14.5 南宫适问于孔子曰1：“羿善射2，奡荡舟3，俱不得其死然。禹、稷躬稼而有天下。”夫子不答。南宫适出，子曰：“君子哉若人！尚德哉若人！”
【译文】
南宫适问孔子说：“羿善长射箭，奡善长水战，但他们都没有好死。禹和稷都亲自耕作，但他们却得到了天下。”孔子没有回答。 南宫适出去了，孔子说：“这个人是君子啊！这个人真是崇尚道德啊！”
【YZG解释】
南宫适问孔子说：“羿善长射箭，奡力量强大，可在陆地移动大船，但他们都死于非命。禹和稷则亲自治水耕作，却拥有了天下。”孔子没有回答。 南宫适出去了，孔子说：“这个人真是位君子啊！这个人真是崇尚道德啊！”
【English Translation】
Nan Gong Kuo1 asked Confucius: “Yi2 was good at archery, and Ao3 was strong and could move large boats on land, but they both died in an unnatural way. Yu4 and Ji5, on the other hand, personally controlled the floods and farmed the land, but they obtained the whole world.” Confucius did not respond.
When Nan Gong Kuo went out, Confucius said: “This man is really a noble person! He is really a virtuous person!”
【Note】