Confucian Analects · Analects 15.7
The Master said, 'When a man may be spoken with, not to speak to him is to err in reference to the man. When a man may not be spoken with, to speak to him is to err in reference to our words. The wise err neither in regard to their man nor to their words.'
Chinese · source text【第七章】子曰、可與言、而不與之言、失人、不可與言、而與之言、失言、知者不失人、亦不失言。
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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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