Analects 3.23
The Analects (論語), BOOK III. PA YIH 八佾第三
子語魯大師樂曰、樂其可知也、始作、翕如也、從之、純如也、繳如也、繹如也、以成。
The Master instructing the grand music-master of Lu said, "How to play music may be known. At the commencement of the piece, all the parts should sound together. As it proceeds, they should be in harmony while severally distinct and flowing without break, and thus on to the conclusion."
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
- 語yǔwords, language; saying, expression
- 魯lǔfoolish, stupid, rash; vulgar
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 師shīteacher, professional, master
- 樂lècheerful, happy, laughing; music
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 也yěalso, too
- 始shǐto begin, to start; beginning
- 作zuòto make; to write, to compose; to act, t
- 翕xīto agree; to open and close the mouth
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 純chúnpure, clean; simple, genuine
- 繳jiǎoto deliver, to submit, to hand over
- 繹yìto unravel; to interpret
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 成chéngto accomplish; to become; to complete, t
Passages with shared wording
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 12
- Mencius 1A.4
- Zhuangzi The Empire
- Mencius 1B.1
- Zhuangzi Horses' Hoofs
- The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 27
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.