Analects 19.19
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIX. TSZE-CHANG 子張第十九
孟氏使陽膚爲士師、問於曾子。曾子曰、上失其道、民散、久矣、如得其情、則哀矜而勿喜。
The chief of the Mang family having appointed Yang Fu to be chief criminal judge, the latter consulted the philosopher Tsang. Tsang said, "The rulers have failed in their duties, and the people consequently have been disorganised, for a long time. When you have found out the truth of any accusation, be grieved for and pity them, and do not feel joy at your own ability."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 氏shìclan, family; maiden name
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 陽yángthe male principle; bright, sunny; clear
- 膚fūskin; shallow, superficial
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 士shìscholar, gentleman; soldier
- 師shīteacher, professional, master
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 曾céngalready, formerly, once; the past
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 失shīto lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 散sànto scatter, to disperse, to break up
- 久jiǔlong ago; a long time
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 情qíngemotion, feeling, sentiment
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 哀āisad, mournful, pitiful; to pity; to grie
- 矜jīnto pity, to sympathize, to feel sorry fo
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
- 喜xǐto love; to enjoy, to be happy; joyful,
Passages with shared wording
- Mencius 3A.4
- The Great Learning Passage 10
- Mencius 2A.2
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Analects 6.7
- The Great Learning Passage 13
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.