Analects 9.17 · Zi Han
“Standing by a river, the Master said, “What passes away is like this, flowing on without pause, day and night.””
Meaning, context, and how to apply it today
子在川上曰 逝者如斯夫 不舍晝夜 (zǐ zài chuān shàng yuē, shì zhě rú sī fú, bù shě zhòu yè) means “Standing by a river, the Master said, “What passes away is like this, flowing on without pause, day and night.”” It is a passage from the Analects of Confucius, Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 17.
子在川上曰 逝者如斯夫 不舍晝夜
- Pinyin
- zǐ zài chuān shàng yuē, shì zhě rú sī fú, bù shě zhòu yè
- Translation
- Standing by a river, the Master said, “What passes away is like this, flowing on without pause, day and night.”
- Source
- Analects, Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 17
What does this passage mean?
This famous lament appears in Zi Han. Looking at a river, Confucius grieves over the passage of time. The verb means to pass away, and “this” points to the flowing water. As the river moves without rest day or night, time never pauses for a moment. Spoken late in his life, the saying combines regret that his ideals had not been fully realized with an awakening to the preciousness of time.
How can we apply it today?
When life is busy, time can pass without our noticing. Suddenly ten years are gone and we regret not having begun sooner. Confucius’s lament is not merely sentimental; it urgently warns us not to waste the present. As a river does not return, today will not return. Do not postpone it. Begin now.
Questions to reflect on
- ·When have you keenly felt the passage of time?
- ·What are you postponing?
- ·What would make this present moment as meaningful as possible?
Character-by-character breakdown
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Radical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 子 | zǐ | teacher | 3 | 子 (child) |
| 在 | zài | exist | 6 | 土 (earth) |
| 川 | chuān | river | 3 | 川 (river) |
| 上 | shàng | above | 3 | 一 (one) |
| 曰 | yuē | speak | 4 | 曰 (say) |
| 逝 | shì | go | 10 | 辵 (walk) |
| 者 | zhě | thing; one who | 8 | 老 (old) |
| 如 | rú | same; like | 6 | 女 (woman) |
| 斯 | sī | this | 12 | 斤 (axe) |
| 夫 | fú | grammatical particle | 4 | 大 (big) |
| 不 | bù | not | 4 | 一 (one) |
| 舍 | shě | cease | 8 | 舌 (tongue) |
| 晝 | zhòu | daytime | 11 | 日 (sun) |
| 夜 | yè | night | 8 | 夕 (evening) |
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does “Standing by a river, the Master said, “What…” mean?
子在川上曰 逝者如斯夫 不舍晝夜 (zǐ zài chuān shàng yuē, shì zhě rú sī fú, bù shě zhòu yè) means “Standing by a river, the Master said, “What passes away is like this, flowing on without pause, day and night.”” It comes from the Analects, Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 17.
Q. Where does this passage appear in the Analects?
It is Analects 9.17: Book 9 (Zi Han), Chapter 17.
Q. How can this teaching be applied today?
When life is busy, time can pass without our noticing.Suddenly ten years are gone and we regret not having begun sooner.