The Analects of Confucius Paperback – 28 August 1989

I have been re-reading "the classics" lately and so I set out to read The Analects again after a 5~10 year hiatus. The first time I read the Analects, I used Leys' translation and while it was a good "beginner's version" because it was easy to read and modern, this time I wanted to do a more thorough examination of the available translation options. After comparing different versions (including Lau and Legge, although I haven't had a chance to look at the version by Ames & Rosemont which gets good reviews on Amazon), Waley's proved to be the consistently better option. Don't get me wrong: I think some translators translated certain passages better than Waley, but from start to finish Waley's was the best. Waley requires a little more focus--his copious footnotes and endnotes, his writing style emphasizing accuracy over beauty, and the fact that this translation is now 70 years old will be turnoffs to some readers--but ultimately I felt this all allowed the closest contact to Confucius' original ideas and intent. This is not fortune cookie philosophy here: Confucius' teachings require the thought that Waley demands of the reader through his attention to detail. The introduction is extensive as well, and Waley clearly is an expert on the literary, cultural, and political history necessary to understand the context of these writings. Therefore, as translations of The Analects go, this one has earned my highest endorsement.I did want to comment on the most prominent review here, which suggests a similarity between The Analects and Marxism: I simply could not disagree more. I do not disagree that Confucius' teachings have been used to varying purposes, often at odds with their original intent. Pretty much all major works of religion and philosophy suffer this fate (Marx himself is said to have remarked "I am not a Marxist!" in protest to some of the popular interpretations of his works).The basic premise is different: Marx is interested in explaining social order and predicting the anticipated transition from capitalism to socialism and communism. Confucius takes his social order (feudalism) for granted and focuses on the development of the individual (through the "gentleman's" quest to follow the Way) and the proper conduct in social relationships. Both the subordinate and the superordinate in a relationship are held to high standards of goodness, loyalty, and wisdom. The beauty of the double-edged sword called the "Mandate of Heaven" is that even the supreme ruler of the land must act virtuously or be deposed: everyone is accountable to someone. Bureaucracy is taken as a given in Confucius' time, but note that he stresses a meritocracy based on virtue and ability: bureaucracy itself is not virtue, rather, virtue must be in the bureaucracy. His use of the word "gentleman" is ironic precisely because it is not conferred simply by higher status by birth and/or control of means of production, as Marx would have it. A gentleman is a higher state of mind and action, not a social class.And so on.The reason I bring this up is not simply to be ornery, but because to pigeonhole Confucius with Marxism would diminish the great relevance Confucius' ancient teachings have in today's modern age (the same could be said for pigeonholing Marx with Marxism, but that's a different debate!). Feudalism is dead and we live in an age that stresses individualism and egalitarianism, but dependencies and hierarchies are everywhere you look--in families, friendships, in countries, between countries--and the desire for self-improvement is a universal, timeless part of human nature. In many respects, the basic human condition is not so different from Confucius' time. It's a beautiful thing when you think about it, and the reason why the teachings of Confucius, Jesus, Buddha, Mohammad, and others speak to so many billions of people even today. As such, Confucius' lessons for self-development and social harmony touch on the basic foundations of humanity, making them as important today as they were when first expounded. I would recommend that when the reader reads The Analects he or she compares them not only to other philosophical traditions, but also to his or her everyday life. I believe there is still much to be learned from the ancient teachings of this wise old man.

The media could not be loaded. “For those who approve but do not carry out, who are stirred, but do not change, I can do nothing at all.”“The Master said, To men who have risen at all above the middling sort, one may talk of things higher yet. But to men who are at all below the middling sort it is useless to talk of things that are above them.”“As to be being a Divine Sage or even a Good Man, far be it from me to make any such claim. As for unwavering effort to learn and unflagging patience in teaching others, those are merits that I do not hesitate to claim.”~ Confucius from The Analects of ConfuciusWe’re going old school on this one.Believed to be rockin’ it in the 5th/6th century BCE (around the same time as Lao Tzu and Buddha), Confucius was super passionate about learning and developing himself into the best person he could be according to the dictates of his classic society.The book can get a little funny as Confucius goes into some detail on how to live properly according to ancient Chinese customs (don’t forget to wear the black silk on special occasions! :) but it’s packed with a lot of great gems.Here are some of the Big Ideas:1. Let There Be No Evil - In your thoughts.2. Recognizing Merit - See it in others!3. Practicing - What you preach.4. What Needs Doing? - Get on it!5. I Can Always Be Certain - Of learning.As we embrace these Big Ideas, let’s remember Confucius advising us: “There is one single thread binding my way together… the way of the Master consists in doing one’s best… that is all.”(More goodness--including PhilosophersNotes on 250+ books at http://www.brianjohnson.me)

The Analects is a treasure of wisdom and Arthur Waley's translation is excellentYou can read it again and again

This book is a classic that I needed for a class, correct book and nicely presented however the book was damaged on arrival. For $40 or more for a hardcover not impressed that the book is damaged before I could even crack it open, other than that all good

As I understand of my readings from the "Tao Te Ching" and the "Complete Works of Chuang Tzu", TAOISM is a philosophy of inaction, the common analogy being that of the river eroding a mountain just by slowly doing its thing over a long course of time. TAOISM also teaches that benevolence and righteousness are ultimately of no avail, as one will basically drive themselves to suicide or end up murdered.There is indeed some truth to this if one looks at JAINISM, where their practitioners beg and avoid all indulgences until they die--a sort of spiritual suicide.In spite of this, CONFUCIANISM lays heavy emphasis on being "Good", being a "true Gentleman" and having reverence for one's ancestors.Within the "Analects of Confucius" one finds quite a few gems of wisdom, including the almost universal Golden Rule (the saying, not the health insurance company). Moderation is another prominent virtue. Finally, one is admonished not to worry if their own merits are not acknowledged--rather, one should strive to acknowledge the merits of others.While there are lots of passages that are exceptionally quotable, there are others that presuppose that one has a firm grasp of Chinese History. The average reader is going to be very lost unless they have been reading tons of history books that document ~400 to 600 B.C.There are footnotes, but it was the Introduction that I felt gave a more clear picture of who Confucius was and what specific terms meant.As for the translation, it is very readable, minus all the references to figures in ancient Chinese history. The print is also a good size--you won't be squinting your eyes to read this book.While I can't say with certainty that this is the "best" translation of the Confucian Analects, I certainly found it satisfactory enough for my needs--complete, readable, and informative.