Analects 18.3
The Analects (論語), BOOK XVIII. WEI TSZE 微子第十八
齊景公待孔子、曰、若季氏、則吾不能、以季孟之閒待之。曰、吾老矣、不能用也。孔子行。
The duke Ching of Ch'i, with reference to the manner in which he should treat Confucius, said, "I cannot treat him as I would the chief of the Chi family. I will treat him in a manner between that accorded to the chief of the Chi, and that given to the chief of the Mang family." He also said, "I am old; I cannot use his doctrines." Confucius took his departure.
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 齊qíeven, uniform, of equal length
- 景jǐngscenery, view; conditions, circumstances
- 公gōngfair, equitable; public; duke
- 待dàito entertain, to receive, to treat; to d
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 若ruòif, supposing, assuming; similar
- 季jìa quarter-year, a season; surname
- 氏shìclan, family; maiden name
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 閒xiánleisure, idle time; tranquil, peaceful,
- 老lǎoold, aged; experienced
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 也yěalso, too
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.