About The Analects
What it's about
Short sayings and conversations of Confucius, collected by his students: on the joy of learning, on the 'gentleman' who chooses what is right over what pays, and on rulers who lead by example rather than by fear.
Who it's for
Korean readers who grew up with lines from the Analects and want to read them in English, and anyone curious about the ideas behind East Asian family life and schooling.
- Level
- CEFR B2
- Length
- 3 parts · about 823 words
- Reading time
- about 6 minutes (~2 min per part)
- Author
- Confucius
If you liked this, read
- The Apology · B2
- Meditations · B2
- The Prince · B2
Looking for something easier or harder? See Easy English books by level (A1–B2).
Reading The Analects in English: quick answers
- What English level is The Analects on SeoJae Story?
- The Analects by Confucius is retold in simplified English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate). It is split into 3 short parts, and every sentence has a Korean translation you can show or hide, so a learner at that level can follow the story without a dictionary.
- Is The Analects hard to read in English?
- The original is written for native readers, with long sentences and older vocabulary, so most learners find it hard. This retelling keeps the story but uses simpler English at CEFR B2 (upper-intermediate), so if you read English at that level you can follow it, and the Korean translation is there for any line that stops you. If it feels too hard, start with an easier book one level down.
- How long does it take to read The Analects in simple English?
- About 6 minutes of reading in total — roughly 2 minutes per part across 3 parts. Listening to the audio narration, reviewing the vocabulary and taking each part's comprehension check adds a little more.
- Is this the full, unabridged text of The Analects?
- No. It is an abridged graded retelling written for English learners that follows the story of the original in 3 parts. Every part also lets you read the matching unabridged chapters from the original, split into short readings.
- Is The Analects free to read here?
- Yes. All 3 parts are free to read online, with the Korean translation, audio narration, vocabulary flashcards and comprehension questions included.
- Is The Analects in the public domain?
- Yes. Confucius's The Analects is in the public domain, and the original text is freely available from Project Gutenberg (eBook #3330). SeoJae Story's simplified retelling and Korean translation are original text written for learners.