<p>about 論語﹒八佾　子曰﹒人而不仁﹒如禮何﹒人而不仁﹒如樂何</p>

<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Legge" rel="nofollow">james legge</a>'s translation:</p>

<pre><code>(子曰) the master said 
(人而不仁) if a man be without the virtues proper to humanity
(如禮何) what has he to do with the rites of propriety
(人而不仁) if a man be without the virtues proper to humanity
(如樂何) what has he to do with music
</code></pre>

<p>traditionally, there're several ways to explain:</p>

<p>one is to expand the verses to "子曰﹒人而不仁﹒何以為禮樂"</p>

<pre><code>(子曰) the master said
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如禮何) how can he perform ritual
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如樂何) how can he perform music
</code></pre>

<p>another is to treat it as "子曰﹒人而不仁﹒禮樂沒奈何"</p>

<pre><code>(子曰) the master said
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如禮何) what can ritual do
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如樂何) what can music do
</code></pre>

<p>have fun :)</p>

<p>edited, add links.</p>

<p>the internet archive has some james legge's books, these two are english translation of the classic four:</p>

<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/fourbooksgreatle00confuoft" rel="nofollow">the four books</a></p>

<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/zhushijiaozhengh00legg" rel="nofollow">註釋校正華英四書</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-28T10:19:04.177Z
2016-07-28T13:16:19.453Z
2016-07-28T13:16:19.453Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>子曰：「人而不仁，如禮何？人而不仁，如樂何？
Hello, this is Confucius:
I have translated it into: man without virtue, rituals (manners) according to what? man without virtue, music according to what?
this would mean: what's the value of rituals without virtue in heart? what's the value of music, without virtue?
Am I right? </p>

<translation>
，如禮何？，如樂何？= rituals according to what?
# ，如禮何？，如樂何？= rituals according to what?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-07-28)

子曰：「人而不仁，如禮何？人而不仁，如樂何？
Hello, this is Confucius:
I have translated it into: man without virtue, rituals (manners) according to what? man without virtue, music according to what?
this would mean: what's the value of rituals without virtue in heart? what's the value of music, without virtue?
Am I right?

**Tags:** translation


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-07-28. Score: 1

about 論語﹒八佾　子曰﹒人而不仁﹒如禮何﹒人而不仁﹒如樂何

[james legge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Legge)'s translation:

```
(子曰) the master said 
(人而不仁) if a man be without the virtues proper to humanity
(如禮何) what has he to do with the rites of propriety
(人而不仁) if a man be without the virtues proper to humanity
(如樂何) what has he to do with music

```

traditionally, there're several ways to explain:

one is to expand the verses to "子曰﹒人而不仁﹒何以為禮樂"

```
(子曰) the master said
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如禮何) how can he perform ritual
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如樂何) how can he perform music

```

another is to treat it as "子曰﹒人而不仁﹒禮樂沒奈何"

```
(子曰) the master said
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如禮何) what can ritual do
(人而不仁) if a man has no benevolence
(如樂何) what can music do

```

have fun :)

edited, add links.

the internet archive has some james legge's books, these two are english translation of the classic four:

[the four books](https://archive.org/details/fourbooksgreatle00confuoft)

[註釋校正華英四書](https://archive.org/details/zhushijiaozhengh00legg)


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