Analects 5.4
The Analects (論語), BOOK V. KUNG-YE CH'ANG 公冶長第五
或曰、雍也仁、而不佞。子曰、焉用佞、禦人以口給、屢憎於人、不知其仁、焉用佞。
1. Some one said, "Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue."
2. The Master said, "What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartnesses of speech for the most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue?"
James Legge (1861), Confucian Analects, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861; 2nd ed. 1893) — public domain.
Character glossary
- 或huòor, either, else; maybe, perhaps, possib
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 雍yōngharmony, union; harmonious
- 也yěalso, too
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 佞nìngflattery; glib
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 禦yùchariot; to drive, to ride; to manage
- 人rénman, person; people
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 口kǒumouth; entrance, gate, opening
- 給gěito give, to lend; for, by
- 屢lǚfrequently, often, again and again
- 憎zēngto abhor, to detest, to hate
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.