Lun Yu – Les Entretiens de Confucius

Tch'enn Kang demanda à Pe iu1 si son père lui avait donné des enseignements particuliers qu'il ne communiquait pas à ses disciples. Pe iu répondit : « Aucun jusqu'à présent. Un jour qu'il se trouvait seul, comme je traversais la salle d'un pas rapide, il me dit : “As-tu étudié le Livre des Odes ? – Pas encore, lui dis-je. – Si tu n'étudies pas le Livre des Odes, me répondit-il, tu n'auras pas de sujets de conversation.” Je me retirai et me mis à étudier le Livre des Odes. Un autre jour qu'il était encore seul, comme je traversais la salle d'un pas rapide, il me dit : “As-tu étudié les Rites ? – Pas encore, lui répondis-je. – Si tu n'étudies pas les Rites, dit-il, tu n'auras pas de fondement solide.” Je me retirai et me mis à étudier les Rites. Voilà les deux enseignements que j'ai reçus. » Tch'enn Kang se retira satisfait et dit : « J'ai demandé une chose, et j'en ai appris trois ; dont l'une concerne le Livre des Odes, l'autre concerne le Livre des Rites ; et la troisième, c'est que l'homme honorable ménage une certaine distance avec son fils. »

Couvreur XVI.13.

Confucius's instruction of his son not different from his instruction of the disciples generally.
1. Ch'an K'ang asked Po-yü, saying, "Have you heard any lessons from your father different from what we have all heard?"
2. Po-yü replied, "No. He was standing alone once, when I passed below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have you learned the Odes?' On my replying 'Not yet,' he added, 'If you do not learn the Odes, you will not be fit to converse with.' I retired and studied the Odes.
3. "Another day, he was in the same way standing alone, when I passed by below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have you learned the rules of Propriety?' On my replying 'Not yet,' he added, 'If you do not learn the rules of Propriety, your character cannot be established.' I then retired, and learned the rules of Propriety.
4. "I have heard only these two things from him."
5. Ch'ang K'ang retired, and, quite delighted, said, "I asked one thing, and I have got three things. I have heard about the Odes. I have heard about the rules of Propriety. I have also heard that the superior man maintains a distant reserve towards his son."

Legge XVI.13.

Ch'en Kang asked Po-yu, 'Have you not been taught anything out of the ordinary?'
'No, I have not. Once my father was standing by himself. As I crossed the courtyard with quickened steps, he said, "Have you studied the Odes?" I answered, "No." "Unless you study the Odes you will be ill-equipped to speak." I retired and studied the Odes.
'Another day, my father was again standing by himself. As I crossed the courtyard with quickened steps, he said, "Have you studied the rites?" I answered, "No." "Unless you study the rites you will be ill-equipped to take your stand." I retired and studied the rites. I have been taught these two things.'
Ch'en Kang retired delighted and said, 'I asked one question and got three answers. I learned about the Odes, I learned about the rites and I learned that a gentleman keeps aloof from his son;'

Lau [16:13]