Analects 1.13
The Analects (論語), BOOK I. HSIO R 學而第一
有子曰、信近於義、言可復也、恭近於禮、遠恥辱也、因不失其親、亦可宗也。
The philosopher Yu said, "When agreements are made according to what is right, what is spoken can be made good. When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps far from shame and disgrace. When the parties upon whom a man leans are proper persons to be intimate with, he can make them his guides and masters."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 信xìnto trust, to believe; letter, sign
- 近jìnto approach; near, close; intimate
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 復fùagain, repeatedly; copy, duplicate; to r
- 也yěalso, too
- 恭gōngpolite, respectful, reverent
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 遠yuǎndistant, remote, far; profound
- 恥chǐshame, humiliation; ashamed
- 辱rǔto insult, to humiliate, to abuse
- 因yīncause, reason; by; because
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 失shīto lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 親qīnrelatives, parents; intimate; the hazeln
- 亦yìalso, too; likewise
- 宗zōngancestry, clan, family, lineage; religio
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.