Analects 17.1
The Analects (論語), BOOK XVII. YANG HO 陽貨第十七
陽貨欲見孔子、孔子不見、歸孔子豚、孔子時其亡也、而往拜之。遇諸塗。謂孔子曰、來、予與爾言、曰、懷其寶而迷其邦、可謂仁乎。曰、不可。好從事而亟失時、可謂知乎。曰、不可。日月逝矣、歲不我與。孔子曰、諾、吾將仕矣。
1. Yang Ho wished to see Confucius, but Confucius would not go to see him. On this, he sent a present of a pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a time when Ho was not at home, went to pay his respects for the gift. He met him, however, on the way.
2. Ho said to Confucius, "Come, let me speak with you." He then asked, "Can he be called benevolent who keeps his jewel in his
bosom, and leaves his country to confusion?" Confucius replied, "No." "Can he be called wise, who is anxious to be engaged in public employment, and yet is constantly losing the opportunity of being so?" Confucius again said, "No." "The days and months are passing away; the years do not wait for us." Confucius said, "Right; I will go into office."
Character glossary
- 陽yángthe male principle; bright, sunny; clear
- 貨huòproducts, merchandise; goods, commoditie
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 見jiànto see, to observe, to meet, to appear
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 歸guīto return, to go back; to return to, to
- 豚túnsuckling pig; to suckle
- 時shítime, season; period, era, age
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 亡wángdeath, destruction; to lose; to perish
- 也yěalso, too
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 往wǎngto go, to depart; past, former
- 拜bàito bow, to salute; to worship, to pay re
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 遇yùto meet, to encounter, to come across
- 諸zhūall, many, various; surname
- 塗túto smear, to scribble, to daub; surname
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 來láito arrive, to come, to return; in the fu
- 予yǔto give; to award
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 爾ěryou; that, those; final particle
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 懷huáibosom, breast; to carry in one's bosom
- 寶bǎotreasure, jewel; rare, precious
- 迷míto bewitch, to charm; a fan of; infatuat
- 邦bāngcountry, nation, state
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 亟jíurgently, immediately, extremely
- 失shīto lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 日rìsun; day; daytime
- 月yuèmoon; month
- 逝shìto die, to pass away
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 歲suìyear; years old, age; harvest
- 我wǒI, me, my; our, us
- 諾nuòto promise; to approve, to assent to
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 將jiāngthe future, what will be; ready, prepare
- 仕shìofficial; to serve in the government
Passages with shared wording
- Mencius 3B.7
- Analects 7.14
- Zhuangzi The Evidence of Virtue Complete
- Zhuangzi Knowledge travels North
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.