13.3 子路曰：“卫君待子而为政1，子将奚先？” 子曰：“必也正名乎2！” 子路曰：“有是哉，子之迂也！奚其正？” 子曰：“野哉，由也！君子于其所不知，盖阙如也3。名不正，则言不顺；言不顺，则事不成；事不成，则礼乐不兴；礼乐不兴，则刑罚不中；刑罚不中，则民无所措手足。故君子名之必可言也，言之必可行也。君子于其言，无所苟而已矣。”
【译文】
子路说：“卫君等着您去治理国政，您将先做什么？” 孔子说：“一定是先辨正名分！” 子路说：“您就迂腐到这样啊！何必要正名呢？” 孔子说：“太粗野了，仲由！君子对于他所不懂的事，应该采取存疑的态度。名分不符其实，言语就不顺于理；言语不顺于理，事情就做不成；事情做不成，礼乐就不能兴起；礼乐不兴，刑罚就不能得当；刑罚不得当，民众就手足无措，不知如何是好。所以君子定下名分，就一定可以言之成理，言之成理，就一定可以实行。君子对自己要说的话，一点儿都不马虎就是了。”
【YZG解释】
子路说：“卫君等着您去治理国政，您将先做什么？” 孔子说：“一定是先辨正名分！” 子路说：“是这样吗？您为何不直接处理急务呢！何必要先正名呢？” 孔子说：“太鄙俗了，仲由！君子对于他所不懂的事，应该采取存疑的态度而不妄加应对。名分不符其实，言语就不顺于理；言语不顺于理，事情就做不成；事情做不成，礼乐就不能兴起；礼乐不兴，刑罚就实施不力；刑罚实施不力，民众就手足无措，无所适从。所以君子定下名分，就一定可以言之成理，言之成理，就一定可以实行。君子对自己要说的话，一点儿都不会马虎苟且的。”
【English Translation】
Zi Lu said: “The ruler of the State of Wei is waiting for you to govern the State politics. What will you do first?” Confucius said: “It must be rectifying the names and positions first!” Zi Lu said: “Is that so? Why don’t you deal with urgent matters directly! Why bother to get your position rectified first?” Confucius said: “You are too vulgar, Zhong You (Zi Lu)! A noble person should take a skeptical attitude toward what he does not understand and not rashly respond. If the names and positions does not match the reality, the words will not be justifiable; if the words are not justifiable, the things will not be accomplished; if the things are not accomplished, the Rites and Music will not prosper; if the Rites and Music do not prosper, the punishments will not be implemented effectively; if punishments are not implemented effectively, the people will be at a loss of what to do. Therefore, if a noble person sets the names and positions, his words will be definitely justifiable, and then he can certainly implement them. A noble person would not be careless or perfunctory in what he says.”