Analects 5.24
The Analects (論語), BOOK V. KUNG-YE CH'ANG 公冶長第五
子曰、巧言令色、足恭、左丘明恥之、丘亦恥之、匿怨而友其人、左丘明恥之、丘亦恥之。
The Master said, "Fine words, an insinuating appearance, and excessive respect;—Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of them. I also am ashamed of them. To conceal resentment against a person, and appear friendly with him;—Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of such conduct. I also am ashamed of it."
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
- 巧qiǎoskillful, ingenious, clever
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 令lìngcommand, decree, order; magistrate; to a
- 色sècolor, tint, hue, shade; beauty, form; s
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 恭gōngpolite, respectful, reverent
- 左zuǒleft; unorthodox, improper
- 丘qiūmound, hill; surname
- 明míngbright, clear; to explain, to understand
- 恥chǐshame, humiliation; ashamed
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 亦yìalso, too; likewise
- 匿nìto hide; to go into hiding
- 怨yuànto blame, to complain, to hate; enmity,
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 友yǒufriend, companion; fraternity
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 人rénman, person; people
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.