Analects 12.10
The Analects (論語), BOOK XII. YEN YUAN 顏淵第十二
子張問崇德、辨惑。子曰、主忠信、徒義、崇德也。愛之欲其生、惡之欲其死、既欲其生、又欲其死、是惑也。誠不以富亦祇以異。
1. Tsze-chang having asked how virtue was to be exalted, and delusions to be discovered, the Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles, and be moving continually to what is right;—this is the way to exalt one's virtue.
2. "You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion.
3. "'It may not be on account of her being rich, yet you come to make a difference.'"
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 張zhāngto display; to expand, to open; to stret
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 崇chónghigh, dignified; to esteem, to honor
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 辨biànto recognize, to distinguish, to discrim
- 惑huòto confuse, to mislead; to doubt
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 主zhǔto own; to host; master; host; lord
- 忠zhōngloyalty, devotion, fidelity
- 信xìnto trust, to believe; letter, sign
- 徒túdisciple, follower; only, merely; in vai
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 也yěalso, too
- 愛àito love, to like, to be fond of; love, a
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 生shēnglife, lifetime; birth; growth
- 惡èbad, evil, wicked; to hate, to loathe; f
- 死sǐdead; death; impassable, inflexible
- 既jìalready, since, then; both; de facto
- 又yòuand, also, again, in addition
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 誠chénghonest, sincere, true; actually, really
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 亦yìalso, too; likewise
- 祇qíonly, just, simply; one of a pair; an ea
- 異yìdifferent, strange, unusual; foreign; su
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 12.21
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Analects 9.24
- Zhuangzi The Circling Sky
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.