Analects 14.26
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIV. HSIEN WAN 憲問第十四
蘧伯玉使人於孔子。孔子與之坐、而問焉、曰、夫子何爲。對曰、夫子欲寡其過、而未能也、使者出、子曰、使乎、使乎。
1. Chu Po-yu sent a messenger with friendly inquiries to Confucius.
2. Confucius sat with him, and questioned him. "What," said he, "is your master engaged in?" The messenger replied, "My master is
anxious to make his faults few, but he has not yet succeeded." He then went out, and the Master said, "A messenger indeed! A messenger indeed!"
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 蘧qúDianthus superbus; surname
- 伯bóolder brother; father's elder brother; s
- 玉yùjade, gem, precious stone
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 人rénman, person; people
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 坐zuòseat; to sit; to ride, to travel by
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 對duìcorrect, right; facing, opposed
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 寡guǎwidowed; friendless, alone
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 過guòpass; to go across, to pass through
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 也yěalso, too
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 出chūto go out, to send out; stand; produce
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Zhuangzi The Secret of Life
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi The Great Supreme
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.
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