Analects 7.30
The Analects (論語), BOOK VII. SHU R 述而第七
陳司敗問昭公知禮乎。孔子曰、知禮。孔子退、揖巫馬期而進之、曰、吾聞君子不黨、君子亦黨乎、君取於吳爲同姓、謂之吳孟子、君而知禮、孰不知禮。 巫馬期以吿。子曰、丘也幸、苟有過、人必知之。
1. The minister of crime of Ch'an asked whether the duke Chao knew propriety, and Confucius said, "He knew propriety."
2. Confucius having retired, the minister bowed to Wu-ma Ch'i to come forward, and said, "I have heard that the superior man is not a partisan. May the superior man be a partisan also? The prince married a daughter of the house of Wu, of the same surname with himself, and called her,—'The elder Tsze of Wu.' If the prince knew propriety, who does not know it?"
3. Wu-ma Ch'i reported these remarks, and the Master said, "I am fortunate! If I have any errors, people are sure to know them."
Character glossary
- 陳chénto display, to exhibit; to plead; surnam
- 司sīto take charge of, to control, to manage
- 敗bàifailure; to decline, to fail, to suffer
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 昭zhāobright, luminous; clear, manifest
- 公gōngfair, equitable; public; duke
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 退tuìto retreat, to step back, to withdraw
- 揖yīto bow, to salute; to defer, to yield
- 巫wūwizard, sorcerer, witch, shaman
- 馬mǎhorse; surname
- 期qīa period of time; date, time; phase
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 進jìnto advance, to make progress; to come in
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 聞wénnews; to hear, to smell; to make known
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 黨dǎngpolitical party, gang, faction
- 亦yìalso, too; likewise
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 吳wúone of several warring states; surname
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 同tóngsame, similar; together with, alike
- 姓xìngname, family name, surname; clan, people
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 孟mèngfirst in a series; great, eminent
- 孰shúwho? which? what? which one?
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 吿gàotell, announce, inform; accuse
- 丘qiūmound, hill; surname
- 也yěalso, too
- 幸xìngfavor, fortune, luck; surname
- 苟gǒucareless, frivolous, illicit; but, if on
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 過guòpass; to go across, to pass through
- 人rénman, person; people
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
Passages with shared wording
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Analects 3.22
- Zhuangzi Tien Tzŭ Fang
- Zhuangzi Knowledge travels North
- Analects 18.7
- Mencius 2B.9
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.