Analects 12.7
The Analects (論語), BOOK XII. YEN YUAN 顏淵第十二
子貢問政。子曰足食、足兵、民信之矣。子貢曰、必不得已而去、於斯三者何先。曰、去兵。子貢曰、必不得已而去、於斯二者何先。曰、去食、自古皆有死、民無信不立。
1. Tsze-kung asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler."
2. Tsze-kung said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master.
3. Tsze-kung again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state."
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 貢gòngto offer, to contribute; tribute, gifts
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 政zhènggovernment, politics
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 食shífood; to eat
- 兵bīngsoldier; troops, an army; warlike
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 信xìnto trust, to believe; letter, sign
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 去qùto go away, to leave, to depart
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 斯sīthis, thus, such; emphatic particle; use
- 三sānthree
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 先xiānfirst, former, previous
- 二èrtwo; twice
- 自zìself; private, personal; from
- 古gǔold, classic, ancient
- 皆jiēall, every, everybody
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 死sǐdead; death; impassable, inflexible
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 立lìto stand; to establish, to set up
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi How to Govern
- Analects 2.22
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 21
- Zhuangzi Mountain Trees
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi The Universe
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.
Last posts
- Best Eye Protection for Stick Training and Sparring
- Best Hand Protectors for Kali Drills by Training Intensity
- Choosing Stick Sparring Gloves for Maximum Protection
- Buying Arnis Competition Sticks Best Picks for Match Play
- Best Heavy Training Sticks for Forearm Strength and Grip
- Best Escrima Sticks for Tire and Bag Training
- Are Polypropylene Escrima Sticks Durable for Hard Contact
- How Much Should Escrima Sticks Cost for Training
- Why Rattan Splinters and How to Tape It for Repairs
- Best Escrima Stick Bags for Durable Gear Protection