Analects 2.13 · Wei Zheng
“First act on what you would say; only then let your words follow your deeds.”
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
先行其言 而後從之 (xiān xíng qí yán, ér hòu cóng zhī) means “First act on what you would say; only then let your words follow your deeds.” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 13.
先行其言 而後從之
- Pinyin
- xiān xíng qí yán, ér hòu cóng zhī
- Translation
- First act on what you would say; only then let your words follow your deeds.
- Source
- Analects, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 13
What does this passage mean?
In the thirteenth chapter of Wei Zheng, Zigong asks about the exemplary person and receives this answer. Zigong was a disciple gifted with words. Confucius tells him to carry out what he intends to say first, and only then let his words follow his actions. The warning is against speech that runs ahead while conduct lags behind. The Analects returns repeatedly to the proper order of words and deeds, and this is its most concise statement. The credibility of the exemplary person rests not on eloquence but on deeds already done.
How can we apply it today?
The moment we announce a plan, we feel as if the work were half finished. We post New Year’s resolutions, talk up business ideas, and declare exercise routines, while the doing is postponed. Confucius prescribes reversing the order: act first, speak later. Then speech becomes a report rather than a promise, and we are less shaken by other people’s judgments. At work, ‘I did it’ carries far more weight than ‘I will.’ The credit of our words is ultimately drawn from the account of our actions.
Questions to reflect on
- ·Is there a plan you have talked about recently but not yet acted on?
- ·What happened when you tried acting before speaking?
- ·Are your words closer to promises or to reports?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 先 | xiān | first | 6 | 儿 (legs) |
| 行 | xíng | practice | 6 | 行 (walk) |
| 其 | qí | that; he | 8 | 八 (eight) |
| 言 | yán | speech | 7 | 言 (speech) |
| 而 | ér | and; but | 6 | 而 (and) |
| 後 | hòu | after | 9 | 彳 (step) |
| 從 | cóng | follow | 11 | 彳 (step) |
| 之 | zhī | go; possessive particle | 4 | 丿 (slash) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “First act on what you would say; only then…” mean?
先行其言 而後從之 (xiān xíng qí yán, ér hòu cóng zhī) means “First act on what you would say; only then let your words follow your deeds.” It comes from the Analects, Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 13.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 2.13: Book 2 (Wei Zheng), Chapter 13.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
The moment we announce a plan, we feel as if the work were half finished.We post New Year’s resolutions, talk up business ideas, and declare exercise routines, while the doing is postponed.