Analects 17.18
The Analects (論語), BOOK XVII. YANG HO 陽貨第十七
子曰、惡紫之奪朱也、惡鄭聲之亂雅樂也、惡利口之覆邦家者。
The Master said, "I hate the manner in which purple takes away the luster of vermilion. I hate the way in which the songs of Chang confound the music of the Ya. I hate those who with their sharp mouths overthrow kingdoms and families."
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
- 惡èbad, evil, wicked; to hate, to loathe; f
- 紫zǐpurple, violet; amethyst; surname
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 奪duóto rob, to snatch, to take by force
- 朱zhūcinnabar, vermilion; surname
- 也yěalso, too
- 鄭zhèngstate in today's Henan; surname
- 聲shēngsound, noise; voice, tone, music
- 亂luànanarchy, chaos; revolt
- 雅yǎelegant, graceful, refined
- 樂lècheerful, happy, laughing; music
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 口kǒumouth; entrance, gate, opening
- 覆fùto cover; to overturn; to repeat; to rep
- 邦bāngcountry, nation, state
- 家jiāhouse, home, residence; family
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
Passages with shared wording
- Mencius 7B.37
- Analects 19.25
- Zhuangzi The Secret of Life
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Analects 15.10
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 51
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.