Analects 14.2
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIV. HSIEN WAN 憲問第十四
克、伐、怨、欲、不行焉、可以爲仁矣。子曰、可以爲難矣、仁則吾不知也。
1. "When the love of superiority, boasting, resentments, and covetousness are repressed, this may be deemed perfect virtue."
2. The Master said, "This may be regarded as the achievement of what is difficult. But I do not know that it is to be deemed perfect virtue."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 克kèto subdue, to restrain, to overcome; use
- 伐fácut down, subjugate, attack
- 怨yuànto blame, to complain, to hate; enmity,
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 難nánhard, difficult, arduous; unable
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 也yěalso, too
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 20.2
- Analects 12.6
- Zhuangzi Contingencies
- Zhuangzi The Old Fisherman
- Mencius 2A.2
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.