Analects 6.4
The Analects (論語), BOOK VI. YUNG YEY 雍也第六
子謂仲弓曰、犁牛之子騂且角、雖欲勿用、山川其舍諸。
The Master, speaking of Chung-kung, said, "If the calf of a brindled cow be red and horned, although men may not wish to use it, would the spirits of the mountains and rivers put it aside?"
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
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 仲zhòngmiddle brother; go between, mediator; su
- 弓gōngbow; curved, arched
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 犁líto plow
- 牛niúox, cow, bull
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 騂xīngred, brown, bay; neat, harmonious
- 且qiěmoreover, also (post-subject); about to,
- 角jiǎoangle, corner; horn, horn-shaped
- 雖suīalthough, even though
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 山shānmountain, hill, peak
- 川chuānstream, river
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 舍shěhouse, dwelling; to reside, to dwell; to
- 諸zhūall, many, various; surname
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.