Confucian Analects · Analects 17.4
1. The Master, having come to Wu-ch'ang, heard there the sound of stringed instruments and singing. 2. Well pleased and smiling, he said, 'Why use an ox knife to kill a fowl?' 3. Tsze-yu replied, 'Formerly, Master, I heard you say,-- "When the man of high station is well instructed, he loves men; when the man of low station is well instructed, he is easily ruled."' 4. The Master said, 'My disciples, Yen's words are right. What I said was only in sport.'
Chinese · source text【第四章】【一節】子之武城、聞弦歌之聲。【二節】夫子莞爾而笑曰、割雞焉用牛刀。【三節】子游對曰、昔者偃也、聞諸夫子曰、君子學道則愛人、小人學道則易使也。【四節】子曰、二三子、偃之言是也、前言戲之耳。
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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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