Analects 9.10
The Analects (論語), BOOK IX. TSZE HAN 子罕第九
顏淵喟然歎曰、仰之彌高、鑽之彌堅、瞻之在前、忽焉在後。夫子循循然善誘人、博我以文、約我以禮。欲罷不能、既竭吾才、如有所立卓爾、雖欲從之、末由也已。
1. Yen Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines, sighed and said, "I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind.
2. "The Master, by orderly method, skilfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety.
3. "When I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so."
Character glossary
- 顏yánface, facial appearance
- 淵yuānabyss, depth; to surge up, to bubble up
- 喟kuìheave sigh, sigh
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 歎tànto sigh; to admire
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 仰yǎngraise the head to look; look up to, rely
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 彌mícomplete, extensive, full; to fill
- 高gāotall, lofty; high, elevated
- 鑽zuāndiamond; to bore, to drill, to pierce
- 堅jiānhard, strong; firm, resolute
- 瞻zhānto look; to look out for; to respect
- 在zàiat, in, on; to exist; used to indicate t
- 前qiánin front, forward; former, preceding
- 忽hūsuddenly, abruptly; to neglect
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 循xúnto obey, to follow, to comply with
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 誘yòuto tempt, to persuade, to entice; guide
- 人rénman, person; people
- 博bóto gamble, to play games; to win; rich,
- 我wǒI, me, my; our, us
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 文wénculture, literature, writing
- 約yuētreaty, covenant, agreement
- 禮lǐcourtesy, manners, social customs
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 罷bàto cease, to finish, to stop, to quit
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 既jìalready, since, then; both; de facto
- 竭jiéto exhaust; to put forth great effort
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 才cáiability, talent, gift; just, only
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 立lìto stand; to establish, to set up
- 卓zhuōprofound, lofty, brilliant
- 爾ěryou; that, those; final particle
- 雖suīalthough, even though
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 末mòend, final, last; insignificant
- 由yóucause, reason; from
- 也yěalso, too
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
Passages with shared wording
- Analects 11.25
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Mencius 7A.36
- Zhuangzi Kêng Sang Ch’u
- Zhuangzi Transcendental Bliss
- Mencius 4A.1
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.