(一）子曰：“学而时习之，不亦悦乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？”

The Master said, to learn and at due times to repeat what one has learned, is that not after all a pleasure? That friends should come to one from afar, is this not after all delightful¹? To remain unsoured even though one's merits are unrecognized by others, is that not after all what is expected of a gentleman?

(二）子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。”

The Master said, "At fifteen I set my heart upon learning. At thirty, I planted my feet firm upon the ground. At forty, I no longer suffered from perplexities. At fifty, I knew what were the biddings of Heaven. At sixty, I heard them with docile² ear. At seventy, I could follow the dictates³ of my own heart; for what I desired no longer overstepped the boundaries of right."

(三）子曰：“贤哉回也！一箪食，一瓢饮，在陋巷，人不堪其忧，回也不改其乐。贤哉回也！”

The Master said, incomparable indeed was Hui! A handful of rice to eat, a gourdful⁴ of water to drink, living in a mean street. Others would have found it unendurably depressing, but to Hui's cheerfulness it made no difference at all. Incomparable indeed was Hui!