Analects 13.2
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIII. TSZE-LU 子路第十三
仲弓爲季氏宰、問政。子曰、先有司、赦小過、擧賢才。曰、焉知賢才而擧之。曰、擧爾所知、爾所不知、人其舍諸。
1. Chung-kung, being chief minister to the Head of the Chi family, asked about government. The Master said, "Employ first the services of your various officers, pardon small faults, and raise to office men of virtue and talents."
2. Chung-kung said, "How shall I know the men of virtue and talent, so that I may raise them to office?" He was answered, "Raise to office those whom you know. As to those whom you do not know, will others neglect them?"
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 仲zhòngmiddle brother; go between, mediator; su
- 弓gōngbow; curved, arched
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 季jìa quarter-year, a season; surname
- 氏shìclan, family; maiden name
- 宰zǎito slaughter, to butcher; to govern, to
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 政zhènggovernment, politics
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 先xiānfirst, former, previous
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 司sīto take charge of, to control, to manage
- 赦shèto forgive, to pardon, to remit
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 過guòpass; to go across, to pass through
- 擧jǔraise, lift up; recommend
- 賢xiánvirtuous, worthy; good, able
- 才cáiability, talent, gift; just, only
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 爾ěryou; that, those; final particle
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 人rénman, person; people
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 舍shěhouse, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to
- 諸zhūall, many, various; surname
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.