Analects 19.23
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIX. TSZE-CHANG 子張第十九
叔孫武叔語大夫於朝曰、子貢賢於仲尼。子服景伯以告子貢。子貢曰、譬之宮牆、賜之牆也、及肩、窺見室家之好。夫子之牆、數仞、不得其門而入、不見宗廟之美、百官之富。得其門者或寡矣、夫子之云、不亦宜乎。
1. Shu-sun Wu-shu observed to the great officers in the court, saying, "Tsze-kung is superior to Chung-ni."
2. Tsze-fu Ching-po reported the observation to Tsze-kung, who said, "Let me use the comparison of a house and its encompassing wall. My wall only reaches to the shoulders. One may peep over it, and see whatever is valuable in the apartments.
3. "The wall of my Master is several fathoms high. If one do not find the door and enter by it, he cannot see the ancestral temple with its beauties, nor all the officers in their rich array.
4. "But I may assume that they are few who find the door. Was not the observation of the chief only what might have been expected?"
Character glossary
- 叔shūuncle; father's younger brother
- 孫sūngrandchild, descendent; surname
- 武wǔmilitary; martial, warlike
- 語yǔwords, language; saying, expression
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 朝cháoto face; direct, facing; dynasty; mornin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 貢gòngto offer, to contribute; tribute, gifts
- 賢xiánvirtuous, worthy; good, able
- 仲zhòngmiddle brother; go between, mediator; su
- 尼níBuddhist nun; used in transliterations
- 服fúclothes; to dress, to wear; to take medi
- 景jǐngscenery, view; conditions, circumstances
- 伯bóolder brother; father's elder brother; s
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 告gàoto tell, to inform, to announce; to accu
- 譬pìexample; metaphor, simile
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 宮gōngpalace; surname
- 牆qiángwall
- 賜cìto give; to bestow a favor; to appoint
- 也yěalso, too
- 及jíto extend; to reach; and; in time
- 肩jiānshoulders; to shoulder, to bear
- 窺kuīto peep, to spy on, to watch
- 見jiànto see, to observe, to meet, to appear
- 室shìhouse, home; room, chamber
- 家jiāhouse, home, residence; family
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 數shùcount, number, several
- 仞rènancient unit of measure (about 8 feet);
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 門méngate, door, entrance, opening
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 入rùto enter, to come in; to join
- 宗zōngancestry, clan, family, lineage; religio
- 廟miàotemple, shrine; imperial court
- 美měibeautiful, pretty; pleasing
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 官guānofficial, public servant
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 或huòor, either, else; maybe, perhaps, possib
- 寡guǎwidowed; friendless, alone
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 云yúncloud; to say, to speak
- 亦yìalso, too; likewise
- 宜yífitting, proper, right; what one should
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 19.24
- Analects 14.38
- Zhuangzi Knowledge travels North
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi The Old Fisherman
- Zhuangzi Tien Tzŭ Fang
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.