Analects 3.11
The Analects (論語), BOOK III. PA YIH 八佾第三
或問禘之說。子曰、不知也、知其說者、之於天下也、其如示諸斯乎。指其掌。
Some one asked the meaning of the great sacrifice. The Master said, "I do not know. He who knew its meaning would find it as easy to govern the kingdom as to look on this;—pointing to his palm.
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 或huòor, either, else; maybe, perhaps, possib
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 禘dìimperial ancestor worship
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 說shuōto speak, to say; to scold, to upbraid
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 也yěalso, too
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 示shìaltar; ceremony; to show, to demonstrate
- 諸zhūall, many, various; surname
- 斯sīthis, thus, such; emphatic particle; use
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 指zhǐfinger, toe; to point, to indicate
- 掌zhǎngin charge; the palm of the hand, the sol
Passages with shared wording
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 19
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- The Great Learning Passage 3
- Zhuangzi Robber Chê
- Mencius 3B.9
- Analects 6.10
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.