I am not concerned that other people do not understand me. I worry that I do not understand other people.
[不患人之不己知、患不知人也]
Confucius (c. 551- c. 479 BC) Chinese philosopher, sage, politician [孔夫子 (Kǒng Fūzǐ, K'ung Fu-tzu, K'ung Fu Tse), 孔子 (Kǒngzǐ, Chungni), 孔丘 (Kǒng Qiū, K'ung Ch'iu)]
The Analects [論語, 论语, Lúnyǔ], Book 1, verse 16 (1.16) (6th C. BC – AD 3rd C.) [tr. Li (2020)]
(Source)
(Source (Chinese)). See also 4.14, 14.30, 15.19. Alternate translations:I will not be afflicted at men's not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men.
[tr. Legge (1861)]It does not greatly concern me that men do not know me; my great concern is, my not knowing them.
[tr. Jennings (1895)]One should not be concerned not to be understood of men; one should be concerned not to understand men.
[tr. Ku Hung-Ming (1898)]I will not grieve that men do not know me; I will grieve that I do not know men.
[tr. Soothill (1910)]Not worried that men do not know me, but that I do not understand men.
[tr. Pound (1933)][The good man] does not grieve that other people do not recognize his merits. His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs.
[tr. Waley (1938)]I am not concerned that people do not know of me; I am concerned that I do not know of them.
[tr. Ware (1950)]It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.
[tr. Lau (1979)]One does not worry about the fact that other people do not appreciate one. One worries about not appreciating other people.
[tr. Dawson (1993)]Don't worry if people don't recognize your merits; worry that you may not recognize theirs.
[tr. Leys (1997)]Do not worry about men not knowing you; rather, worry about incapability and ignorance.
[tr. Huang (1997)]Do not worry about that others do not understand me, just worry about that I do not understand others.
[tr. Cai/Yu (1998)]Don't worry about not being acknowledged by others; worry about failing to acknowledge them.
[tr. Ames/Rosemont (1998)]He does not worry that others do not know him; he worries that he does not know others.
[tr. Brooks/Brooks (1998)]Don't grieve when people fail to recognize your ability. Grieve when you fail to recognize theirs.
[tr. Hinton (1998)]Do not be concerned about whether or not others know you; be concerned about whether or not you know others.
[tr. Slingerland (2003)]Don’t worry about whether other people understand you. Worry about whether you understand other people.
[tr. Watson (2007)]Do not worry that other people do not know you. But be concerned that you do not know them.
[tr. Annping Chin (2014)]
