Analects 16.4
The Analects (論語), BOOK XVI. KE SHE 季氏第十六
孔子曰、益者三友、損者三友、友直、友諒、友多聞、益矣、友便辟、友善柔、友便佞、損矣。
Confucius said, "There are three friendships which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Friendship with the upright; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the man of much observation:—these are advantageous. Friendship with the man of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued:—these are injurious."
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
- 益yìto profit, to benefit; advantage
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 三sānthree
- 友yǒufriend, companion; fraternity
- 損sǔnto damage, to harm
- 直zhístraight, vertical; candid, direct, fran
- 諒liàngto excuse, to forgive; to guess, to pres
- 多duōmuch, many, multi-; more than, over
- 聞wénnews; to hear, to smell; to make known
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 便biàneasy, convenient; expedient
- 辟pìlaw, rule; to open up, to develop
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 柔róusoft, supple; gentle; flexible
- 佞nìngflattery; glib
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 16.5
- Analects 14.47
- Mencius 5B.3
- Hexagram 41
- Zhuangzi Knowledge travels North
- Zhuangzi The Great Supreme
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.