Analects 10.2
The Analects (論語), BOOK X. HEANG TANG 鄉黨第十
朝、與下大夫言、侃侃如也、與上大夫言、誾誾如也。君在、踧踖如也、與與如也。
1. 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.
2. When the ruler was present, his manner displayed respectful uneasiness; it was grave, but self-possessed.
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 朝cháoto face; direct, facing; dynasty; mornin
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 侃kǎnupright and strong; amiable
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 也yěalso, too
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 誾yínrespectful; to speak gently
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 在zàiat, in, on; to exist; used to indicate t
- 踧cùlevel, as a road; appearance of uneasine
- 踖jítrample on, tread on
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 11.12
- Analects 10.4
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Zhuangzi The Identity of Contraries
- Mencius 4B.23
- Mencius 2A.9
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.