天、言｜sKY, sPEAK
先，
為何而學？
為何而問？
First,
Why do the people lEARN?
Why do the people aSK?
《論語》的第十七書《陽貨》——第十九章：
“The Analects”*₁, Book 17 – Chapter 19 (original written in Classical Chinese):
×××
子曰：「予欲[無言₁]。」
子貢曰：「子如不[言₂]，則小子何[述₃]焉？」
子曰：「[天₄]何言哉？四時行焉，百物生焉，天何言哉？」
Confucius*₂ said, “I want to be [sPEECHLESS₁].”
Zigong*₃ said, “If you do not [sPEAK₂ ], then how can the disciples [eXPLAIN₃] to others?”
Confucius said, “Does the [sKY₄] ever speak? Yet four seasons always rUN and hundred species of life always gROW, does the sKY ever speak?”
×××
然，
為何而等？
Then,
Why do the people wAIT?
..,
nOTES:
*₁: “The Analects” or “Analects of Confucius” – collected sayings and thoughts of great philosopher Confucius; it is one of the important canonical Confucian literature. Traditionally people believe that “The Analects” was written by disciples or followers of Confucius during the late Warring States period (475-221 BC) and its final revision was completed during the Emperor Cheng period (33-7 BC) in late Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-9).
*₂: Confucius (551–479 BC) was an educator, philosopher and official of Lu State in the late Eastern Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1043-256 BC) during Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), he was the founder of Confucianism and developed his Confucian theory of the five virtue elements: benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and trust.
*₃: Zigong was one of the most important and loyal disciples of Confucius. Among Confucius’ students, he was the second best at speech, after only Zai Yu. (Wiki)