Analects 15.26
The Analects (論語), BOOK XV. WEI LING KUNG 衞靈公第十五
子曰、巧言亂德、小不忍、則亂大謀。
The Master said, "Specious words confound virtue. Want of forbearance in small matters confounds great plans."
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
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 巧qiǎoskillful, ingenious, clever
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 亂luànanarchy, chaos; revolt
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 忍rěnto endure, to bear, to suffer, to tolera
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 謀móuto plan, to scheme; strategem
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.