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The Analects of Confucius Kindle Edition
"The Analects of Confucius" consists of 20 books (chapters), translated into English by William Jennings, with contextual footnotes.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherWildside Press
- Publication date5 Aug. 2014
- File size1.9 MB
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Product description
From the Back Cover
From his teachings came a system of ethics for managing society that has influenced generations of politicians, social reformers, and religious thinkers. Indeed, the effect of Confucian philosophy has been so profound that it has become basic not only to an understanding of traditional Chinese civilization, but of Western society as well. Now the essence of Confucian teaching, contained in The Analects, is available in this inexpensive volume, providing inspirational and instructive reading to anyone interested in the history of social thought, Chinese philosophy, or theories of ethical behavior.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The Analects
By ConfuciusDover Publications
Copyright © 1995 ConfuciusAll right reserved.
ISBN: 9780486284842
from Book IV
1The Master said, It is Goodness that gives to a neighborhood its beauty. One who is free to choose, yet does not prefer to dwell among the Good–how can he be accorded the name of wise?
2The Master said, Without Goodness a man
Cannot for long endure adversity,
Cannot for long enjoy prosperity.
The Good Man rests content with Goodness; he that is merely wise pursues Goodness in the belief that it pays to do so.
3,4Of the adage “Only a Good Man knows how to like people, knows how to dislike them,” the Master said, He whose heart is in the smallest degree set upon Goodness will dislike no one.
5Wealth and rank are what every man desires; but if they can only be retained to the detriment of the Way he professes, he must relinquish them. Poverty and obscurity are what every man detests; but if they can only be avoided to the detriment of the Way he professes, he must accept them. The gentleman who ever parts company with Goodness does not fulfill that name. Never for a moment does a gentleman quit the way of Goodness. He is never so harried but that he cleaves to this; never so tottering but that he cleaves to this.
Continues...
Excerpted from The Analectsby Confucius Copyright © 1995 by Confucius. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Product details
- ASIN : B00MGOGGD8
- Publisher : Wildside Press
- Accessibility : Learn more
- Publication date : 5 Aug. 2014
- Language : English
- File size : 1.9 MB
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 108 pages
- ISBN-13 : 978-1479403370
- Page Flip : Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: 2,219,914 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer reviews:
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Customers find the book highly readable, with one mentioning it's good to dip into and think about. Moreover, the pacing receives positive feedback for its excellent explanations of context and thought-provoking quotes. Additionally, they appreciate the edition's quality, with one describing it as a fine translation of a Chinese classic.
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Customers find the book readable and engaging, describing it as a fantastic must-read that is interesting to read. One customer mentions it's a nice addition to their library, while another notes it's good to dip into and think about.
"Great book especially considering its age...." Read more
"An interesting book with some thought-provoking quotes...." Read more
"The looong introduction is a bit difficult to finish (older style and a bit too academic) but it is very good at explaining the context of these..." Read more
"Everyman's Library CLASSICS books are always well printed easy to read and look fantastic on the shelf, with the cover or showing the fantastic..." Read more
Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, noting its clear explanations of context and thought-provoking quotes. One customer mentions it serves as a great introduction to Confucius.
"...Five things will make a leader great: respectfulness, tolerance, trustworthiness in words, delivering results quickly, and generosity..." Read more
"...once I now use this book daily as a reference of useful and practical principles...." Read more
"...finish (older style and a bit too academic) but it is very good at explaining the context of these famous writings." Read more
"...Confucius refreshingly believes that men can improve themselves, and can become Gentlemen whether they are poor, or are rich...." Read more
Customers praise the edition of this Chinese classic.
"A fine edition of a Chinese classic." Read more
"...for my grandson going to university and according to him it's an excellent edition of it which he's very pleased with----I was pleased with the..." Read more
"A classic, but with a long introduction..." Read more
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 October 2015It’s easy to get caught up with the latest management fads, but hard to know which ones will endure. Indeed, Nassim Taleb writes about how time is the ultimate test for the fragility of ideas. So with China on the rise, what better ideas to look at than Confucius’, who lived over 2,500 years ago. His sayings are in this book, “Analects”, which are said to have been recorded by his disciples. What I've found is that Confucius was very good at understanding how to get the best out of hierarchical structures, which today would equate just as easily to corporations as governments. So I've picked out the best bits for business and modified the language to sound more contemporary:
Basics of working:
An overarching principle to work by is "do not impose on others what you yourself do not want"
Someone who constantly learns will not be inflexible
Avoid over-promising and under-delivering
Money and status:
Money and status are what everyone wants, but unless you get them in the right way don’t hold on to them
It is easier to be arrogant when rich, then to complain of injustice when poor
The good leader is at ease without being arrogant; the bad leader is arrogant without being at ease
Don’t worry if you don’t get the job title you want – worry about your qualifications and ability to do the job. Don’t worry that no one appreciates your abilities – try to earn their appreciation
Don’t blame others for not seeing your talent, blame yourself for not seeing their talents
Managing others:
Surround yourself with people that are better than you
The leader enters into transparent partnerships, not factions/cliques
To get staff to look up to you, promote the honest staff over the political ones
People who are pleased with whatever the manager says is of no help to the manager
A good manager helps others realise what is good in them, the bad manager helps them realise what is bad in them
Leadership:
Leadership is to know when you know, and say you don’t when you don’t
Five things will make a leader great: respectfulness, tolerance, trustworthiness in words, delivering results quickly, and generosity
Do not be impatient as you will not reach your goals. Do not be short-termist as you’ll not accomplish the big goals
If leaders themselves didn’t act unethically, no-one would act unethically even if it carried a reward
If a leader acts correctly, others will follow them even without orders, but if they are not correct in their actions, others will not follow even if orders are given
For more like this, see bilalhafeez.com
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 June 2009Other than in passing reference I am new to Confucius' body of work and The Analects have been an excellent place to start. D. C. Lau's introduction lays excellent ground for the reader to understand and put into context The Analects. It is this introduction that makes this translation stand out from others I perused before purchasing.
Having read through once I now use this book daily as a reference of useful and practical principles. Much of the guidance given by Confucius is as relevant today as it was over 2500 years ago. In the spirit of Confucius, I would recommend you apply his teachings as part of your own personal quest to self discovery to improve the world around you.
Ahead of his time, it is disappointing that Confucius and The Analects are not more common in education syllabuses to encourage young people to consider their environment, politics and relationships with other human beings. In a society where ego is usually a guiding principle of success, I highly recommend The Analects as your own personal `check and balance'.
I haven't changed the world and I've certainly not lost my ego, but the teachings of Confucius (in this publication) have helped me temper my arrogance and consider my relationships with friends relatives and colleagues; all for the better.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 March 2025The looong introduction is a bit difficult to finish (older style and a bit too academic) but it is very good at explaining the context of these famous writings.
- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 December 2009I purchased this having often enjoyed reading asserted Confucius quotes on sites such as wikiquote, and others. When I discovered I could purchase them in this form, I ordered it. About half a year later I started to read it, having purchased many classics at once.
I am not a stranger to reading philosophy: odd, perhaps, considering my age (19). I had read Nietzsche, Milton Friedman's monograph Capitalism and Freedom, much of Max Stirner's The Ego and Its Own, numerous political essays and opinion pieces, Machiavelli's The Prince...all those were much more 'cynical' than Confucius, who has a wonderful, if cautious outlook on life. Nietzsche, too, has this property, although it takes a reader to understand the underlying celebration, and to reach the joyful regions of his arguments.
Confucius, known here generally as 'The Master', can be summed simply: he promotes 'wisdom' and 'benevolence' as the chief sources of happiness in life. To Confucius, what follows this is loyalty, social cohesion (if we strive for benevolence, then we are bound to please others, and thus have them seek to please us). In other words, Confucius believes that these elements help the reproduction of society, and the reproduction of man. Confucius refreshingly believes that men can improve themselves, and can become Gentlemen whether they are poor, or are rich. Becoming a gentle man (to twist the translation to show its etymological implications) is, therefore, a wonderful cause, and something which is rewarding.
The early chapters are less interesting than the later, but I picked up and read this over a long period of time (a large break), so I may be wrong. I would read a chapter or a half every day or two, and would on the rest of my journey throughout the hours muse on them, internalise them, think on their wisdom. The less helpful passages are ones which are not as applicable to a secular, Western reader, such as about ancestor worship, and perhaps too the rigorousness of 'filial piety': obeying of one's parents, and the writings based around tea and rice (although we can substitute this and simply take the wisdom behind it).
However, the principles Confucius founds these ideas on are sound and are rigorously applied: for example, Confucius writes that "If a man sets his heart on benevolence, he will be free from evil"- the same is true of Kings, Dukes, Lords, all of whom should lead by example- Confucius believed, having served in government himself in his younger years, that if their leaders were good and kind, so too would be their people.
D.C. Lau's edition is thoughtful, and its footnotes are often helpful, particularly on corruption. Something I did not note until I was near the end of the book was the very helpful glossary of names after the main text, which I would recommend to use- The Analects were written down by Confucius' followers and friends, thus the majority of the sayings are based around dialogue between those individuals and The Master.
Confucius' humility, wisdom and sticking to his principles are refreshing. Most importantly to this review, this book helped stabilise me at a time when I was uncertain and thinking a lot- Nietzsche may have turned me into a man of dynamite ("I am not a man, I am Dynamite", Ecce Homo), I feel Confucius helped turn me into a wiser man.
Lightweight and easy to pick up, I'd recommend The Analects to anyone who perhaps wants to immerse themselves in one of the significant roots of China's culture, and to immerse themselves in their own mind and thoughts. Often the most favourable interpretation of a saying is best- be open and respectful (to be Confucian) and these sayings will help you as they certainly did with me. I only wish I had the volume here at university, something I will rectify when I return home.
5 stars/5
Top reviews from other countries
- JamesReviewed in Japan on 21 October 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
Good
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Felipe GazireReviewed in Brazil on 8 February 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Very high quality. Qualidade muito boa.
The media could not be loaded.
Qualidade excelente. Muito satisfeito com a compra.
Felipe GazireVery high quality. Qualidade muito boa.
Reviewed in Brazil on 8 February 2024
Qualidade excelente. Muito satisfeito com a compra.
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- ArupratanReviewed in India on 19 September 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars "Chinese Bible"
The book is considered as the Chinese Bible throughout the ages and widely read. Confucianism, as an orthodox philosophy, is based on The Analects. The book is a collection of Confucius's wisdom compiled together by his disciples. These teachings are still relevant as self-knowledge and pursuit of virtue are ageless themes.
Now about the quality of the book. This book is awfully produced to say the least. This is a Penguin Classics edition and they just failed themselves to do justice to their fame. From the font selection to the quality of pages, everywhere a careless attitude is prevailing. The translation is up to the mark but the book has missed it.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on 11 August 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
Ancient taos (daos)
Daos (taos)
(I dont even)
Are the best self help books.
Most self help books are nonsense marketing titles.
Confucius is a genius.
- shayReviewed in Australia on 8 January 2023
1.0 out of 5 stars E format of the book is poor!
the format of this ebook is so poor, most of the text include weird symbols between or in each word and just overall makes the reading experience horrible :/ i love confucius and his works but i'd stick to getting this as a paperback