The meaning of this sentence is: A gentleman hates those who do not say they want to do that but must find another excuse.

Source: "The Analects of Confucius·Ji's Chapter"

Excerpt:

Qiu, the gentleman who is sick says that he wants it and must do it. Qiu Ye heard that those who have a country and a family are not worried about being few but about inequality; they are not worried about poverty but about insecurity. There is no poverty in Gaijun, there is no widowhood in harmony, and there is no inclination in peace.

Translation:

Ran Qiu! A gentleman hates people who don't say they want to do that but always find another excuse. I have heard that for princes and officials, they are not afraid of poverty but of uneven wealth; they are not afraid of small population but of instability. Because if wealth is balanced, there will be no poverty, if there is harmony and unity, there will be no need for a small population, and if there is peace within the country, there will be no danger of overthrow.

Extended information:

Confucius debated with his disciples Ran You and Zi Lu regarding the Ji family's attack on Zhuan Yu. He not only bluntly exposed Ran You's sophistry, but also put forward There are three important principles that should be followed in governing the country, that is, "no one is poor, no one is widowed, no one is widowed, and no one is vulnerable." Only when those in power do these three things can the country enjoy long-term stability and the people live and work in peace and contentment.

This article is a refutation, which is carried out in the form of dialogue. It is powerful and uses historical materials; real-life examples, Zhuan Yu was "in the realm of the state" and "was a minister of the country"; celebrities As the famous saying goes, "Zhou Ren has something to say." The three arguments are solid and reliable, and the refutations are well-founded.