Analects 5.24: 公冶長 (Gongye Chang)
Confucius and his disciples · Classical Chinese original · new English translation and commentary by Text Atlas
Overview
Book 5 tests judgments of people against their conduct. The Master praises particular abilities and virtues while repeatedly withholding the larger judgment of humaneness. Marriage choices, public service, friendship, speech, and learning supply different kinds of evidence. Several exchanges expose a distance between what someone says or wants and what they can do; Zai Yu’s conduct even changes the Master’s way of judging. Near the end, the teacher and his companions state their own aspirations. The closing sayings turn assessment inward, toward recognizing faults and continuing to love learning.
Analects 5.24
子曰、巧言令色、足恭、左丘明恥之、丘亦恥之、匿怨而友其人、左丘明恥之、丘亦恥之。
The Master said, “Smooth talk, a pleasing expression, and excessive deference—Zuo Qiuming found these shameful, and so do I. Hiding resentment while befriending the person—Zuo Qiuming found this shameful, and so do I.”
Commentary
ethics Shame at a false appearance The opening repeats the smooth talk and pleasing expression censured near the beginning of the work, adding excessive deference. The second case turns the same concern toward friendship: resentment is hidden behind friendly conduct. The speaker names himself as Qiu, 丘, a different name from Qiu, 求, whose administrative ability was assessed earlier. He places his judgment beside Zuo Qiuming’s in both halves.
Basis: textual-inference
Confidence: high