论语英译

The Analects of Confucius 论语

辜鸿铭 译

The Discourses and Sayings of Confucius

We will only here express the hope that educated and thinking Englishmen who will take the trouble to read this translation of ours, may, after reading it, be led to reconsider their hitherto(迄今) foregone(先前的) conceptions of the Chinese people, and in so doing be enabled not only to modify their preconceptions of the Chinese people, but also to change the attitude of their personal and national relations with the Chinese as individuals and as a nation.

“希望那些不辞劳烦阅读我们这个译本的、受过教育的、拥有思想的英国人，能够重新修正他们迄今为止对中国人的看法。而且，这样做不仅能让他们重新定义对中国人的看法，也能从个人及国家层面改变对中国人及中国人的态度。”---辜鸿铭

学而第一

子曰：学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？

Confucius remarked, “It is indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and, as you go on acquiring, to put into practice what you have acquired. A greater pleasure still it is when friends of congenial minds come from afar to seek you because of your attainments. But he is truly a wise and good man who feels no discomposure even when he is not noticed of men.”

Congenial  adj.意气相投的

Attainment  n.成就，学识

Discomposure  n.不安，狼狈 discompose使不安

吾日三省吾身：为人谋而不忠乎？与朋友交而不信乎？传不习乎？

A disciple of Confucius remarked(曾子曰), “I daily examine into my personal conduct on three points:---First, whether in carrying out the duties entrusted to me by others, I have no failed in conscientiousness; secondly, whether in intercourse with friends, I have not failed in sincerity and trustworthiness; Thirdly, whether I have not failed to practice what I profess in my teaching.”

Entrust. 委托，信任

Conscientiousness  尽责，凭良心办事 conscientious

Trustworthiness  可信赖，确实性

Profess  自称，声称，承认，当教授

子曰：巧言令色，鲜矣仁！

With plausible speech and fine manners will seldom be found moral character.

子曰：弟子入则孝，出则悌，谨而信，泛爱众，而亲仁。行有余力，则以学文。

Confucius remarked, A young man, when at home, should be a good son; when out in the world, a good citizen. He should be circumspect and truthful. He should be in sympathy with all men, but intimate with men of moral character. If he has time and opportunity to spare, after the performance of those duties, he should then employ them in literary pursuits.

Circumspect  小心周到的，谨慎的，慎重

Intimate  亲密的，密切的

子夏曰：贤贤易色；事父母能竭其力，事君能致其身，与朋友交言而有信。虽曰未学，吾必谓之学矣。

A disciple of Confucius remarked, A man who can love worthiness in man as he loves beauty in woman; who in his duties to his parents is ready to do his utmost; and in the service of his prince is ready to give up his life; who in intercourse with friends is found trustworthy in what he says, --such a man, although men may say of him that he is an uneducated man, I must consider him to be really an educated man.

Utmost  最大，极其

Intercourse  交往，交流，性交

子曰，君子食无求饱，居无求安，敏于事而慎于言，就有道而正焉，可谓好学也已。

Confucius remarked, a wise and good man, in matters of food, should never seek to indulge his appetite; in lodging, he should not be too solicitous of comfort. He should be diligent in business and careful in speech. He should seek for the company of men of virtue and learning, in order to profit by their lessons and example. In this way he may become a man of real culture.

Indulge    满足，沉溺，放任

Lodging  寄宿

Solicitous  操心的，关切的

Diligent    勤勉的，

子曰，不患人之不知己，患不知人也。

Confucius remarked, one should not be concerned not to be understood of men; one should be concerned not to understand men.

子贡曰，贫而无谗，富而无骄，何如？

子曰，可也。未若贫而乐，富而好礼者也。

子贡曰，《诗》云，如切如磋，如琢如磨。其斯之谓与？

子曰，赐也，始可与言《诗》已矣！告诸往而知来者。

To be continue…