Confucian Analects · Analects 5.4
1. Some one said, 'Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue.' 2. The Master said, 'What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartnesses of speech for the most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue?'
Chinese · source text【第四章】【一節】或曰、雍也仁、而不佞。【二節】子曰、焉用佞、禦人以口給、屢憎於人、不知其仁、焉用佞。
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Confucius · English translation by James Legge · bilingual transcription
James Legge, The Chinese Classics, Volume 1: Confucian Analects · Project Gutenberg #4094
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