Confucian Analects · Analects 11.11
Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said, 'While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?' Chi Lu added, 'I venture to ask about death?' He was answered, 'While you do not know life, how can you know about death?'
Chinese · source text【十一章】李路問事鬼神。子曰、未能事人、焉能事鬼。敢問死。曰、未知生、焉知死。
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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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