meat, he would not allow what he took to exceed the due proportion for the rice. It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.

Even when plenty of meat was available, he would not eat more than the proper proportion to the rice. Only with wine did he set no limit for himself, but he never let wine cloud his mind.

He did not partake of wine and dried meat bought in the market.

He did not drink wine or eat dried meat bought at the market.

He was never without ginger when he ate.

He always had ginger with his meals.

He did not eat much.

He did not eat much.

When he had been assisting at the prince's sacrifice, he did not keep the flesh which he received overnight. The flesh of his family sacrifice he did not keep over three days. If kept over three days, people could not eat it.

After assisting at the prince's sacrifice, he did not keep the meat he received overnight. He did not keep meat from his family's sacrifice for more than three days. If the meat was kept longer than three days, people could not eat it.

When eating, he did not converse. When in bed, he did not speak.

He did not talk while eating. He did not speak while in bed.

Although his food might be coarse rice and vegetable soup, he would offer a little of it in sacrifice with a grave, respectful air.

Even if his meal was only coarse rice and vegetable soup, he would offer a little as a sacrifice. He would do so with a serious, respectful manner.

If his mat was not straight, he did not sit on it.

If his mat was crooked, he did not sit on it.

When the villagers were drinking together, on those who carried staffs going out, he went out immediately after.

When the villagers gathered to drink, he left immediately after those carrying walking sticks had left.

When the villagers were going through their ceremonies to drive away pestilential influences, he put on his court robes and stood on the eastern steps.

During the villagers’ ceremonies to drive away disease-causing forces, he put on his court robes. He stood on the eastern steps.

When he was sending complimentary inquiries to any one in another State, he bowed twice as he escorted the messenger away.

When sending polite inquiries about someone’s well-being in another state, he bowed twice as he saw the messenger off.

Chi K'ang having sent him a present of physic, he bowed and received it, saying, 'I do not know it. I dare not taste it.'

Chi K'ang sent him a gift of medicine. He bowed and accepted it, saying, 'I am not familiar with this medicine. I dare not taste it.'

The stable being burned down, when he was at court, on his return he said, 'Has any man been hurt?' He did not ask about the horses.

The stable burned down while he was at court. When he returned, he asked, 'Has anyone been hurt?' He did not ask about the horses.

When the prince sent him a gift of cooked meat, he would adjust his mat, first taste it, and then give it away to others. When the prince sent him a gift of undressed meat, he would have it cooked, and offer it to the spirits of his ancestors. When the prince sent him a gift of a living animal, he would keep it alive.

When the prince sent him cooked meat as a gift, he would adjust his mat and taste the meat first. Then he would give it away to others. When the prince sent him raw meat as a gift, he would have the meat cooked. Then he would offer it to the spirits of his ancestors. When the prince sent him a live animal as a gift, he would keep the animal alive.

When he was in attendance on the prince and joining in the entertainment, the prince only sacrificed. He first tasted everything.

When he attended the prince at a feast, only the prince made the ritual offering. He tasted everything first.

When he was ill and the prince came to visit him, he had his head to the east, made his court robes be spread over him, and drew his girdle across them.

When he was ill and the prince came to visit, he lay with his head toward the east. He had his court robes spread over him and laid his sash across them.

When the prince's order called him, without waiting for his carriage to be yoked, he went at once.

When the prince summoned him, he left at once, without waiting for the horses to be harnessed to his carriage.

When he entered the ancestral temple of the State, he asked about everything.

When he entered the state's ancestral temple, he asked about everything.

When any of his friends died, if he had no relations who could be depended on for the necessary offices, he would say, 'I will bury him.'

When one of his friends died, if the friend had no relatives who could be relied on to arrange the funeral, he would say, 'I will bury him.'

When a friend sent him a present, though it might be a carriage and horses, he did not bow.

When a friend sent him a gift, he did not bow, even if the gift was a carriage and horses.

The only present for which he bowed was that of the flesh of sacrifice.

The only gift he bowed for was meat from a sacrifice.

In bed, he did not lie like a corpse. At home, he did not put on any formal deportment.

In bed, he did not lie like a corpse. At home, he did not act formally.

When he saw any one in a mourning dress, though it might be an acquaintance, he would change countenance; when he saw any one wearing the cap of full dress, or a blind person, though he might be in his undress, he would salute them in a ceremonious manner.

When he saw someone in mourning clothes, his expression would change, even if he knew the person. When he saw someone wearing a ceremonial cap or a blind person, he would greet them with formal respect. He did so even if he was dressed informally.

To any person in mourning he bowed forward to the crossbar of his carriage; he bowed in the same way to any one bearing the tables of population.

He bowed forward to the crossbar of his carriage to anyone in mourning. He bowed the same way to anyone carrying population records.

When he was at an entertainment where there was an abundance of provisions set before him, he would change countenance and rise up.

When he was at a feast with abundant food set before him, his expression would change and he would stand up.

On a sudden clap of thunder, or a violent wind, he would change countenance.

At a sudden clap of thunder or a violent wind, his expression would change.

When he was about to mount his carriage, he would stand straight, holding the cord.

Before getting into his carriage, he would stand upright, holding the cord.

When he was in the carriage, he did not turn his head quite round, he did not talk hastily, he did not point with his hands.

When he was in the carriage, he did not turn his head all the way around. He did not speak hastily or point with his hands.

Seeing the countenance, it instantly rises. It flies round, and by and by settles.

Seeing the face, it immediately takes flight. It flies around and eventually settles.

The Master said, 'There is the hen-pheasant on the hill bridge. At its season! At its season!' Tsze-lu made a motion to it. Thrice it smelt him and then rose.

The Master said, 'There is the female pheasant on the hill bridge. In its season! In its season!' Tsze-lu gestured toward the pheasant. The bird sniffed him three times and then took flight.