Analects 8.1
The Analects (論語), BOOK VIII. T'AI-PO 泰伯第八
子曰、泰伯其可謂至德也已矣、三以天下讓、民無得而稱焉。
The Master said, "T'ai-po may be said to have reached the highest point of virtuous action. Thrice he declined the kingdom, and the people in ignorance of his motives could not express their approbation of his conduct."
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
- 泰tàigreat, exalted, superior; calm; big
- 伯bóolder brother; father's elder brother; s
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 至zhìreach, arrive; very, extremely
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 也yěalso, too
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 三sānthree
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 讓ràngto allow, to permit, to yield
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 得déto obtain, to get, to acquire; suitable,
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 稱chēngbalanced; name, brand; to say, to call
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.