Confucian Analects · Analects 9.21
The Master said, 'There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower! There are cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced!'
Chinese · source text【廿一章】子曰、苗而不秀者、有矣夫、秀而不實者、有矣夫。
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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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