Picked up Legge's translation of The Analects of Confucius at a recent trip to Powell's in Portland (thanks, Colin, for the recommendation!). Nabokov said, "one cannot read a book; one can only reread it," and I think this clearly applies to the Analects. There were some quotes which seem clear enough at first reading:
The Master said, "Riches and honours are what men desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be avoided."
Other quotes, while interesting or thought-provoking, were less clear to me. For example,
The Master said, "A cornered vessel without corners---A strange cornered vessel! A strange cornered vessel!"
I think this would be a good book to keep around to re-read and consider in small sections over a period of time.
Possibly.......but I don't think any amount of re-reading is going to clarify that cornered vessel observation.
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