Analects 4.11
The Analects (論語), BOOK IV. LE JIN 里仁第四
子曰、君子懷德、小人懷土、君子懷刑、小人懷惠。
The Master said, "The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favours which he may receive."
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
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 懷huáibosom, breast; to carry in one's bosom
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 小xiǎosmall, tiny, insignificant
- 人rénman, person; people
- 土tǔsoil, earth; items made of earth
- 刑xíngpunishment, penalty; law
- 惠huìfavor, benefit, blessing, kindness
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.