《 DISCOURSES 1.7 》
VALUING WORTHINESS 《賢賢》
VALUING WORTHINESS
《賢賢》
Valuing worthiness he changes lustfulness;
in serving his father and mother, is able to exhaust his abilities;
in serving his ruler, is able to deliver his life;
with peers, fraternally exchanges words and has trustworthiness.
Though one says “he is not yet learned,” I surely call it learned.– Zixia 子夏¹
賢賢易色，
事父母能竭其力，
事君能致其身，
與朋友交言而有信。
雖曰未學，吾必謂之學矣。
Valuing worthiness he changes lustfulness; in serving his father and mother, is able to exhaust his abilities; in serving his ruler, is able to deliver his life; with peers, fraternally exchanges words and has trustworthiness. Though one says “he is not yet learned,” I surely call it learned.– Zixia 子夏¹
賢賢易色， 事父母能竭其力， 事君能致其身， 與朋友交言而有信。 雖曰未學，吾必謂之學矣。
[currently under review]
Valuing worthiness he changes lustfulness;² in serving his father and mother, is able to exhaust his abilities; in serving his ruler, is able to deliver his life; with peers, fraternally exchanges words and has trustworthiness. Though one says “he is not yet learned,” I surely call it learned.
These four things are all major aspects of human relations, and so to practice them surely requires one’s utmost sincerity (cheng 誠).³ Learning seeks this, and that is all. For this reason, Zixia said, to have someone with abilities like these (neng 能, skills), if not beautiful inborn qualities (zhi 質, natural character), then surely his devotion to learning has reached the utmost. Though some may consider it as not having studied, I surely call it already having learned.
– Zhu Xi 朱熹
四者皆人倫之大者，而行之必盡其誠，學求如是而已。故子夏言有能如是之人，苟非生質之美，必其務學之至。雖或以為未嘗為學，我必謂之已學也。
° ° °
² To regard as worthy the worthiness of the person, and thereby to change the heart which likes appearances, is to like goodness with sincerity.
– Zhu Xi 朱熹
賢人之賢，而易其好色之心，好善有誠也。
The “learning” (xue 學) of the ancient dynasties⁴ was all in order to illuminate human relationships. To be able to do these four things is to be profound in human relations. This, acts as learning’s way (dao 道)—what can be added to it? Zixia was renowned for his literary learning, yet his words were like this. Thus from them, what the ancient people called learning can be known. This follows, as chapter one (“Learn And”) largely consists in pursuing fundamentals.
– You Zuo 游酢⁵
三代之學，皆所以明人倫也。能是四者，則於人倫厚矣。學之為道，何以加此。子夏以文學名，而其言如此，則古人之所謂學者可知矣。故學而一篇，大抵皆在於務本。
As for Zixia’s words, their intention is good. However, within the air of the phrasing, the praise and denunciation are excessive; the disadvantage of its flow could lead to the abandonment of studying. They must be like the previous verses, the words of the Master; only then will they be without flaws.
– Wu Yu 吳域⁶
子夏之言，其意善矣。然辭氣之間，抑揚太過，其流之弊，將或至於廢學。必若上章夫子之言，然後為無弊也。
Translated text: Discourses with Collected Commentaries, Qing Dynasty imperial library edition, pg3: chapter 1, verse 7.
Character Notes by Zhu Xi
Zixia 子夏 was a pupil of Kongzi, family name Bu 卜, and given name Shang 商. To regard as worthy the worthiness of the person (xian xian 賢賢), and thereby to change (yi 易) the heart which likes appearances (haose好色, lascivious), is to like goodness with sincerity. Zhi 致 (“deliver”) is like ‘to cast aside’ (委). To cast aside and deliver qishen 其身 (“his life”) means ‘not having his life’ (不有其身).
pg4: verse 7 continued.