Analects 13.3
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIII. TSZE-LU 子路第十三
子路曰、衞君待子而爲政、子將奚先。子曰、必也、正名乎。子路曰、有是哉、子之迂也、奚其正。子曰、野哉、由也、君子於其所不知、蓋闕如也。名不正、則言不順、言不順、則事不成。事不成、則禮樂不興、禮樂不興、則刑罰不中、刑罰不中、則民無所措手足。故君子名之必可言也、言之必可行也、君子於其言、無所茍而已矣。
1. Tsze-lu said, "The ruler of Wei has been waiting for you, in order with you to administer the government. What will you consider the first thing to be done?"
2. The Master replied, "What is necessary is to rectify names."
3. "So, indeed!" said Tsze-lu. "You are wide of the mark! Why must there be such rectification?"
4. The Master said, "How uncultivated you are, Yu! A superior man, in regard to what he does not know, shows a cautious reserve.
5. "If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.
6. "When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music will not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot.
7. "Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. What the superior man requires, is just that in his words there may be nothing incorrect."
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 路lùroad, path, street; journey
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 衞wèiguard, protect, defend
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 待dàito entertain, to receive, to treat; to d
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 政zhènggovernment, politics
- 將jiāngthe future, what will be; ready, prepare
- 奚xīwhere, what, why, how
- 先xiānfirst, former, previous
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 也yěalso, too
- 正zhèngstraight, right, proper, correct, just,
- 名míngname; position, rank, title
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 迂yūabstruse, pedantic, unrealistic
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 野yěfield, open country; wilderness
- 由yóucause, reason; from
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 蓋gàito cover, to hide, to protect
- 闕quēpalace; watchtower
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 順shùnto submit to, to obey, to go along with
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 成chéngto accomplish; to become; to complete, t
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 樂lècheerful, happy, laughing; music
- 興xìngto thrive, to prosper, to flourish
- 刑xíngpunishment, penalty; law
- 罰fápenalty, fine; to punish, to penalize
- 中zhōngcentral; center, middle; amidst; to hit
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 措cuòto arrange; to execute on; to manage
- 手shǒuhand
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 茍jìto be circumspect, cautious in one's beh
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Zhuangzi The Evidence of Virtue Complete
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.