孔子谓季氏：「八佾舞于庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也？」
Confucius, speaking of the Ji family, said: "They perform the eight rows of danc…
三家者以《雍》彻。子曰、「『相维辟公，天子穆穆，』奚取于三家之堂？」
The three noble families used the Yong ode to accompany the removal of offerings…
子曰：「人而不仁，如礼何？人而不仁，如乐何？」
The Master said: "A man who is without benevolence — what can he do with ritual?…
林放问礼之本。子曰：「大哉问！礼，与其奢也，宁俭；丧，与其易也，宁戚。」
Lin Fang asked about the root of ritual. The Master said: "What a profound quest…
子曰：「夷狄之有君，不如诸夏之亡也。」
The Master said: "The barbarian tribes with their rulers are not equal to the va…
季氏旅于泰山。子谓冉有曰：「女弗能救与？」对曰：「不能。」子曰：「呜呼！曾谓泰山不如林放乎？」
The head of the Ji family was about to perform the mountain sacrifice at Mount T…
子曰：「君子无所争。必也射乎！揖让而升，下而饮。其争也君子。」
The Master said: "The gentleman has nothing to contend over. If there must be co…
子夏问曰：「『巧笑倩兮，美目盼兮，素以为绚兮。』何谓也？」子曰：「绘事后素。」曰：「礼后乎？」子曰：「起予者商也！始可与…
Zixia asked: "'Her artful smile, how captivating! Her beautiful eyes, how bright…
子曰：「夏礼，吾能言之，杞不足征也；殷礼吾能言之，宋不足征也。文献不足故也，足则吾能征之矣。」
The Master said: "I can speak of the rituals of the Xia dynasty, but the state o…
子曰：「禘自既灌而往者，吾不欲观之矣。」
The Master said: "At the Di sacrifice, from the point after the first libation h…
或问禘之说，子曰：「不知也。知其说者之于天下也，其如示诸斯乎！」指其掌。
Someone asked the Master about the meaning of the di sacrifice. The Master said,…
祭如在，祭神如神在。子曰：「吾不与祭，如不祭。」
When offering sacrifice to the ancestors, one should act as if the ancestors wer…
王孙贾问曰：「与其媚于奥，宁媚于灶，何谓也？」子曰：「不然获罪于天，无所祷也。」
Wang Sunzhu asked, "What is meant by the saying 'Better to flatter the god of th…
子曰：「周监于二代，郁郁乎文哉！吾从周。」
The Master said, "The Zhou dynasty took the two preceding dynasties, Xia and Sha…
子入太庙，每事问。或曰：「孰谓鄹人之子知礼乎？入太庙，每事问。」子闻之，曰：「是礼也。」
When the Master entered the Grand Temple, he asked about everything. Someone rem…
子曰：「射不主皮，为力不同科，古之道也。」
The Master said: "In archery, the emphasis is not on piercing through the target…
子贡欲去告朔之饩羊。子曰：「賜也！尔爱其羊，我爱其礼。」
Zigong wished to do away with the sheep offered at the ceremony of the new moon.…
子曰：「事君尽礼，人以为谄也。」
The Master said: "To serve one's ruler with full observance of ritual propriety …
定公问：「君使臣，臣事君如之何？」孔子对曰：「君使臣以礼，臣事君以忠。」
Duke Ding asked: "How should a ruler employ his ministers, and how should minist…
子曰：「《关雎》，乐而不淫，哀而不伤。」
The Master said: "The 'Guanju' ode expresses joy without licentiousness, and sor…
哀公问社于宰我。宰我对曰：「夏后氏以松，殷人以柏，周人以栗，曰：使民战栗。」子闻之，曰：「成事不说，遂事不谏，既往不咎。…
Duke Ai of Lu asked Zai Wo about the wood used for the altar of the earth deity.…
子曰：「管仲之器小哉！」或曰：「管仲俭乎？」曰：「管氏有三归，官事不摄，焉得俭？」「然则管仲知礼乎？」曰：「邦君树塞门，…
The Master said: "Guan Zhong was a man of small capacity." Someone asked: "Was G…
子语鲁大师乐，曰：「乐其可知也：始作，翕如也；从之，纯如也，皦如也，绎如也，以成。」
The Master explained the principles of music to the Grand Music Master of Lu, sa…
仪封人请见，曰：「君子之至于斯也，吾未尝不得见也。」从者见之。出曰：「二三子何患于丧乎？天下之无道也久矣，天将以夫子为木…
The border official of Yi requested an audience with the Master, saying: "Whenev…
子谓《韶》：「尽美矣，又尽善也。」谓《武》：「尽美矣，未尽善也。」
The Master, speaking of the Shao music, said: "It is perfectly beautiful, and pe…
子曰：「居上不宽，为礼不敬，临丧不哀，吾何以观之哉！」
The Master said: "When those in authority lack magnanimity, when they perform ri…