Analects 3.19
The Analects (論語), BOOK III. PA YIH 八佾第三
定公問君使臣、臣事君、如之何。孔子對曰、君使臣以禮、臣事君以忠。
The Duke Ting asked how a prince should employ his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince. Confucius replied, "A prince should employ his minister according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness."
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 定dìngto decide, to fix, to settle; to order;
- 公gōngfair, equitable; public; duke
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 臣chénminister, statesman, official, vassal
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 對duìcorrect, right; facing, opposed
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 忠zhōngloyalty, devotion, fidelity
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.