《 DISCOURSES 1.14 》

LEARNING THE WAY 《就有道》

LEARNING THE WAY
《就有道》

Noble man eats, there is not a seeking of fulfillment,
dwells, there is not a seeking of comfort,
quick in work affairs and careful in speech,
approaches an attained way and is rectified by this.
May say fond of learning, indeed.

– Kongzi 孔子

君子食無求飽，
居無求安，
敏於事而慎於言，
就有道而正焉，
可謂好學也已。

Noble man eats, there is not a seeking of fulfillment, dwells, there is not a seeking of comfort, quick in work affairs and careful in speech, approaches an attained way and is rectified by this. May say fond of learning, indeed.

– Kongzi 孔子

君子食無求飽，
居無求安，
敏於事而慎於言，
就有道而正焉，
可謂好學也已。

[currently under review]

Not seeking comfort or fulfillment means that one's aspirations are elsewhere and do not have time for these things. Being quick in work affairs means making up for one's deficiencies. Being careful in speech means not daring to exhaust what one has in excess.

Still, one should not dare to rely solely on oneself, but must seek those who have attained the Way in order to correct their right and wrong. Then, they can be called fond of learning.

Speaking of the Way generally refers to the natural principles of things, which are the common path for all people. [AI summary]

– Zhu Xi 朱熹

If a noble person can achieve these four things in their learning, they can be called someone with sincere aspirations and diligent practice. However, if they do not seek rectification from those who have attained the Way, they may inevitably make mistakes, such as Yang and Mo who studied benevolence and righteousness but deviated from the correct path. Their teachings led to the extreme of disregarding fathers and rulers. Can this be called fond of learning? [AI summary]

– Yin Shi 尹氏

Jiù 就 is to approach or to come near. Yǒu 有 is to have or to exist. Dào 道 is a way or path. Zhèng 正 is to rectify, to straighten, or to make right. Thus, in the phrase 就有道, one "comes near" to an "existent way," possessed by another who "has the way." Thus my translation: "approaches an attained way." Next, we encounter the important concept of rectification (正), "to be set straight," which often appears in Confucian, Daoist, and Legalist texts. Thus, we get "approach an attained way and be rectified by this." This social rectification, learning by emulation (see verse 1.1), is central to the Confucian way.

Hǎo 好 hǎo is to be fond of or to like. The translation "love" seems too much of a modern liberal reading. Besides, there is a separate character for that (愛), which was not chosen, so I've gone with the more literal "to be fond of." I also think this understated rendering is more consistent with Kongzi's general understated tone in the Analects.