Analects 3.13
The Analects (論語), BOOK III. PA YIH 八佾第三
王孫賈問曰、與其媚於奧、寧媚於竈、何謂也。子曰、不然、獲罪於天、無所禱也。
1. Wang-sun Chia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the saying, 'It is better to pay court to the furnace than to the south-west corner?'"
2. The Master said, "Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 王wángking, ruler; royal; surname
- 孫sūngrandchild, descendent; surname
- 賈jiǎmerchant; to buy, to trade; surname
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 媚mèiattractive, charming; to charm, to flatt
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 奧àomysterious, obscure, profound; used in t
- 寧níngcalm, peaceful; healthy; rather; to pref
- 竈zàofurnace; kitchen stove
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 也yěalso, too
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 獲huòto get, to obtain, to receive, to sieze
- 罪zuìsin, vice; fault, guilt; crime
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 禱dǎoto pray, to entreat, to beg; prayer
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 14.20
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Zhuangzi Perfect Happiness
- Mencius 7B.37
- Zhuangzi The Circling Sky
- Mencius 5A.4
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.