Analects 15.6
The Analects (論語), BOOK XV. WEI LING KUNG 衞靈公第十五
子曰、直哉史魚、邦有道如矢、邦無道如矢。君子哉、蘧伯玉、邦有道、則仕、邦無道、則可卷而懷之。
1. The Master said, "Truly straightforward was the historiographer Yu. When good government prevailed in his State, he was like an arrow. When bad government prevailed, he was like an arrow.
2. A superior man indeed is Chu Po-yu! When good government prevails in his state, he is to be found in office. When bad government prevails, he can roll his principles up, and keep them in his breast."
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
- 直zhístraight, vertical; candid, direct, fran
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
- 史shǐhistory, chronicle, annals
- 魚yúfish
- 邦bāngcountry, nation, state
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 矢shǐarrow, dart; to vow, to swear
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 蘧qúDianthus superbus; surname
- 伯bóolder brother; father's elder brother; s
- 玉yùjade, gem, precious stone
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 仕shìofficial; to serve in the government
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 卷juǎnbook, scroll, volume; curled up; to curl
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 懷huáibosom, breast; to carry in one's bosom
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.