Analects 15.32
The Analects (論語), BOOK XV. WEI LING KUNG 衞靈公第十五
子曰、知及之、仁不能守之、雖得之、必失之。知及之、仁能守之、不莊以蒞之、則民不敬。知及之、仁能守之、莊以蒞之、動之不以禮、未善也。
1. The Master said, "When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.
2. "When his knowledge is sufficient to attain, and he has virtue enough to hold fast, if he cannot govern with dignity, the people will not respect him.
3. "When his knowledge is sufficient to attain, and he has virtue enough to hold fast; when he governs also with dignity, yet if he try to move the people contrary to the rules of propriety:—full excellence is not reached."
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 及jíto extend; to reach; and; in time
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 守shǒuto defend, to guard, to protect; to cons
- 雖suīalthough, even though
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 失shīto lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
- 莊zhuāngvillage, hamlet; villa, manor
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 蒞lìattend, be present; arrive at
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 敬jìngto respect, to honor; respectfully
- 動dòngto move, to happen; movement, action
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 也yěalso, too
Passages with shared wording
- Mencius 3A.2
- Zhuangzi Exercise of Faculties
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Zhuangzi Joined Toes
- Zhuangzi The Identity of Contraries
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.