Analects 17.17
The Analects (論語), BOOK XVII. YANG HO 陽貨第十七
子曰、巧言令色鮮矣仁。
The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with virtue."
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
- 巧qiǎoskillful, ingenious, clever
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 令lìngcommand, decree, order; magistrate; to a
- 色sècolor, tint, hue, shade; beauty, form; s
- 鮮xiānfresh; delicious; attractive
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.