Verse 20-Analects of Confucius Chapter 8

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Verse 20 of Analects of Confucius Chapter 8

English: Shun has five great officials and thus he is able to govern well. Emperor Wu said:"I have ten great officials." Confucius said:"Indeed, talent is hard to find, is it not true? Following the time of Yao and Shun, talents are now plentiful. Yet one of the ten was a woman, so in actual fact there is nine. When Emperor Wen ruled two thirds of the empire, he still serve the Emperor of Shang Dynasty. Such virtue of Emperor Wu is indeed magnificent."

Modern: 帝舜有五位次贤臣，所以天下太平。周武王说：“我有十位贤臣。” 孔子说：“人才难求，难道不是吗？唐尧、虞舜时代之后，与周五王的时代最是人才济济。可是十人中，有一位是妇人，所以实际上只有九人罢了；当初周文王三分天下拥有其中之二，却仍以臣子之礼侍奉殷商，周文王的德义，可以说是做到了至仁至义了。”

Original: 舜有臣五人而天下治。武王曰：“予有乱臣十人。”孔子曰：“才难，不其然乎？唐虞之际，于斯为盛。有妇人焉，九人而已。三分天下有其二，以服事殷。周之德， 其可谓至德也已矣。”

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