The original text says: "A gentleman is Zhou (1) but not in comparison with (2), and a villain is in comparison but not Zhou."

Notes (1) Zhou: gregarious. (2) Bi: Sound bì, collusion. (3) Villain: a mortal without moral cultivation.

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman is gregarious and does not collude with others; a villain colludes with others and does not collude with others."

Comment on Confucius's distinction between a gentleman and a villain in this chapter One of the points is that villains form cliques for personal gain, collude with others, and cannot get along with most people; but a gentleman is different. He has a broad mind, gets along with everyone in harmony, and never colludes with others. This idea is still not used today. It has lost its positive meaning.

The original text of the Confucius said: "A gentleman has nothing to do with the world. There is nothing wrong with it. It is the comparison of righteousness (1). "

Commentary meaning: appropriate, proper. (4) Bi: juxtaposition, neighbor.

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman has nothing to do with the people and things in the world. There is nothing wrong with it, it just depends on whether it is reasonable or not, and it only depends on what is moral. ”

Comment on one of the basic points Confucius put forward for a gentleman in this chapter: “Righteousness and proportion. "A gentleman with a noble personality is fair and friendly, serious and flexible in his dealings, and will not favor one over another. This chapter is still talking about personal moral cultivation.

The original text said: "A gentleman has (1) virtue, a small A man cherishes earth (2); a gentleman cherishes punishment (3), and a villain cherishes favor. "

Notes (1) Huai: longing. (2) Tu: hometown. (3) Punishment: legal punishment.

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman longs for morality. What people miss is their country; a gentleman thinks about the rule of law, and a villain thinks about favors. ”

Commentary This chapter once again mentions the two different types of personality forms: the gentleman and the villain. It is believed that the gentleman has high morals, has a broad mind, a broad vision, and considers the affairs of the country and society, while The villain only cares about his hometown and small favors, and only cares about his personal and family livelihood.

The original text said: "The gentleman is about righteousness, and the villain. Yu Yuli. ”

Translation Confucius said: “A gentleman understands great justice, but a villain only knows small gains.” ”

Commentary: “A gentleman is likened to righteousness, and a villain is likened to benefit.” This is a sentence in Confucius’s theory that has a greater influence on later generations and is popular among people. This clearly raises the issue of righteousness and benefit. Confucius believed that benefit is the key to benefit. Obeying righteousness means valuing righteousness over profit. Its righteousness refers to the morality of obeying the hierarchical order. Blind pursuit of personal interests will lead to rebellion and destroy the hierarchical order. Therefore, people who pursue personal interests are regarded as villains. As time goes by, this kind of thinking becomes a sharp opposition between righteousness and benefit, an either-or view of righteousness and benefit.

The original text of the Confucius said: "Excessiveness will not lead to grandeur [xùn] (1), frugality will lead to solidity. (2). It is better to be solid than to have no grandchildren. "

Notes (1) Sun: Tongxun, deferential. Not Sun means disobedience, which means "more etiquette". (2) Gu: simple and humble. Here it means shabby. .

Translation Confucius said: “If you are extravagant, you will be too polite; if you are frugal, you will be shabby. It is better to be shabby than to be polite.

Commentary: In the Spring and Autumn Period, all the princes and officials were extremely extravagant and luxurious. Their standard of living and enjoyment and the scale of etiquette were no different from those of the Emperor of Zhou. In Confucius' view, these were all violations of etiquette. . Although being frugal will make people feel shabby, it is better to be shabby than to go beyond etiquette in order to maintain the dignity of etiquette.

The original text says: "A gentleman is magnanimous (1), and a villain is open-minded (2)."

Notes (1) Magnanimous: broad-minded, open-minded and tolerant. (2) Chang Qiqi: often sad and troubled.

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman is broad-minded, but a villain is always sad."

Comments: "A gentleman is magnanimous, but a villain is always worried" is a famous saying that people have known since ancient times. .

Many people often write this as a banner and hang it in their room to motivate themselves. Confucius believed that a gentleman should have a broad mind and be able to tolerate others and accommodate various events, regardless of personal gains and losses. It is impossible to become a gentleman if you are narrow-minded, have difficulties with others and yourself, are often sad, and feel uneasy.

The original text says: "You can learn from others, but not the right way (1); you can go with the right way, but not the right way (2); you can stand the right way, but not the right way (2) 3). ”

Notes (1) Suitable way: Suitable, going. Here it means to aspire to the Tao and pursue the Tao. (2) Li: Adhere to the Tao without changing. (3) Quan: Weighing hammer. This is extended to weighing the importance.

Translation Confucius said: "Those who can learn together may not all learn the Tao; those who can learn the Tao may not be able to stick to the Tao; those who can stick to the Tao may not be able to adapt to changes."

Original text Sima Niu asked the gentleman. Confucius said: "A gentleman is neither worried nor afraid." He said: "A gentleman is neither worried nor fearful. How can I call him a gentleman?" Confucius said: "If you look inward and feel no guilt, why should you be worried or afraid?"

Translation: Sima Niu asked how to be a gentleman. Confucius said: "A gentleman is not worried or afraid." Sima Niu said: "If he is not sad or fearful, can he be called a gentleman?" Confucius said: "If you have a clear conscience, what worries and fears are there?"

Commentary: It is said that Sima Niu was the younger brother of Huan Yu [tuí], a senior official in the Song Dynasty. Huan Miao "committed rebellion" in the Song Dynasty and was attacked by the people in power in the Song Dynasty. The whole family was forced to flee. Sima Niu fled to the state of Lu, where he worshiped Confucius as his teacher and claimed that Huan Yu was not his brother. Therefore, in this chapter, Confucius answered Sima Niu's question about how to be a gentleman. This is targeted, that is, to have no worries, no fear, and a clear conscience.

Original text Zi said: "The gentleman has three things to do, and I am incompetent: the benevolent do not worry, the knowledgeable do not be confused, and the brave do not fear." Zigong said: "The master has his own way."

Translation: Confucius said: "There are three aspects of a gentleman's way, but I have failed to achieve them: a virtuous person does not worry, a wise person does not be confused, and a brave person does not fear." Zigong said: "This is exactly the self of the teacher. Express it!"

Commentary: As a gentleman, Confucius believed that there are many necessary qualities. Here he emphasized three aspects: benevolence, wisdom, and courage. In the ninth chapter of "Zihan", Confucius also talked about the above three aspects.

The original text may say: "How to repay kindness with kindness?" Confucius said: "How to repay kindness? Repay kindness with kindness, repay kindness with kindness."

Some people in the translation said: "Repay kindness with kindness. How about repaying resentment? "Confucius said: "What should we do to repay kindness? We should repay resentment with integrity and kindness with kindness." Commentary Confucius disagreed with the practice of "repaying kindness with kindness." It should be "repaying grievances directly". This means that not changing one's fairness and integrity because of old evils and old grievances means upholding integrity. "Repaying grievances directly" is extremely important for personal moral cultivation, but sometimes it is not so appropriate in the political field.

Original text Confucius said: "A gentleman is sick and incompetent, because he does not know it."

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman is only afraid that he has no talent, and is not afraid that others will not know him. ”

Original text Confucius said: “A gentleman does not recommend a person based on his words, nor does he rely on others’ useless words.”

Translation Confucius said: “A gentleman does not recommend a person based on his words. Don't reject a person's good words just because he is bad."

Commentary on "Wei Linggong" From Chapter 18 to Chapter 23, these 6 chapters are basically about the actions of the gentleman and his relationship with the villain. People are different. What is a gentleman? Confucius believed that he should pay attention to the moral principles of righteousness, etiquette, humility, and trustworthiness; he strictly demanded himself and tried his best to achieve the "three immortals" of making moral and meritorious deeds and passing on his name to future generations; he behaved solemnly and harmoniously with others, but Don't form cliques for personal gain, don't use people's words to make good use of people, don't use people to negate their words, etc. Of course, this is only part of the characteristics of a gentleman.

Original text Confucius said: "A gentleman has nine thoughts: looking for wisdom, listening for intelligence, looking for warmth, looking for respect, speaking for loyalty, acting with respect, doubting and questioning, and thinking with anger is difficult [nàn] , see the meaning."

Translation Confucius said: "A gentleman has nine things to think about: when looking, he should think about whether he sees clearly; when listening, he should think about whether he hears clearly; You have to think about whether your face is gentle, and whether your appearance is humble; when you talk, you have to think about whether you are loyal; when you do things, you have to think about whether you are cautious and serious; when you have questions, you have to think about whether you should ask others; when you are angry, you have to think about whether there will be any future troubles , when obtaining financial gain, you must consider whether it is in line with the principles of righteousness."

Commentary This chapter takes into account all aspects of people's words and deeds through Confucius's "The Gentleman Has Nine Thoughts". You and your students must think carefully and self-reflect on everything you say and do. This includes various norms of personal moral cultivation, such as gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, yielding, loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, etc. All of these are components of Confucius's theory of moral cultivation.

Original text Zigong said: "Does a gentleman also have evil (1)?" Confucius said: "There is evil. Those who call others evil are evil, those who live in the lower class (2) and those who are above are scorned (3) , Those who are brave and rude, and those who are bold and suffocating (4)." He said: "Is there also evil in giving?" "Those who are evil in (5) think that they know (6), and those who are not brave (7) are considered brave. , evil criticism (8) those who think they are honest. "

Notes (1) evil: the sound wù means disgust. (2) Indecent: inferior, inferior. (3) slander: shàn, slander. (4) Stifling: obstruction, unreasonable, stubborn. (5)徼: sound jiǎo, stealing, plagiarism. (6) Zhi: Same as "wisdom". (7) Sun: Same as "Xun". (8) Criticism: sound jié, attack and expose others.

Translation Zigong said: "Does a gentleman also have things he hates?" Confucius said: "There are things he hates. He hates people who promote the bad qualities of others, hates people who are in a lower position and slanders those above him. People who are brave and ignorant of etiquette hate people who are stubborn and unreasonable." Confucius said again: "Ci, do you also hate people?" Zigong said: "You hate people who steal other people's achievements and use them as your own knowledge. , hate those who regard being immodest as brave, and hate those who think they are forthright by revealing other people's secrets."

Original text Zigong said: "The faults of a gentleman are like the eclipses of the sun and the moon. , everyone sees it; moreover, everyone admires it."

Translation Zigong said: "The mistakes of a gentleman are like the eclipses of the sun and the moon. When he makes mistakes, everyone can see them; when he corrects them, they can be seen." People look up to him."