A Craftsman Must Sharpen His Tools to Do His Job

工匠想要很好地完成工作，必須先把工具弄得鋒利好用。這是《論語·衛(wèi)靈公》中記載的孔子（前551—479）的話。孔子本意是說，上層社會中有才能、有仁德的人是實現(xiàn)仁德理想的“利器”，為他們做事，和他們結(jié)為朋友，才能得到實現(xiàn)仁德理想的機會，有利于國家和社會。后來多用于比喻要做好一件事，準備工作與工作的手段、方法是很重要的。其中隱含的道理是：目的決定手段的選擇，手段決定目的的實現(xiàn)。

This saying by Confucius (551-479 BC) is recorded in The Analects. By this Confucius originally meant that talented and virtuous people in the upper class were "tools" for realizing the ideals of benevolence. Working for them and becoming friends with these people was an opportunity to realize the ideals of benevolence in the interest of the country and society. Later, this concept came to be used as a metaphor meaning that to do something well, one needs to make preparations. The implied reasoning of this saying is as follows: objectives determine the choice of methods, and methods determine the realization of objectives.

引例 Citations：

◎子曰：“工欲善其事，必先利其器。居是邦也，事其大夫之賢者，友其士之仁者?！保ā墩撜Z·衛(wèi)靈公》）

孔子說：“工匠想要很好地完成工作，必須先把工具弄得鋒利好用。住在一個國家，要為有才能的大夫做事，與有仁德的士人交朋友。”

Confucius said, "A craftsman must sharpen his tools to do his job. When you are in a state, you should serve its capable officials and befriend the virtuous people." (The Analects)

◎古稱：“工欲善其事，必先利其器?！鄙w士卒猶工也，兵械猶器也。器利而工善，兵精而事強，勢則然矣。（曾公亮、丁度《武經(jīng)總要·前集》卷十三）

古人說：“工匠想要很好地完成工作，必須先把工具弄得鋒利好用。”士兵就像工匠，兵器就像工具。工具好用，制作就做得好；兵器精良，打仗就占優(yōu)勢，這是必然的道理。

An ancient saying goes, "A craftsman must sharpen his tools to do his job." Soldiers are like craftsmen, and their weapons are like tools. Good tools enable good work; good weapons enable their users to take a superior position in battle. This is the tested truth. (Zeng Gongliang and Ding Du: Military Essentials)

推薦：教育部 國家語委

供稿：北京外國語大學 外語教學與研究出版社

責任編輯：劉懌莎