本章課程重點包括:
一、子貢悟性高,善於提問
孔門弟子中悟性很好的,如顏回聞一知十,子貢可以舉一反三,本章就能看出子貢的悟性高,是善問的人,所問的問題都很深入。
二、貧而無諂,富而無驕,也不容易
人多害怕貧窮,貧窮以後志氣減弱,沒有自信,滿腹牢騷,生活並不好過,所以容易諂媚;有了財富與地位,就容易自我感覺良好,產生優越感,甚至看不起人。
三、還有更高一層樓的境界
孔子知道子貢可以更上一層樓,所以舉出更勝於貧而無諂,富而無驕的境界,那就是貧窮可以樂道,如顏回;富貴可以好禮,如公西華。
四、想要更上一層樓,要透過切磋琢磨
子貢聽完孔子的教導,舉詩經中的切磋琢磨,說明人要精益求精,不能滿足現狀。所以讀詩可以了解人情世故,可以學習言語之道,可以轉禍為福。
學而篇第十五章白話解釋
【經文】
子貢曰:貧而無諂,富而無驕,何如。子曰:可也,未若貧而樂,富而好禮者也。子貢曰:詩云:「如切如磋,如琢如磨。」其斯之謂與。子曰:賜也,始可與言詩已矣;告諸往而知來者。
【白話解釋】
子貢請問孔子:若一個貧窮的人,雖然貧窮,卻不會說不符合事實、投人所好的諂媚言語,窮而有骨氣。若一個富有的人,雖然富有,而不驕傲,這兩種人,他們的德行如何?孔子回答,能夠貧而無諂、富而無驕,這應該可以了,已經很難得了,但是還不夠。比不上一個貧窮的人,樂在道上,不以貧為憂苦,如顏回簞食瓢飲,不改其樂,這比無諂更好。一個富有的人,能夠好禮,對待他人不論富有、貧窮皆能恭敬,這比不驕更好。子貢一聽孔子這麼說,立即領悟孔子之意,便引詩經衛風淇奧篇「如切如磋,如琢如磨」兩句詩問孔子,樂道好禮,此意就是詩中所說的切磋琢磨嗎?子貢領悟,無諂無驕,雖是生質之美,還是不足,只是保守之善。須能貧而樂道,富而好禮,此乃學問之功,是利人之善,方能成德。猶如骨象玉石經過切磋琢磨,始能成器。
孔子乃稱許子貢,從此可與子貢談詩了。因為學詩須悟性,學會詩則能見往知來,盛衰興亡之事,皆能預知。子貢悟性好,孔子告之以樂道好禮,子貢即知引詩以解其義。
【章旨】
此章是孔子與子貢論作人的修養,當精益求精,不只是消極的有所不為,更要積極的有所作為。
《論語講要》原文
邢疏:「佞說為諂。」鄭康成說:「樂謂志於道,不以貧為憂苦。」
子貢問:人雖貧窮,而無諂求,人雖富有,而不驕傲,何如?邢疏:「若能貧無諂佞,富不驕逸,子貢以為善,故問夫子曰,其德行何如?」
孔子答曰,可也。然而未若貧而樂道,富而好禮。孔安國注:「可也,未足多。」無諂無驕雖可,但不如樂道好禮。貧而樂道,如顏子簞食瓢飲,不改其樂,這比無諂更好。富而好禮,則能以恭敬待人,雖對貧賤之人亦能待之以恭敬,這比不驕更好。子貢即悟孔子之意,便引詩經衛風淇奧篇「如切如磋,如琢如磨」兩句詩問孔子,樂道好禮,此義就是詩所說的切磋琢磨嗎?爾雅釋器:「骨謂之切,象謂之磋,玉謂之琢,石謂之磨。」孔安國注:「能貧而樂道,富而好禮者,能自切磋琢磨。」子貢領悟,無諂無驕,還是不足,須能貧而樂道,富而好禮,始能成德。猶如骨象玉石經過切磋琢磨,始能成器。
孔子乃稱許子貢。從此可以與子貢談詩了。因為,告諸往而知來者。孔安國注:「諸,之也。」皇邢二疏皆說,告諸往,是孔子告之子貢以樂道好禮,而知來者,是子貢知引詩以解其義。
詩須悟性,會詩則能鑑往知來。盛衰興亡之事,皆能預知。子貢悟性好,所以可與言詩。
English
Teacher Tang Yuling will accompany you to read The Analects
16.Book 1 Xue er (On Learning), Chapter 15
Zi Gong said, “What do you pronounce concerning the poor man who yet does not flatter, and the rich man who is not proud?” The Master replied, “They will do; but they are not equal to him, who, though poor, is yet cheerful, and to him, who, though rich, loves the rules of propriety.” Zi Gong replied, “It is said in the Book of Poetry, ‘As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish.’ - The meaning is the same, I apprehend, as that which you have just expressed.” The Master said, “With one like Ci, I can begin to talk about the odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence.”
Highlights of this lecture include:
1. Zi Gong is highly praised savvy enough to raise good questions
Confucius had many brilliant disciples. They were sharp in mind and very observant. Yan Hui has remarkable perspective observation that he “hears one point and knows all about the subject;” and Zi Gong “hears one point, and know a second.” In this chapter, we get to know Zi Gong’s savviness about learning and raising relevant questions. His questions asked were always to the point and quite profound.
2. It is also not easy that for the poor who doesn’t flatter, and the rich who is not proud
Most of the time, people consider poverty as a curse, if they were reduced to poverty, they lost much of their will power, aspiration, and self-confidence; still less full of discontent and complained a lot. Poor living submit one’s despair to the use of flattery. But once getting rich and promoted to high place, people tend to satiated oneself with a sense of superiority, and even despise others.
3. Inspires Zi Gong to set a higher goal in conduct
Confucius knows Zi Gong is good enough to step up further in understanding the concepts and how they are related to conduct. The Master tells Zi Gong about mindsets of true intellects who celebrate poverty without flattery, and worthiness without arrogance. True intellects celebrate life of poverty and enjoy learning the Great Way, Yan Hui is an example. Wealthy nobles could be fond of practicing propriety, Gongxi Hua (Gongxi Chi 公西赤or Zi Hua子華) is an example.
4. To set and method to reach a higher goal
Zi Gong replied Confucius with a quote from the Book of Poetry which stated about how to carve and polish precious stones. Zi Gong cited the quote a metaphor implied: people should continually refine their studies and personalities liked that of polishing precious stones; ones should not satisfy with their current achievements. Furthermore, by studying the Book of Poetry, ones can understand human relations in different aspects, get in touch of human feelings, passion and experience. The art of speech expresses in each and every poem in the Book of Poetry can help us to see into problems and turn a curse into a blessing.