Analects 15.1
The Analects (論語), BOOK XV. WEI LING KUNG 衞靈公第十五
衞靈公問陳於孔子。孔子對曰、俎豆之事、則嘗聞之矣、軍旅之事、未之學也。明日遂行。在陳絕糧、從者病、莫能興。子路慍見曰、君子亦有窮乎。子曰、君子固窮、小人窮斯濫矣。
1. The Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about tactics. Confucius replied, "I have heard all about sacrificial vessels, but I have not learned military matters." On this, he took his departure the next day.
2. When he was in Chan, their provisions were exhausted, and his followers became so ill that they were unable to rise.
3. Tsze-lu, with evident dissatisfaction, said, "Has the superior man likewise to endure in this way?" The Master said, "The superior man may indeed have to endure want, but the mean man, when he is in want, gives way to unbridled license."
Character glossary
- 衞wèiguard, protect, defend
- 靈língspirit, soul; spiritual world
- 公gōngfair, equitable; public; duke
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 陳chénto display, to exhibit; to plead; surnam
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 對duìcorrect, right; facing, opposed
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 俎zǔchopping board or block; painted
- 豆dòubeans, peas; bean-shaped
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 嘗chángto taste; to experience, to experiment w
- 聞wénnews; to hear, to smell; to make known
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 軍jūnarmy, military; soldiers, troops
- 旅lǚjourney, trip; to travel
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 學xuélearning, knowledge, science; to study,
- 也yěalso, too
- 明míngbright, clear; to explain, to understand
- 日rìsun; day; daytime
- 遂suìto fail; to follow, to comply with
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 在zàiat, in, on; to exist; used to indicate t
- 絕juéto cut, to sever; to break off, to termi
- 糧liángfood, grain, provisions
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 病bìngsickness, illness, disease
- 莫mòcannot; do not; is not; negative
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 興xìngto thrive, to prosper, to flourish
- 路lùroad, path, street; journey
- 慍yùnangry, indignant; resentful, sulking
- 見jiànto see, to observe, to meet, to appear
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 亦yìalso, too; likewise
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 窮qióngpoor, destitute; to exhaust
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 固gùto solidify; strength
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 人rénman, person; people
- 斯sīthis, thus, such; emphatic particle; use
- 濫lànto flood, to overflow; excessive
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Analects 14.20
- Zhuangzi Autumn Floods
- Mencius 2B.2
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.