Analects 17.8

The Analects (論語), BOOK XVII. YANG HO 陽貨第十七

子曰、由也、女聞六言六蔽矣乎。對曰、未也。居、吾語女。好仁不好學、其蔽也愚、好智不好學、其蔽也蕩、好信不好學、其蔽也賊、好直不好學、其蔽也絞、好勇不好學、其蔽也亂、好剛不好學、其蔽也狂。

1. The Master said, "Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?" Yu replied, "I have not."

2. "Sit down, and I will tell them to you.

3. "There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There is the love of firmness without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct."

James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.

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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.