假孔子语录在美国盛行？这些话，子未曾曰过……
Elon Musk tweeted what appeared to be a meme of a translation of a fake Confucius quote.
It is unclear what Musk meant by the tweet. However, some Twitter users commented that it might have been a Google-translated version of a meme involving an innuendo-laden fake Confucius quote that states: "Man with hand in pocket feel cocky all day."
Users on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform appeared none the wiser about the meaning of Musk's post but speculated that Musk meant to say that one was idle and powerless.
innuendo [ˌɪnjuˈendoʊ] 影射；暗指
none the wiser: 依然不明白
“孔子语录”啥时候在美国兴起的？
据“中国哲学与比较哲学”网站（Warp, Weft, and Way）中刊载的汉学家康纳利（Timothy Connolly）的文章，孔子背这口黑锅已经有半个多世纪了。
二十世纪三十年代末，纽约八卦专栏作家沃尔特·温切尔（Walter Winchell）开始将一些讽刺性的言论归于孔子，并很快经电台主持人杰克·本尼（Jack Benny）等人之口广而宣之。
It turns out the trend can be precisely dated. In the late 1930s, a newspaper columnist named Walter Winchell began attributing some satirical statements to Confucius, and soon the device was picked up by radio hosts like Jack Benny.
美国《生活》杂志1940年2月刊撰文描述“孔子语录”在美国风靡一时的场景。“从东海岸到西海岸的每一个城市和村庄，美国人都哈哈大笑着彼此搭讪，‘你知道孔子语录不?’”
From there it spread rapidly, so that as this remarkable story from a February 1940 edition of Life magazine tells us, "In every city and village from coast to coast last week, Americans were stopping other Americans and chortling, 'You know what Confucius say?'"
Many major newspapers began to carry a "Confucius say" column with content solicited from readers, sheets with the maxims were sold in Times Square, and there was a popular song with the title recorded by Guy Lombardo.
康纳利认为这是孔子第一次被引入美国的大众文化，而尽管这些“子曰”错得离谱并且极度有冒犯性，它甚至在今日的美国也很流行，许多他的学生、同事乃至报刊评论都会引用。康纳利担忧这一现象会部分地引起美国哲学界对中国思想的偏见。
这篇短文引发了不少外国网友的评论。有人认为，它作为笑话确实很好笑。也有人抨击，即使是喜剧的形式，“它们也是冒犯性乃至侮辱性的”，部分动机源自“对东亚文化的轻视，尽管可能有例外”。美国视频网站上甚至有一些模仿《陈查理》（Charlie Chan）系列电影中的华人口音（它不同于任何实际的中国口音）来读“子曰”的视频。（注：陈查理是美国小说作家厄尔·德尔·比格斯笔下虚构的一位华人警探，正义的陈查理是西方流行文化中著名的亚洲人角色。）
美国人有多爱引用孔子？
现在，在外网上随便一搜孔子语录（Confucius says），就会出现各种各样张冠李戴的心灵鸡汤。甚至有一些笑话网站专门开设专栏，将一些恶搞低俗的段子冠以“子曰”之名。
子曰，各人自扫门前雪，休管他人瓦上霜？以仁爱闻名的孔子可不承认。（注：本句出自宋·陈元靓《事林广记·警世格言》）
正确的孔子语录解读
《汉语世界》（The World of Chinese）曾撰文澄清孔子最常被误用和曲解的语录。
以德报怨
Return good for ill
此成语出自《论语》(The Analects)，是孔子的弟子记录孔子言行而编成的语录文集，意为以善报恶。很多人指责孔子这个道德要求过于高高在上，无法达到。其实，这是对孔子语录的曲解。
This is a chengyu that comes from The Analects, a collection teachings and stories involving Confucius written during the Warring States period (475 – 221 BCE), which means to repay evil with good. It is often quoted, and also frequently criticized as an unattainable moral requirement. However, Confucius was not in favor of this idea at all.
据《论语》记载，有市民问孔子对“以善报恶”的看法，孔子表示反对。孔圣人的完整回答是：“以德报怨，何以报德？以直报怨，以德报德。”
According to The Analects, a citizen asked Confucius his opinion about the concept of "repaying evil with good," and Confucius expressed his opposition. The sage's full reply went: "If you return good for evil, what do you return for good? One should return injustice with justice, and repay good with good."
愚不可及
Couldn't be more foolish
此成语也出自《论语》。如今这个词被用来批评他人的愚蠢，甚至在现代词典中都有这样的定义。但孔子原义其实是对春秋时期魏国官员宁武子的赞美。
Today, this term is used to criticize someone for their stupidity—it's even defined as such in modern dictionaries. But Confucius originally used it as a compliment regarding Ning Wuzi, an official of the State of Wei in the Spring and Autumn period (770 – 476 BCE).
孔子观察到，宁武子在政治风气好、君子正直的时候，善于运用自己的执政才能，但当君子昏庸或专横时，他会故意装聋作哑，以免协助君子推行愚蠢的政策。
Confucius observed that Ning was adept at using his substantial governing talents when the political climate was good and the ruler righteous, but when the ruler was fatuous or tyrannical, Ning would purposely play dumb and work slowly to avoid assisting rulers in promoting foolish policies.
孔子称赞宁武子的政治智慧，直言“其知可及也，愚其不可及也。”
"It’s not difficult to fulfill one's talent, but it's difficult to pretend to be foolish as he does," Confucius said, praising Ning for his political wisdom.
三思而后行
Think thrice before acting
在你即将做出重大决定时，你的家人或朋友可能会引用孔子的“三思而后行”，劝你谨慎行事。不过孔子其实并不赞同这种做法，甚至觉得没理由这样做。
When you are about to make a major decision, your family or friends may cite Confucius and advise you to act prudently and "think three times before acting." This phrase is also from The Analects, but again, Confucius didn't actually endorse this practice, and even felt it gratuitous.
据《论语》记载，孔子听说春秋时期鲁国的官员季文子经常“三思而后行”（Think thrice before acting）之后，不赞成地评论道,“再，斯可矣”（Think twice）。孔子虽然认为适当的谨慎是必要的，但他驳斥了不必要的犹疑动摇，并告诫人们不要犹豫不决、畏手畏脚。
According to The Analects, when Confucius heard that Ji Wenzi, an official of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, often "thought three times before taking any action," the sage commented: "Thinking twice is enough." Though Confucius felt appropriate caution was necessary, he disproved of unnecessary wavering, and warned people not to become irresolute and hesitant.
编辑：朱迪齐
实习生：魏宁
来源：凤凰周刊 澎湃新闻 汉语世界 中国哲学与比较哲学网站 Business Insider
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