Analects 5.7
The Analects (論語), BOOK V. KUNG-YE CH'ANG 公冶長第五
孟武伯問子路仁乎。子曰、不知也。又問。子曰、由也、千乘之國、可使治其賦也、不知其仁也。求也何如。子曰、求也、千室之邑、百乘之家、可使爲之宰也、不知其仁也。赤也何如。子曰、赤也、束帶立於朝、可使與賓客言也、不知其仁也。
1. Mang Wu asked about Tsze-lu, whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, "I do not know."
2. He asked again, when the Master replied, "In a kingdom of a thousand chariots, Yu might be employed to manage the military levies, but I do not know whether he be perfectly virtuous."
3. "And what do you say of Ch'iu?" The Master replied, "In a city of a thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots, Ch'iu might be employed as governor, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."
4. "What do you say of Ch'ih?" The Master replied, "With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch'ih might be employed to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."
Character glossary
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 武wǔmilitary; martial, warlike
- 伯bóolder brother; father's elder brother; s
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 路lùroad, path, street; journey
- 仁rénbenevolent, humane, kind
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 也yěalso, too
- 又yòuand, also, again, in addition
- 由yóucause, reason; from
- 千qiānthousand; many, numerous; very
- 乘chéngride, mount; to make use of; to ascend;
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 治zhìto administer, to govern, to regulate
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 賦fùtax; to give, to bestow
- 求qiúto seek; to request, to demand; to besee
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 室shìhouse, home; room, chamber
- 邑yìarea, district, city, state
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 家jiāhouse, home, residence; family
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 宰zǎito slaughter, to butcher; to govern, to
- 赤chìred, scarlet; blushing; bare, naked
- 束shùto bind, to control, to restrain; bale
- 帶dàibelt, strap; band, ribbon; area, zone; t
- 立lìto stand; to establish, to set up
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 朝cháoto face; direct, facing; dynasty; mornin
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 賓bīnguest, visitor; surname; submit
- 客kèguest, traveller; customer
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.