Analects 16.11
The Analects (論語), BOOK XVI. KE SHE 季氏第十六
孔子曰、見善如不及、見不善而探湯、吾見其人矣、吾聞其語矣。隱居以求其志、行義以達其道、吾聞其語矣、未見其人也。
1. Confucius said, "Contemplating good, and pursuing it, as if they could not reach it; contemplating evil, and shrinking from it, as they would from thrusting the hand into boiling water:—I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.
2. "Living in retirement to study their aims, and practising
righteousness to carry out their principles:—I have heard these words, but I have not seen such men."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 見jiànto see, to observe, to meet, to appear
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 及jíto extend; to reach; and; in time
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 探tànto find, to locate; to grope for, to sea
- 湯tāngsoup, gravy, broth; hot water
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 人rénman, person; people
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 聞wénnews; to hear, to smell; to make known
- 語yǔwords, language; saying, expression
- 隱yǐnto hide, to conceal; secret, hidden
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 求qiúto seek; to request, to demand; to besee
- 志zhìdetermination, will; mark, sign; to reco
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 義yìright conduct, propriety; justice
- 達dáto reach, to arrive at; intelligent
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 也yěalso, too
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Kêng Sang Ch’u
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi Perfect Happiness
- Mencius 2A.2
- Zhuangzi Exercise of Faculties
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.