Analects 13.4
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIII. TSZE-LU 子路第十三
樊遲請學稼。子曰、吾不如老農。請學爲圃。曰、吾不如老圃。樊遲出。子曰、小人哉、樊須也。上好禮、則民莫敢不敬、上好義、則民莫敢不服、上好信、則民莫敢不用情、夫如是、則四方之民、襁負其子而至矣、焉用稼。
1. Fan Ch'ih requested to be taught husbandry. The Master said, "I am not so good for that as an old husbandman." He requested also to be taught gardening, and was answered, "I am not so good for that as an old gardener."
2. Fan Ch'ih having gone out, the Master said, "A small man, indeed, is Fan Hsu!
3. If a superior love propriety, the people will not dare not to be reverent. If he love righteousness, the people will not dare not to submit to his example. If he love good faith, the people will not dare not to be sincere. Now, when these things obtain, the people from all quarters will come to him, bearing their children on their backs;—what need has he of a knowledge of husbandry?"
Character glossary
- 樊fánrailing, fence, enclosed place
- 遲chítardy, slow, late; to delay
- 請qǐngto ask, to request; to invite; please
- 學xuélearning, knowledge, science; to study,
- 稼jiàcrops; to sow grain
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 老lǎoold, aged; experienced
- 農nóngagriculture, farming; farmer
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 圃pǔgarden, orchard, plot of farmland
- 出chūto go out, to send out; stand; produce
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 人rénman, person; people
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
- 須xūbeard; must; necessary
- 也yěalso, too
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 莫mòcannot; do not; is not; negative
- 敢gǎnbold, brave; to dare, to venture
- 敬jìngto respect, to honor; respectfully
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 服fúclothes; to dress, to wear; to take medi
- 信xìnto trust, to believe; letter, sign
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 情qíngemotion, feeling, sentiment
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 四sìfour
- 方fāngsquare, rectangle; side; region; flag
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 襁qiǎngswaddling cloth
- 負fùload, burden; to carry, to bear
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 至zhìreach, arrive; very, extremely
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi Tien Tzŭ Fang
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Analects 14.44
- Mencius 3A.2
- Analects 16.1
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.