Analects 15.9
The Analects (論語), BOOK XV. WEI LING KUNG 衞靈公第十五
子貢問爲仁。子曰、工欲善其事、必先利其器、居是邦也、事其大夫之賢者、友其士之仁者。
Tsze-kung asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars."
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
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 工gōnglabor, work; laborer, worker
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 先xiānfirst, former, previous
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 器qìdevice, instrument, tool; receptacle, ve
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 邦bāngcountry, nation, state
- 也yěalso, too
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 賢xiánvirtuous, worthy; good, able
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 友yǒufriend, companion; fraternity
- 士shìscholar, gentleman; soldier
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.