Analects 15.23
The Analects (論語), BOOK XV. WEI LING KUNG 衞靈公第十五
子貢問曰、有一言、而可以終身行之者乎。子曰、其恕乎、己所不欲、勿施於人。
Tsze-kung asked, saying, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."
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
- 貢gòngto offer, to contribute; tribute, gifts
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 一yīone; a, an; alone
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 終zhōngend; finally, in the end
- 身shēnbody, torso; person; pregnancy
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 恕shùto excuse, to forgive, to show mercy
- 己jǐself, oneself; personal, private; 6th he
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
- 施shīto grant, to bestow; to act; surname
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 人rénman, person; people
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 12.2
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi Tien Tzŭ Fang
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 13
- Zhuangzi The Circling Sky
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.