Chapter 14
Chapter 1
Hsien asked about what is shameful. The Master said, “When a state is well governed, to think only of your salary; and when a state is badly governed, still to think only of your salary—that is shameful.”
Chapter 2
- “When the love of dominating others, boasting, resentment, and greed are all held in check, this might be considered perfect virtue.”
- The Master said, “It can be considered a difficult achievement. But whether it amounts to perfect virtue, I cannot say.”
Chapter 3
The Master said, “A scholar who is attached to comfort does not deserve to be called a scholar.”
Chapter 4
The Master said, “When a state is well governed, one may speak and act boldly. When a state is badly governed, one may still act boldly, but one’s speech should be cautious.”
Chapter 5
The Master said, “A virtuous person will certainly speak well, but someone who speaks well is not necessarily virtuous. A person of principle will certainly be brave, but a brave person is not necessarily one of principle.”
Chapter 6
Nan-kung Kwo put a question to Confucius, saying, “I was a skilled archer, and Ao could push a boat along on dry land, yet neither died a natural death. But Yu and Chi worked the soil with their own hands, and they came to possess the kingdom.” The Master gave no reply. After Nan-kung Kwo left, however, he said, “What a superior man this is! What an admirer of virtue this is!”
Chapter 7
The Master said, “There have been superior men who were not always virtuous—sadly so. But there has never been a mean person who was virtuous.”
Chapter 8
The Master said, “Can love exist that does not demand strictness with the one loved? Can loyalty exist that does not lead to instructing the one served?”
Chapter 9
The Master said, “In drafting official documents, P’i Shan prepared the first draft; Shi-shu reviewed and discussed it; Tsze-yu, in charge of foreign relations, then refined the language; and finally Tsze-ch’an of Tung-li gave it polish and elegance.”
Chapter 10
- Someone asked about Tsze-ch’an. The Master said, “He was a kind man.”
- He asked about Tsze-hsi. The Master said, “That man! That man!”
- He asked about Kwan Chung. The Master said, “When the town of Pien, with three hundred households, was taken from the chief of the Po family and given to Kwan Chung, the chief never uttered a word of complaint, even though he lived on coarse rice for the rest of his life.”
Chapter 11
The Master said, “To be poor without complaining is difficult. To be rich without being proud is easy.”
Chapter 12
The Master said, “Mang Kung-ch’o is more than qualified to be chief steward of the Chao or Wei families, but he is not fit to be a high minister in even the small states of Tang or Hsieh.”
Chapter 13
- Tsze-lu asked what makes a COMPLETE person. The Master said, “Imagine someone with the knowledge of Tsang Wu-chung, the freedom from greed of Kung-ch’o, the courage of Chwang of Pien, and the many talents of Zan Ch’iu—then add to these the refinements of ritual and music. Such a person might be considered complete.”
- He then added, “But why must a complete person today possess all these qualities? Someone who, when faced with gain, thinks of what is right; who, when faced with danger, is ready to give up his life; and who does not forget an old promise, however long ago it was made—such a person too may be called complete.”
Chapter 14
- The Master asked Kung-ming Chia about Kung-shu Wan, saying, “Is it true that your master does not speak, does not laugh, and does not accept gifts?”
- Kung-ming Chia replied, “Those who reported this exaggerated. My master speaks when the time is right to speak, so people don’t tire of his speech. He laughs when there is reason for joy, so people don’t tire of his laughter. He accepts when it is consistent with what is right, so people don’t tire of his accepting.” The Master said, “Is that so? But is it really so with him?”
Chapter 15
The Master said, “Tsang Wu-chung, while holding the town of Fang, asked the Duke of Lu to appoint a successor to his family line. Some may say he wasn’t pressuring his sovereign, but I believe he was.”
Chapter 16
The Master said, “Duke Wan of Tsin was cunning and not straightforward. Duke Hwan of Ch’i was straightforward and not cunning.”
Chapter 17
- Tsze-lu said, “When Duke Hwan had his brother Chiu put to death, Shao Hu died with his master, but Kwan Chung did not. Can I not say that Kwan Chung lacked virtue?”
- The Master said, “Duke Hwan brought together all the princes without resorting to weapons or war chariots—and this was entirely due to Kwan Chung’s influence. Whose goodness equaled his? Whose goodness equaled his?”
Chapter 18
- Tsze-kung said, “I suspect Kwan Chung lacked virtue. When Duke Hwan had his brother Chiu killed, Kwan Chung was unable to die with him. What’s more, he went on to serve as prime minister to Hwan.”
- The Master said, “Kwan Chung served as Duke Hwan’s prime minister, made him leader among the princes, and brought unity and order to the whole kingdom. Even today, people still enjoy the benefits he provided. Without Kwan Chung, we would now be wearing our hair loose and buttoning our coats on the left side.
- “Would you hold him to the petty fidelity of ordinary men and women, who hang themselves in some ditch with no one ever knowing about it?”
Chapter 19
- The high officer Hsien, who had been household steward to Kung-shu Wan, was promoted to the prince’s court alongside Wan.
- When the Master heard of this, he said, “He certainly deserved the title WAN, ‘the accomplished.’”
Chapter 20
- The Master was talking about the lack of principle in Duke Ling of Wei, when Ch’i K’ang said, “Since he is like that, how does he avoid losing his state?”
- Confucius said, “Chung-shu Yu manages his guests and foreign visitors; the liturgist T’o handles his ancestral temple; and Wang-sun Chia directs his armed forces. With officers like these, how could he lose his state?”
Chapter 21
The Master said, “Someone who speaks without modesty will find it hard to live up to his words.”
Chapter 22
- Chan Ch’ang murdered Duke Chien of Ch’i.
- Confucius bathed, went to court, and informed Duke Ai, saying, “Chan Hang has killed his sovereign. I ask that you undertake to punish him.”
- The duke said, “Inform the chiefs of the three families about it.”
- Confucius withdrew and said, “Since I rank among the great officers, I did not dare not to report such a matter—and my prince tells me, ‘Inform the chiefs of the three families’!”
- He went to the chiefs and informed them, but they would not act. Confucius then said, “Since I rank among the great officers, I did not dare not to report such a matter.”
Chapter 23
Tsze-lu asked how one should serve a ruler. The Master said, “Do not deceive him; and stand up to him face to face when necessary.”
Chapter 24
The Master said, “The superior man advances upward; the mean man slides downward.”
Chapter 25
The Master said, “In ancient times, people learned for the sake of improving themselves. Today, people learn for the sake of impressing others.”
Chapter 26
- Chu Po-yu sent a messenger to Confucius with friendly greetings.
- Confucius sat down with him and asked, “What is your master occupied with these days?” The messenger replied, “My master is trying to reduce his faults, but he has not yet succeeded.” When the messenger had gone, the Master said, “Now that’s a messenger! That’s a messenger!”
Chapter 27
The Master said, “Anyone not holding a particular office should not concern himself with planning its administration.”
Chapter 28
The philosopher Tsang said, “The superior man, in his thinking, does not stray beyond his proper position.”
Chapter 29
The Master said, “The superior man is restrained in his speech but goes beyond it in his actions.”
Chapter 30
- The Master said, “The way of the superior man has three aspects, and I have not lived up to any of them. The virtuous man is free from anxiety; the wise man is free from perplexity; the brave man is free from fear.”
- Tsze-kung said, “Master, that is just a description of yourself.”
Chapter 31
Tsze-kung was in the habit of comparing one person with another. The Master said, “Tsze must have reached great heights of excellence! For myself, I don’t have the time for this.”
Chapter 32
The Master said, “I will not worry about others not knowing me; I will worry about my own lack of ability.”
Chapter 33
The Master said, “Someone who does not anticipate deception and does not assume in advance that he will be disbelieved, yet still senses these things quickly when they occur—isn’t he a man of superior worth?”
Chapter 34
- Wei-shang Mau said to Confucius, “Ch’iu, why do you keep hopping about from place to place? Isn’t it because you are a smooth talker?”
- Confucius said, “I would not dare to play the smooth talker; what I hate is stubbornness.”
Chapter 35
The Master said, “A horse is called a ch’i not because of its strength, but because of its other fine qualities.”
Chapter 36
- Someone asked, “What do you think of the principle that injury should be repaid with kindness?”
- The Master said, “Then with what will you repay kindness?
- “Repay injury with justice, and repay kindness with kindness.”
Chapter 37
- The Master said, “Alas! No one understands me.”
- Tsze-kung said, “What do you mean by saying no one understands you?” The Master replied, “I do not complain against Heaven, nor do I blame other people. My studies start from below, and my insight reaches upward. It is Heaven that understands me!”
Chapter 38
- Kung-po Liao slandered Tsze-lu to Chi-sun. Tsze-fu Ching-po informed Confucius of it, saying, “Our master is certainly being misled by Kung-po Liao, but I still have enough power left to have Liao executed and his body displayed in the market and the court.”
- The Master said, “If my principles are to advance, it is so ordained. If they are to fall to the ground, it is so ordained. What can Kung-po Liao do against such ordering?”
Chapter 39
- The Master said, “Some worthy men withdraw from the world entirely.
- Some withdraw from certain states.
- Some withdraw because of disrespectful looks.
- Some withdraw because of hostile words.”
Chapter 40
The Master said, “Seven men have done this.”
Chapter 41
Tsze-lu happened to spend the night at Shih-man. The gatekeeper asked him, “Where have you come from?” Tsze-lu said, “From Mr. K’ung.” “Is that the one,” said the gatekeeper, “who knows that the times make it impossible, yet keeps trying anyway?”
Chapter 42
- The Master was playing a musical stone one day in Wei, when a man carrying a straw basket passed by the house and said, “How full of feeling is the heart of the one striking that stone!”
- A moment later he added, “How petty is the stubborn single-mindedness those sounds reveal! If no one pays attention to you, just give up your desire for office. ‘Deep water must be crossed with your clothes on; shallow water can be crossed with them held up.’”
- The Master said, “How firmly resolved he is! Yet what he suggests is not difficult!”
Chapter 43
- Tsze-chang said, “What does the Shu mean when it
