The Master discusses with his disciples and unveil his preoccupations with society. Tr. Legge (en), Lau (en) and Couvreur (fr).
A lament because of the rarity of the love of virtue; and encouragement to practice virtue.
1. The Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practice virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person.
2. "Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient.
3. "Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it."
Legge IV.6.
The Master said, 'I have never met a man who finds benevolence attractive or a man who finds unbenevolence repulsive. A man who finds benevolence attractive cannot be surpassed. A man who finds unbenevolence repulsive can, perhaps, be counted as benevolent, for he could not allow what is not benevolent to contaminate his person. 'Is there a man who, for the space of a single day, is able to devote all his strength to benevolence? I have not come across such a man whose strength proves insufficient for the task. There must be such cases of insufficient strength, only I have not come across them.'
Lau [4:6]
Le Maître dit : « je n'ai pas encore vu un homme qui aimât la vertu et haït sincèrement l'inhumanité. Celui qui aime la vertu la préfère à toute autre chose ; celui qui hait sincèrement l'inhumanité cultive la vertu, et fuit toute atteinte du mal. Est-il un homme qui travaille de toutes ses forces à pratiquer la vertu un jour entier ? Je n'ai jamais vu aucun homme qui n'eût pas assez de forces pour le faire. Peut-être en existe-t-il ; mais je n'en ai jamais vu. » Tout homme, s'il fait des efforts sérieux, peut atteindre la perfection. (Tchou Hsi)
Couvreur IV.6.
The Analects of Confucius – Lun Yu IV. 6. (72) – Chinese on/off – Français/English
Alias the Lunyu, the Lun Yü, the Analects, les Entretiens du maître avec ses disciples.
The Book of Odes, The Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Three-characters book, The Book of Changes, The Way and its Power, 300 Tang Poems, The Art of War, Thirty-Six Strategies
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