The Doctrine of the Mean Passage 10
子路問強。子曰：「南方之強與？北方之強與？抑而強與？寬柔以教，不報無道，南方之強也，君子居之。衽金革，死而不厭，北方之強也，而強者居之。故君子和而不流，強哉矯！中立而不倚，強哉矯！國有道，不變塞焉，強哉矯！國無道，至死不變，強哉矯！」
Zi-lu asked about energy. The Master said, "Do you mean the energy of the South, the energy of the North, or the energy which you should cultivate yourself? To show forbearance and gentleness in teaching others; and not to revenge unreasonable conduct - this is the energy of southern regions, and the good man makes it his study. To lie under arms; and meet death without regret - this is the energy of northern regions, and the forceful make it their study. Therefore, the superior man cultivates a friendly harmony, without being weak. How firm is he in his energy! He stands erect in the middle, without inclining to either side. How firm is he in his energy! When good principles prevail in the government of his country, he does not change from what he was in retirement. How firm is he in his energy! When bad principles prevail in the country, he maintains his course to death without changing. How firm is he in his energy!"
English: James Legge (1861), The Doctrine of the Mean, The Chinese Classics vol. 1 (1861); romanization modernized on Wikisource — public domain. Chinese: Chinese text from the Wikisource bilingual edition.
Character glossary
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 路lùroad, path, street; journey
- 問wènto ask about, to inquire after
- 強qiángstrong, powerful, energetic
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 南nánsouth; southern; southward
- 方fāngsquare, rectangle; side; region; flag
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 北běinorth; northern; northward
- 抑yìto curb, to hinder; to keep down, to rep
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 寬kuānbroad, spacious, vast, wide
- 柔róusoft, supple; gentle; flexible
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 教jiàoschool, education
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 報bàoto announce, to report; newspaper; payba
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 也yěalso, too
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 居jūto live, to reside; to dwell; to sit
- 衽rèncollar, lapel
- 金jīngold, metal; money
- 革géleather, animal hide; to reform; to remo
- 死sǐdead; death; impassable, inflexible
- 厭yànto dislike, to detest; to reject; to sat
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 和héharmony, peace; calm, peaceful
- 流liúto flow, to drift, to circulate; class
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
- 矯jiǎoto correct, to rectify, to straighten ou
- 中zhōngcentral; center, middle; amidst; to hit
- 立lìto stand; to establish, to set up
- 倚yǐto rely on, to depend on
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 變biànto change, to transform, to alter; rebel
- 塞sāito stop up, to seal, to cork, to block;
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 至zhìreach, arrive; very, extremely
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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.