Knowing That One Does Not Know

知不知矣

Zhī Bù Zhī Yǐ

To know, and to know that you do not know, is the highest. Not to know and to think you know is the disease; the sage is free of it because he treats it as a disease.

All 81 chapters71 of 81

4 sentences · 3 notes

知zhī不bù知zhī，尚shàng矣yǐ；不bù知zhī知zhī，病bìng也yě。

1To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment); not to know (and yet think) we do know is a disease.

圣shèng人rén不bù病bìng，以yǐ其qí病bìng病bìng，夫fú惟wéi病bìng病bìng，是shì以yǐ不bù病bìng。

2It is simply by being pained at (the thought of) having this disease that we are preserved from it.

3The sage has not the disease.

4He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it.

Chinese commentary · 3 notes

The notes printed with this chapter in Chinese editions, kept in Chinese, for readers who come to the text that way.

1知不知：有两种解释：一是知道却自以为不知道，一是知道自己还有所不知。

2不知知：不知而自以为知。

3病病：把这种毛病当作毛病。

All 81 chapters

Read this chapter in Chinese · 知不知矣