Translation - Analects of Confucius 1.11

1.11學而: 子曰：「父在，觀其志；父沒，觀其行；三年無改於父之道，可謂孝矣。」

1.11: Zǐ yuē: Fù zài, guān qí zhì; fù méi, guān qí xíng; sàn nián wú gǎi yú fù zhī dào, kě wèi xiào yǐ.

1.11: Master says: Father here, observe his will; father not (here), observe his going; three years not/without change in way of (the) father; (this) able to call filial!

1.11: The Master says: "When your father is here, observe his will; when he is not, (continue to) observe his business; going three years without changing the ways of your father, this we can call filial!"

Regarding the use of 父 I see no reason why contemporary translations could not generalize “father” to “parents.” That would leave us with this interpretation:

1.11: The Master says: When your parents are here, observe their will; when they are not, (continue to) observe their actions; going three years without changing the ways of your parents, this we can call filial!”

Some depth can be added to this passage by looking at the different meanings of 行. In modern Chinese 行 means “go, walk, move travel, or circulate.” In classical Chinese we see a different (but related) meaning: as a verb 行 means “walk,” but as a nount it means “business, row, or line of business.” So the admontion to observe the ways of the parent is more than simply continuing a series of habits or customs (as if they were a matter of simple choice); rather the advice is to continue the parent’s work or line of work.

 

We could interpret this as a call to maintain social stability by maintaining the structure of ritual observances and (thereby) political order in a region. Or we could interpret this as pragmatic advice for maintaining stability and continuity in a time of uncertainty. Or (yet again!) we could interpret this as part of the Confucian project of making different values accessible to non-nobility: 孝 would certainly be term that could very easily be elevated into a culturally universal value.