3.21 哀公问社于宰我1。宰我对曰：“夏后氏以松2，殷人以柏，周人以栗，曰使民战栗。”子闻之，曰：“成事不说，遂事不谏3，既往不咎4。”
【译文】
鲁哀公问宰我做社主应该用什么木头。宰我答道：“夏代用松木，殷代用柏木，周代用栗木，意思是使百姓畏惧而战战栗栗。”孔子听到此话后，说：“已经做了的事不必再解说，已经完成的事不必再规劝，已经过去的事不必再追究。”
【YZG解释】
鲁哀公问宰我社坛种树的规矩。宰我答道：“夏代用松木，殷代用柏木，周代用栗木，意思是使百姓战栗。”孔子听到此话后，说：“已经做了的事不可妄加解读，已经完成的事不必再规劝，已经过去的事不必再追究。”
【English Translation】
Duke Ai of Lu asked Zai Wo5 about the rules of planting trees at the sacrificial altar. Zai Wo answered: “In the Xia Dynasty, pine wood was used. In the Shang Dynasty, cypress wood was used. In the Zhou Dynasty, chestnut wood was used which means to make the people tremble.” Upon hearing this, Confucius said: “What has been done should not be arbitrarily interpreted, what has been completed needs not to be advised, what has been passed should not be pursued.”
【Note】