Analects 7.3 · Shu Er
“Failing to cultivate virtue, failing to deepen learning, being unable to move toward righteousness when I hear it, and being unable to correct my faults—these are my worries.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
德之不修 學之不講 聞義不能徙 不善不能改 是吾憂也 (dé zhī bù xiū, xué zhī bù jiǎng, wén yì bù néng xǐ, bù shàn bù néng gǎi, shì wú yōu yě) means “Failing to cultivate virtue, failing to deepen learning, being unable to move toward righteousness when I hear it, and being unable to correct my faults—these are my worries.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 3.
德之不修 學之不講 聞義不能徙 不善不能改 是吾憂也
- Pinyin
- dé zhī bù xiū, xué zhī bù jiǎng, wén yì bù néng xǐ, bù shàn bù néng gǎi, shì wú yōu yě
- Translation
- Failing to cultivate virtue, failing to deepen learning, being unable to move toward righteousness when I hear it, and being unable to correct my faults—these are my worries.
- Source
- Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 3
What does this passage mean?
In the Shu Er chapter, Confucius identifies his own four anxieties: failing to cultivate virtue (德之不修), failing to study and discuss what one has learned (學之不講), hearing what is right but failing to move toward it (聞義不能徙), and being unable to correct one's faults (不善不能改). The passage shows how strict Confucius was with himself. That even Confucius, revered as a sage, felt such concerns means that self-examination is a process without end.
How can we apply it today?
Confucius's four concerns make an excellent modern checklist for self-review. Am I cultivating my character? Am I continuing to study? Do I act on what I know is right? Am I trying to correct harmful habits? Checking these four matters regularly amid a busy life can keep us from losing our direction. The passage shows that the greater a person is, the more rigorously that person examines the self and strives continually to grow.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Which of Confucius's four concerns applies most strongly to me?
- ·What do I know but still fail to put into practice?
- ·Do I have a habit of self-examination?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 德 | dé | virtue | 15 | 彳 (step) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 修 | xiū | cultivate | 10 | 人 (person) |
| 學 | xué | learn | 16 | 子 (child) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 講 | jiǎng | discuss | 17 | 言 (speech) |
| 聞 | wén | hear | 14 | 耳 (ear) |
| 義 | yì | right | 13 | 羊 (sheep) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 能 | néng | capable | 10 | 肉 (meat) |
| 徙 | xǐ | move | 11 | 彳 (step) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 善 | shàn | good | 12 | 口 (mouth) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 能 | néng | capable | 10 | 肉 (meat) |
| 改 | gǎi | correct | 7 | 攴 (tap) |
| 是 | shì | this | 9 | 日 (sun) |
| 吾 | wú | I; me | 7 | 口 (mouth) |
| 憂 | yōu | concern | 15 | 心 (heart) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Failing to cultivate virtue, failing to…” mean?
德之不修 學之不講 聞義不能徙 不善不能改 是吾憂也 (dé zhī bù xiū, xué zhī bù jiǎng, wén yì bù néng xǐ, bù shàn bù néng gǎi, shì wú yōu yě) means “Failing to cultivate virtue, failing to deepen learning, being unable to move toward righteousness when I hear it, and being unable to correct my faults—these are my worries.” It comes from the Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 3.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 7.3: Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 3.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
Confucius's four concerns make an excellent modern checklist for self-review.Am I cultivating my character?Am I continuing to study?Do I act on what I know is right?