中英论语18-乐

[兰七剑中英论语诵读18-八佾：樂] （23） 子語魯大師樂，曰: “樂其可知也：始作，翕如也；從之，純如也，繳如也，繹如也，以成。” When instructing the head musician of Lu, the Master Confucius said, “How to play music may be known: At the beginning of the piece, different instruments are played together in concord; As it proceeds, the sound should be in harmony while the notes are distinct and flow melodiously, and thus on to the conclusion.” (25) 子謂韶：“盡美矣，又盡善也；”謂武：“盡美矣，未盡善也。” The Master Confucius said of the Shao, the Hymn to the Emperor Shun, “Perfectly Beautiful, ideologically great!” He said of the Wu, the Hymn to Emperor Wu, “Perfectly Beautiful, but not ideologically great.”