Analects 2.20
The Analects (論語), BOOK II. WEI CHANG 爲政第二
季康子問使民敬忠以勸、如之何。子曰、臨之以莊、則敬、孝慈、則忠、擧善而教不能、則勸。
Chi K'ang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful to him, and to go on to nerve themselves to virtue. The Master said, "Let him preside over them with gravity;—then they will reverence him. Let him be filial and kind to all;—then they will be faithful to him. Let him advance the good and teach the incompetent;—then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 季jìa quarter-year, a season; surname
- 康kānghealth; peace, quiet
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 敬jìngto respect, to honor; respectfully
- 忠zhōngloyalty, devotion, fidelity
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 勸quànto recommend, to advise; to urge, to exh
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 臨línto draw near, to approach; to descend
- 莊zhuāngvillage, hamlet; villa, manor
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 孝xiàofilial piety, obedience; mourning
- 慈cígentle, humane, kind, merciful
- 擧jǔraise, lift up; recommend
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 教jiàoschool, education
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi The Circling Sky
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 21
- Mencius 6A.5
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi The Old Fisherman
- Mencius 2A.2
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.