Analects 12.14 · Yan Yuan
“In office, never grow weary; in action, be wholehearted.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
居之無倦 行之以忠 (jū zhī wú juàn, xíng zhī yǐ zhōng) means “In office, never grow weary; in action, be wholehearted.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 14.
居之無倦 行之以忠
- Pinyin
- jū zhī wú juàn, xíng zhī yǐ zhōng
- Translation
- In office, never grow weary; in action, be wholehearted.
- Source
- Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 14
What does this passage mean?
In the fourteenth chapter of Yan Yuan, Zizhang asks about government and Confucius gives this answer: while in office, do not grow weary; in carrying out affairs, be wholehearted. The first phrase refers to holding an official position, the second to actually handling its business. Zizhang is said to have been talented and ambitious but lacking in steadiness. Instead of dazzling policy, Confucius told him two basics: keep your initial resolve to the end, and treat your work with sincerity. The success of government, he saw, depends less on talent than on sustaining the right attitude.
How can we apply it today?
When we take a new position, we all start out eager. The problem comes six months or a year later. As the work becomes familiar, we handle it carelessly; passion becomes habit, and habit becomes inertia. Confucius’s prescription for Zizhang targets that inertia: do not grow lazy while you hold the post, and treat each task with sincerity. These two are choices, not abilities. Where a veteran surpasses a newcomer is in skill; where a veteran can fall behind a newcomer is in heart. Those who keep their first resolve longest are the ones eventually entrusted with great work.
Questions to reflect on
- ·How much of your initial resolve do you still keep in your current position?
- ·Is there work you have begun handling carelessly as it became familiar?
- ·What does it mean to you to bring sincerity to each task?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 居 | jū | hold office; occupy | 8 | 尸 (corpse) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 無 | wú | lack | 12 | 火 (fire) |
| 倦 | juàn | weary; tired | 10 | 人 (person) |
| 行 | xíng | practice | 6 | 行 (walk) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 忠 | zhōng | loyalty | 8 | 心 (heart) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “In office, never grow weary; in action, be…” mean?
居之無倦 行之以忠 (jū zhī wú juàn, xíng zhī yǐ zhōng) means “In office, never grow weary; in action, be wholehearted.” It comes from the Analects, Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 14.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 12.14: Book 12 (Yan Yuan), Chapter 14.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
When we take a new position, we all start out eager.The problem comes six months or a year later.