Analects 19.4
The Analects (論語), BOOK XIX. TSZE-CHANG 子張第十九
子夏曰、雖小道、必有可觀者焉、致遠恐泥、是以君子不爲也。
Tsze-hsia said, "Even in inferior studies and employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be
attempted to carry them out to what is remote, there is a danger of their proving inapplicable. Therefore, the superior man does not practise them."
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
- 夏xiàsummer; the Xia or Hsia dynasty
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 雖suīalthough, even though
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 觀guānto observe, to spectate; appearance, vie
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 致zhìto send; to present, to deliver; to caus
- 遠yuǎndistant, remote, far; profound
- 恐kǒngfearful, apprehensive; to fear, to dread
- 泥nímud, earth, clay; plaster, paste
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 也yěalso, too
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi The Empire
- Zhuangzi Perfect Happiness
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Zhuangzi Mountain Trees
- Zhuangzi On Declining Power
- Analects 5.27
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.