"A scholar who sets his heart on the right path but is ashamed of coarse clothes and plain food is not worth discussing matters with."

Chinese Original

士志于道，而耻恶衣恶食者，未足与议也。

English Rendering

A scholar who sets his heart on the Way but is ashamed of coarse clothes and plain food is not worth discussing matters with.

Chinese Translation

孔子说:"既有志于学习和追求真理却又以贫困为耻辱的读书人，不值得与他讨论真理。"

Modern Meaning

In "士志于道，而耻恶衣恶食者，未足与议也," Confucius focuses on a scholar who sets his heart on the right path but is ashamed of coarse clothes and plain food is not... The exact principle is that purpose must be strong enough to survive discomfort, delay, and pressure. The tension is not generic will and resolve; it is the specific problem that people confuse a wish with a commitment and abandon it when status, comfort, or difficulty changes, which still appears in working on a long responsibility that has no immediate reward.

How to Apply Today

Use this teaching today in working on a long responsibility that has no immediate reward. Because this line says "A scholar who sets his heart on the right path but is ashamed of coarse clothes and plain food is not...," name the responsibility, then choose the next visible step instead of waiting for motivation, so the lesson becomes visible in one behavior.

Reflection Question

For "士志于道，而耻恶衣恶食者，未足与议也" (row 7, 立志篇 / On Will), Which commitment am I calling important while treating it as optional?

Action Step

Complete one visible step on a long-term responsibility before taking on a new task, specifically in response to this demand: "A scholar who sets his heart on the right path but is ashamed of coarse clothes and plain food is not..."

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Related Quotes

More Confucius quotes connected to this theme.

On Will

吾十有五而志于学

"At fifteen, I set my heart upon learning."

In "吾十有五而志于学," Confucius focuses on at fifteen, I set my heart upon learning. The exact principle is that learning becomes real only when repeated, corrected, and carried into conduct. The tension is not generic practice; it is the specific problem that knowledge stays shallow when it is consumed once and never reviewed, practiced, or taught, which still appears in after finishing one lesson, book chapter, work memo, or conversation.

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On Will

士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。仁以为己任。不亦重乎 ? 死而后已，不亦远乎

"An educated person must be broad-minded and resolute, for the burden is heavy and the road is long. To take humanity as one's own responsibility, is that not heavy? To continue until death, is that not far?"

In "士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远," Confucius focuses on an educated person must be broad-minded and resolute, for the burden is heavy and the road is long. The exact principle is that purpose must be strong enough to survive discomfort, delay, and pressure. The tension is not generic will and resolve; it is the specific problem that people confuse a wish with a commitment and abandon it when status, comfort, or difficulty changes, which still appears in working on a long responsibility that has no immediate reward.

Read this Confucius quote

On Will

三军可夺帅也，匹夫不可夺志也

"The commander of the three armies may be taken away, but the will of even an ordinary person cannot be taken away."

In "三军可夺帅也，匹夫不可夺志也," Confucius focuses on the commander of the three armies may be taken away, but the will of even an ordinary person cannot be... The exact principle is that purpose must be strong enough to survive discomfort, delay, and pressure. The tension is not generic will and resolve; it is the specific problem that people confuse a wish with a commitment and abandon it when status, comfort, or difficulty changes, which still appears in working on a long responsibility that has no immediate reward.

Read this Confucius quote

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