Analects 9.23
The Analects (論語), BOOK IX. TSZE HAN 子罕第九
子曰、法語之言、能無從乎、改之爲貴、巽與之言、能無說乎、繹之爲貴、說而不繹、從而不改、吾末如之何也已矣。
The Master said, "Can men refuse to assent to the words of strict admonition? But it is reforming the conduct because of them which is valuable. Can men refuse to be pleased with words of gentle advice? But it is unfolding their aim which is valuable. If a man be pleased with these words, but does not unfold their aim, and assents to those, but does not reform his conduct, I can really do nothing with him."
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
- 法fǎlaw, rule, statute; method, way; French
- 語yǔwords, language; saying, expression
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 從cóngfrom, by, since, whence, through
- 乎hūinterrogative or exclamatory final parti
- 改gǎito alter, to change, to improve, to remo
- 爲wèido, handle, govern, act; be
- 貴guìexpensive, costly; valuable, precious
- 巽xùnmild, modest, obedient; southeast; 5th o
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 說shuōto speak, to say; to scold, to upbraid
- 繹yìto unravel; to interpret
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 末mòend, final, last; insignificant
- 如rúas, as if, like, such as, supposing
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 也yěalso, too
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
Passages with shared wording
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.