Who was Confucius? - Bryan W. Van Norden

翻译人员: Miaoqian Yang 校对人员: Di SUN

很多人都知道他的名字

Most people recognize his name

and know that he is famous for having said something,

而且还知道他因为说过一些话而出名

but considering the long-lasting impact his teachings have had on the world,

但提到他的学说对世界深远的影响

very few people know who Confucius really was,

就很少人会知道孔子究竟是谁了

what he really said,

他究竟说过些什么

and why.

以及他为什么这样说

Amid the chaos of 6th Century BCE China,

在公元前6世纪的中国

where warring states fought endlessly among themselves for supremacy,

硝烟不断,群雄争霸

and rulers were frequently assassinated,

君主经常被刺杀

sometimes by their own relatives,

甚至有时候是被自己的亲属所杀

Confucius exemplified benevolence and integrity,

孔子努力践行仁和义

and through his teaching,

并且通过他的学说

became one of China's greatest philosophers.

成为中国最伟大的思想家之一

Born to a nobleman but raised in poverty from a very young age

孔子生于富贵却长于贫苦

following the untimely death of his father,

因为他的父亲过早离世

Confucius developed what would become

孔子形成了悲天悯人的情怀

a lifelong sympathy for the suffering of the common people.

这种情怀跟随他的一生

Barely supporting his mother and disabled brother

孔子几乎不能养活他的母亲和残疾的弟弟

as a herder and account keeper at a granary,

他做过牧人和谷仓的记账员

and with other odd jobs,

还有其他零散的工作

it was only with the help of a wealthy friend

在一个富有朋友的帮助下

that Confucius was able to study at the Royal Archives,

他才得以在皇家档案馆学习

where his world view would be formed.

在那里他形成自己的世界观

Though the ancient texts there were regarded by some

尽管那里的古籍会被某些人认为是

as irrelevant relics of the past,

无关痛痒的陈腐之说

Confucius was inspired by them.

它们却激励着孔子

Through study and reflection,

通过学习和反思

Confucius came to believe that human character is formed in the family

孔子逐渐相信人的性格是在家庭中形成的

and by education in ritual, literature, and history.

并且还受到礼仪，文学和历史教育的影响

A person cultivated in this way works to help others,

在这种方式下培养出来的人, 乐于去帮助他人

guiding them by moral inspiration rather than brute force.

通过道德,而不是暴力去引导他人

To put his philosophy into practice,

为了将他的哲学付诸实践

Confucius became an advisor to the ruler of his home state of Lu.

孔子成为了他故乡所在地鲁国君主的谋士

But after another state sent Lu's ruler a troop of dancing girls as a present

但是在得到另一个国家送来的一群舞姬后

and the ruler ignored his duties while enjoying the girls in private,

鲁国君主沉迷舞色疏于朝政

Confucius resigned in disgust.

孔子厌恶至极，辞去职务

He then spent the next few years traveling from state to state,

他在接下来的几年时间里游历列国

trying to find a worthy ruler to serve, while holding fast to his principles.

他坚守着自己的信念， 尝试去寻找一个值得他效力的君主

It wasn't easy.

但是事与愿违

In accordance with his philosophy, and contrary to the practice of the time,

依照着自己的信念， 却与时代的实际背道而驰

Confucius dissuaded rulers from relying on harsh punishments and military power

孔子劝阻君主通过残酷的刑罚和军队力量

to govern their lands

去统治国家

because he believed that a good ruler

因为他相信一个好的君主

inspires others to spontaneously follow him

可以让其他人自发地追随他

by virtue of his ethical charisma.

被他美德的魅力所吸引

Confucius also believed

孔子还相信

that because the love and respect we learn in the family

从家庭中学到的爱和尊重

are fundamental to all other virtues,

是其他美德的基石

personal duties to family sometimes supersede obligations to the state.

个人对家庭的责任 有时候会取代他对国家的义务

So when one duke bragged that his subjects were so upright

有一次一个公爵向孔子吹嘘 他的子民有多么的正直

that a son testified against his own father

儿子会告发自己的父亲

when his father stole a sheep,

原因是他的父亲偷了一只羊

Confucius informed the duke

孔子就告诉这个公爵

that genuinely upright fathers and sons protected one another.

真正正直的父亲和儿子是会保护对方的

During his travels, Confucius almost starved,

在他游历期间，孔子几乎是挨饿的

he was briefly imprisoned,

还被短暂囚禁过

and his life was threatened at several points.

甚至有几次他的生命也受到威胁

But he was not bitter.

但是他并不痛苦

Confucius had faith that heaven had a plan for the world,

孔子有个信念：命里自有安排

and he taught that a virtuous person

他教导他的学生：一个高尚的人

could always find joy in learning and music.

总能在学习和音乐中找到快乐

Failing to find the ruler he sought,

在找寻他理想的君主失败后

Confucius returned to Lu

孔子回到了鲁国

and became a teacher and philosopher so influential,

成为了一位老师和有影响力的思想家

that he helped shaped Chinese culture

他帮助塑造了中国的文化

and we recognize his name worldwide, even today.

直至今天，全世界都知道他的名字

For the disciples of Confucius,

对于孔子的门徒来说

he was the living embodiment of a sage who leads others through his virtue,

他是通过美德去引导他人的圣人化身

and they recorded his sayings,

他们记录下他说的话

which eventually were edited into a book we know in English as "The Analects."

这些话最终编成了一本书，名叫《论语》

Today, millions of people worldwide adhere to the principles of Confucianism,

今天，全世界很多人在坚守孔子的原则

and though the precise meaning of his words has been debated for millennia,

尽管千百年他的话的确切含义一直被争论着

when asked to summarize his teachings in a single phrase,

但当他被要求用一句话去概括自己的思想时

Confucius himself said,

孔子自己说

"Do not inflict upon others that which you yourself would not want."

己所不欲，勿施于人

2,500 years later, it's still sage advice.

这句话放到2500年后， 仍然是一条明智的建议。