Analects 13.18: 子路 (Zi Lu)
Confucius and his disciples · Classical Chinese original · new English translation and commentary by Text Atlas
Overview
Book 13 asks what makes government effective and what qualifies someone to serve. Leading by example, appointing capable people, setting names right, creating prosperity, and teaching all place demands on the ruler. Short claims about conduct stand beside long exchanges about speech, judgment, and the time needed for change. The book also tests uprightness, reputation, reliability, and harmony through particular relationships, sometimes leaving a difficult tension visible, as when family concealment is praised. Its closing sayings make preparation for war a responsibility toward the people who must fight.
Analects 13.18
葉公語孔子曰、吾黨有直躬者、其父攘羊、而子證之。孔子曰、吾黨之直者異於是、父為子隱、子為父隱、直在其中矣。
The Lord of She told Confucius, “In our community there is an upright man: when his father stole a sheep, the son testified to it.” Confucius said, “The upright people in our community are different. A father conceals his son’s wrongdoing; a son conceals his father’s wrongdoing. Uprightness lies in this.”
Commentary
ethics Two claims about uprightness The Lord of She treats testimony about a father’s theft as evidence of uprightness. Confucius locates uprightness in mutual concealment between fathers and sons. 隱 means concealment, so the answer gives family protection real weight even in the face of wrongdoing. The saying does not explain how the theft is repaired or supply a general rule for every offense.
Basis: textual-inference
Confidence: high
philology A description that could be a name 直躬 can describe someone as upright in conduct or function as a designation, “Upright Gong.” The English follows the descriptive reading and keeps the local example singular. The reply then broadens the comparison to upright people and repeats 直 in its claim about where uprightness lies.
Basis: textual-inference
Confidence: medium