Analects 1.15
The Analects (論語), BOOK I. HSIO R 學而第一
子貢曰貧、而無諂、富而無驕、何如。子曰、可也、未若貧而樂、富而好禮者也。子貢曰、詩云、如切如磋、如琢如磨、其斯之謂與。子曰、賜也、始可與言詩已矣、吿諸往而知來者。
1. Tsze-kung said, "What do you pronounce concerning the poor man who yet does not flatter, and the rich man who is not proud?" The Master replied, "They will do; but they are not equal to him, who, though poor, is yet cheerful, and to him, who, though rich, loves the rules of propriety."
2. Tsze-kung replied, "It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish.'—The meaning is the same, I apprehend, as that which you have just expressed."
3. The Master said, "With one like Ts'ze, I can begin to talk about the odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence."
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 貢gòngto offer, to contribute; tribute, gifts
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 貧pínpoor, needy, impoverished; lacking
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 諂chǎnto flatter, to cajole; toady, yes-man
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 驕jiāohaughty, spirited; a wild stallion
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 也yěalso, too
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 若ruòif, supposing, assuming; similar
- 樂lècheerful, happy, laughing; music
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 詩shīpoetry; poem, verse, ode
- 云yúncloud; to say, to speak
- 切qièto cut, to mince, to slice, to carve; cl
- 磋cuōto polish, to buff; to examine, to delib
- 琢zuóto polish jade; to cut jade
- 磨mómillstone; to grind, to polish, to rub,
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 斯sīthis, thus, such; emphatic particle; use
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 賜cìto give; to bestow a favor; to appoint
- 始shǐto begin, to start; beginning
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 吿gàotell, announce, inform; accuse
- 諸zhūall, many, various; surname
- 往wǎngto go, to depart; past, former
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 來láito arrive, to come, to return; in the fu
Passages with shared wording
- The Great Learning Passage 4
- Analects 14.11
- Analects 3.8
- Analects 16.12
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Analects 9.22
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.