Interpretation

The tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop. The son wants to be filial and support his parents, but the age of the parents does not allow the son to fulfill his filial piety for a long time.

This famous saying is generally used to mean that things are difficult to achieve as one wishes.

Source

"Confucius' Family Sayings Volume 2, Thoughts 8"

Original text

Confucius was walking and heard a lot of crying sad. Confucius said: "Drive, drive, there is a sage in front of you." When he arrived, Gao Yu was covered in brown and sickled, crying beside the road. Confucius drove out of his chariot and said: "If you are not in mourning, why should you cry with sorrow?" The first is that I have high ambitions, and I am free to serve the king. The second is to lose friends. The third is that the tree wants to be quiet but the wind does not stop. The child wants to be raised but cannot be chased. The person is old; the person who is gone and cannot be seen is the dear one. I would like to say goodbye from now on." He died of illness.

Confucius said: "The disciples warned him, and he was enough to understand." So three of the disciples resigned and returned to support their relatives.

Translation

Confucius was traveling and heard someone crying very sadly. Confucius said: "Hurry up, hurry up, there is a wise man in front of you." When I got closer, I saw it was Gao Yu. Wearing a coarse cloth and holding a sickle, he was crying by the roadside. Confucius got out of the car and said to Gaoyu: "There is no funeral in your family, why are you crying so sadly?"

Gaoyu replied: "I have three mistakes: when I was young, I traveled around the vassal states in order to study; This is one of my faults: I have lofty ambitions, and I cannot tactfully advise the luxurious monarch. This is my second fault. I have a deep friendship with my friends but gradually alienate them. This is my third fault. The tree wants to calm down but the wind keeps stopping. The children want to take good care of their parents but their parents are too old to wait! What has passed and cannot be recovered is the relatives who have passed away and will never be seen again. Please allow me to say goodbye. Let’s go to this world (to accompany the deceased relatives).” After that, he passed away.

Confucius said to his disciples: "You should take this as a warning. This incident is enough to make you understand the truth!" So, three out of ten disciples bid farewell and went home to support their parents.