Page 213 - 《论语》（二）中·英对照版

子
罕
第
九

9.6

大宰问于子贡曰：“夫子圣者与？何其
多能也？”子贡曰：“固天纵之将圣，又多
能 也。” 子闻 之， 曰：“ 大 宰 知 我 乎！ 吾 少
也贱，故多能鄙事。君子多乎哉？不多也。”
牢［1］曰：“子云：‘吾不试［2］，故艺［3］。’”

A high officer asked Tsze-kung, saying, “May
we not say that your Master is a sage? How various
is his ability!” Tsze-kung said, “Certainly Heaven
has endowed him unlimitedly. He is about a sage.
And, moreover, his ability is various.” The Master
heard of the conversation and said, “Does the high
officer know me? When I was young, my condition
was low, and therefore I acquired my ability in
many things, but they were mean matters. Must the
superior man have such variety of ability? He does
not need variety of ability.” Lao said, “The Master

195