Analects 7.20 · Shu Er
“I was not born with knowledge. I love the ancients and diligently seek it out.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
我非生而知之者 好古 敏以求之者也 (wǒ fēi shēng ér zhī zhī zhě, hào gǔ, mǐn yǐ qiú zhī zhě yě) means “I was not born with knowledge. I love the ancients and diligently seek it out.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 20.
我非生而知之者 好古 敏以求之者也
- Pinyin
- wǒ fēi shēng ér zhī zhī zhě, hào gǔ, mǐn yǐ qiú zhī zhě yě
- Translation
- I was not born with knowledge. I love the ancients and diligently seek it out.
- Source
- Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 20
What does this passage mean?
In the twentieth chapter of Shu Er, Confucius speaks about himself. Though already called a sage in his own day, he says he was not born with knowledge; he merely loved antiquity and sought it diligently. The key character means quick and diligent. In Ji Shi, Confucius says that those born knowing are the highest and those who learn and then know are next, so here he modestly places himself in the second group. By rejecting the myth of his own genius and explaining his achievement as the fruit of passion and effort, he offers encouragement to everyone who learns.
How can we apply it today?
When we see an outstanding person, we say they were born that way. It puts the mind at ease, but it leaves nothing to learn. Confucius reveals the secret of his achievement as two things: loving something and seeking it diligently. Talent sets the starting point, but direction and distance are decided by these two. When there is love for something, effort becomes absorption rather than pain. Those who produce results today share the same traits: they hold on longer than others, and they genuinely love their field. ‘Not born with it’ is not an excuse but a starting signal.
Questions to reflect on
- ·What do you love, and how diligently are you pursuing it?
- ·Have you dismissed an outstanding person as simply gifted?
- ·Is there something you have put off because you felt you lacked talent?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | 7 | 戈 (halberd) |
| 非 | fēi | not | 8 | 非 (wrong) |
| 生 | shēng | emerge | 5 | 生 (life) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 知 | zhī | know | 8 | 矢 (arrow) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 者 | zhě | person | 8 | 老 (old) |
| 好 | hào | delight in | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 古 | gǔ | old | 5 | 口 (mouth) |
| 敏 | mǐn | quick | 11 | 攴 (tap) |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of | 5 | 人 (person) |
| 求 | qiú | seek | 7 | 水 (water) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
| 者 | zhě | person | 8 | 老 (old) |
| 也 | yě | grammatical particle | 3 | 乙 (second) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “I was not born with knowledge. I love the…” mean?
我非生而知之者 好古 敏以求之者也 (wǒ fēi shēng ér zhī zhī zhě, hào gǔ, mǐn yǐ qiú zhī zhě yě) means “I was not born with knowledge. I love the ancients and diligently seek it out.” It comes from the Analects, Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 20.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 7.20: Book 7 (Shu Er), Chapter 20.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
When we see an outstanding person, we say they were born that way.It puts the mind at ease, but it leaves nothing to learn.