Confucian Analects · Analects 3.21
1. The Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the altars of the spirits of the land. Tsai Wo replied, 'The Hsia sovereign planted the pine tree about them; the men of the Yin planted the cypress; and the men of the Chau planted the chestnut tree, meaning thereby to cause the people to be in awe.' 2. When the Master heard it, he said, 'Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame.'
Chinese · source text【廿一章】【一節】哀公問社於宰我。宰我對曰、夏后氏以松、殷人以柏、周人以栗、曰、使民戰栗。【二節】子聞之曰、成事不說、遂事不諫、既往不咎。
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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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