Chapter VIII
8.1. Tai Bo, said the Master, might be said to have the highest virtue, for he had thrice renounced the throne. He was beyond the praise of the people.
8.2. Beyond propriety, said the Master, respect would lead to labor lost, caution to timidity, courage to violence, and even frankness would hurt. If cultured men are affectionate to their kins, then people will be inspired to do good. If old friends are not forgotten, then people will not be negligent.
8.3. When Master Zeng was ill, he summoned his disciples around him and said, “Uncover my feet and uncover my hands! It is said in the Book of Poetry: ‘Be careful as if you did stand On the brink of the gulf of vice Or tread upon the ice!’ From now on, I need not be so careful, my young friends.”
8.4. When Master Zeng was ill, Meng Jing Zi came to inquire after him. Master Zeng said, “When a bird is about to die, its song is mournful. When a man is about to die, what he says is good. In performing the rites, a cultured man will pay attention to three things: how to look inoffensive and respectful, appear trustworthy, and be free from vulgarity in speech. As to sacrificial service, he will leave it to officials in charge.”
8.5. Master Zeng said, “The capable may consult the incapable, the possessor of much may consult those of little; those who have may appear to have not, those who are full may appear empty; a man may take no care even when he is offended. Such was the way of one of my former friends.”
8.6. Master Zeng said, “Is he not an intelligentleman who can be entrusted with a helpless orphan prince and the fate of a state, and who dare to face danger without fear? Yes, he is.”
8.7. Master Zeng said, “An intellectual should be strong and steady, for his duty is heavy and his journey will be long. Is it not a heavy duty to be a man of men? Is his journey not long which will not end until his death?”
8.8. A man, said the Master, may be inspired by poetry, established in performing the rites, and perfected by music.
泰伯篇第八
共二十一章
8.1 子曰：“泰伯⑴，其可谓至德也已矣。三以天下⑵让，民无得而称焉。”
【译文】孔子说：“泰伯，那可以说是品德极崇高了。屡次地把天下让给季历，老百姓简直找不出恰当的词语来称赞他。”
【注释】
⑴泰伯——亦作“太伯”，周朝祖先古公亶父的长子。古公有三子，太伯、仲雍、季历。季历的儿子就是姬昌（周文王）。据传说，古公预见到昌的圣德，因此想打破惯例，把君位不传长子太伯，而传给幼子季历，从而传给昌。太伯为着实现他父亲的意愿，便偕同仲雍出走至勾吴（为吴国的始祖），终于把君位传给季历和昌。昌后来扩张国势，竟有天下的三分之二，到他儿子姬发（周武王），便灭了殷商，统一天下。
⑵天下——当古公、泰伯之时，周室仅是一个小的部落，谈不上“天下”。这“天下”两字可能即指其当时的部落而言。也有人说，是预指以后的周部落统一了中原的天下而言。
8.2 子曰：“恭而无礼⑴则劳，慎而无礼则葸⑵，勇而无礼则乱，直而无礼则绞⑶。君子笃于亲，则民兴于仁；故旧不遗，则民不偷⑷。”
【译文】孔子说：“注重容貌态度的端庄，却不知礼，就未免劳倦；只知谨慎，却不知礼，就流于畏葸懦弱；专凭敢作敢为的胆量，却不知礼，就会盲动闯祸；心直口快，却不知礼，就会尖刻刺人。在上位的人能用深厚感情对待亲族，那老百姓就会走向仁德；在上位的人不遗弃他的老同事、老朋友，那老百姓就不致对人冷淡无情。
【注释】
⑴礼——这里指的是礼的本质。
⑵葸——音喜，xǐ，胆怯，害怕。
⑶绞——尖刻刺人。
⑷偷——淡薄，这里指人与人的感情而言。
8.3 曾子有疾，召门弟子曰：“启⑴予足！启予手！《诗》云⑵，‘战战兢兢，如临深渊，如履⑶薄冰。’而今而后，吾知免夫！小子！”
【译文】曾参病了，把他的学生召集拢来，说道：“看看我的脚！看看我的手！《诗经》上说：‘小心呀！谨慎呀！好像面临深深水坑之旁，好像行走薄薄冰层之上。’从今以后，我才晓得自己是可以免于祸害刑戮的了！学生们！”
【注释】
⑴启——《说文》有“ ”字，云：“视也。”王念孙《广雅疏证》（《释诂》）说，《论语》的这“启”字就是《说文》的“ ”字。
⑵《诗》云——三句诗见《诗经•小雅•小旻篇》。
⑶履——《易•履卦•爻辞》：“眇能视，跛能履。”履，步行也。
8.4 曾子有疾，孟敬子⑴问之。曾子言曰：“鸟之将死，其鸣也哀；人之将死，其言也善。君子所贵乎道者三：动容貌，斯远暴慢⑵矣；正颜色，斯近信矣；出辞气，斯远鄙倍⑶矣。笾豆之事⑷，则有司⑸存。”
【译文】曾参病了，孟敬子探问他。曾子说：“鸟要死了，鸣声是悲哀的；人要死了，说出的话是善意的。在上位的人待人接物有三方面应该注重：严肃自己的容貌，就可以避免别人的粗暴和懈怠；端正自己的脸色，就容易使人相信；说话的时候，多考虑言辞和声调，就可以避免鄙陋粗野和错误。至于礼仪的细节，自有主管人员。”
【注释】
⑴孟敬子——鲁国大夫仲孙捷。
⑵暴慢——暴是粗暴无礼，慢是懈怠不敬。
⑶鄙倍——鄙是粗野鄙陋；倍同“背”，不合理，错误。
⑷笾豆之事——笾音边，biān，古代的一种竹器，高脚，上面圆口，有些像碗，祭祀时用以盛果实等食品。豆也是古代一种像笾一般的器皿，木料做的，有盖，用以盛有汁的食物，祭祀时也用它。这里“笾豆之事”系代表礼仪中的一切具体细节。
⑸有司——主管其事的小吏。
8.5 曾子曰：“以能问于不能，以多问于寡；有若无，实若虚；犯而不校——昔者吾友⑴尝从事于斯矣。”
【译文】曾子说：“有能力却向无能力的人请教，知识丰富却向知识缺少的人请教；有学问像没学问一样，满腹知识像空无所有一样；纵被欺侮，也不计较——从前我的一位朋友便曾这样做了。”
【注释】
⑴吾友——历来的注释家都以为是指颜回。
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