Analects 14.45
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIV. HSIEN WAN 憲問第十四
子路問君子、子曰、修己以敬。曰、如斯而已乎。曰、修己以安人、曰、如斯而已乎。曰、修己以安百姓。修己以安百姓、堯舜其猶病諸。
Tsze-lu asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, "The cultivation of himself in reverential carefulness." "And is this all?" said Tsze-lu. "He cultivates himself so as to give rest to others," was the reply. "And is this all?" again asked Tsze-lu. The Master said, "He cultivates himself so as to give rest to all the people. He cultivates himself so as to give rest to all the people:—even Yao and Shun were still solicitous about this."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 路lùroad, path, street; journey
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 修xiūto study; to repair; to decorate; to cul
- 己jǐself, oneself; personal, private; 6th he
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 敬jìngto respect, to honor; respectfully
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 斯sīthis, thus, such; emphatic particle; use
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 安ānpeaceful, tranquil, quiet
- 人rénman, person; people
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 姓xìngname, family name, surname; clan, people
- 堯yáoa legendary ancient emperor-sage
- 舜shùnlegendary ruler
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 猶yóusimilar to, just like, as
- 病bìngsickness, illness, disease
- 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.