Kongzi Jiayu (Sayings of Confucius's Family), Fascicle 2

孔子北遊於農山，子路子貢顏淵侍側．孔子四望，喟然而嘆曰：“於斯致思，無所不至矣．言思無所不至二三子各言爾志，吾將擇焉．子路進曰：“由願得白羽若月，赤羽若日，鐘鼓之音，上震於天，旍旗繽紛，下蟠於地，蟠委由當一隊而敵之，必也攘地千里，攘卻搴旗執聝，搴取也取敵之旍旗職截耳也以效獲也唯由能之，使二子者從我焉．”夫子曰：“勇哉．”子貢復進曰：“賜願使齊楚合戰於漭瀁之野，漭瀁廣大之類兩壘相望，塵埃相接，挺刃交兵，賜著縞衣白冠，兵凶事故白冠服也陳說其間，推論利害，釋國之患，唯賜能之，使夫二子者從我焉．”夫子曰：“辯哉．”顏回退而不對．孔子曰：“回來，汝奚獨無願乎？”顏回對曰：“文武之事，則二子者，既言之矣，回何雲焉．”孔子曰：“雖然，各言爾志也，小子言之．”對曰：“回聞燻蕕不同器而藏，薰香蕕臭堯桀不共國而治，以其類異也，回願得明王聖主輔相之，敷其五教，敷布也五教父義母慈兄友弟恭子孝也導之以禮樂，使民城郭不修，溝池不越，言無踰越溝池鑄劍戟以為農器，放牛馬於原藪，廣平曰原澤無水曰藪也室家無離曠之思，千歲無戰鬥之患，則由無所施其勇，而賜無所用其辯矣．”夫子凜然曰：“美哉！德也．”子路抗手而對曰：“夫子何選焉？”孔子曰：“不傷財，不害民，不繁詞，則顏氏之子有矣．”

Confucius traveled north to view Mount Nong, with Zilu, Zigong and Yan Yuan in attendance. Confucius looked around in the four directions and sighed, saying: "Reflecting deeply here, there is nothing one cannot think of. [This says thought reaches everywhere.] Each of you tell me your aspirations, and I shall choose." Zilu stepped forward and said: "I, You, wish to have white pennants like the moon and red pennants like the sun, the sound of bells and drums shaking the heavens above, banners flying and coiling over the earth below [pan means to twist]. I, You, would lead a single troop against the enemy and surely open up a thousand li of land, seize the enemy's flags and cut off enemy ears to report my merit [qian means to seize; cutting off ears was the ancient way of recording merit]. Only You can do this; let the other two follow me." The Master said: "Brave." Zigong stepped forward and said: "I, Ci, wish for Qi and Chu to fight on a vast plain [mangyang means broad and wide], with the two camps in sight of each other, dust mingling, blades drawn and weapons crossed. I, Ci, would put on plain silk and a white cap [war is a grim matter, so white caps and white clothes are used] and explain in the middle, arguing the benefits and harms and removing the state's calamity. Only Ci can do this; let the other two follow me." The Master said: "Eloquent." Yan Hui stayed behind and did not answer. Confucius said: "Come, Hui; why do you alone have no wish?" Yan Hui replied: "The two gentlemen have already spoken of civil and martial affairs; what can I, Hui, say?" Confucius said: "Even so, each of us is to speak his aspiration; speak, young man." Yan Hui replied: "I have heard that fragrant grass and stinking grass are not kept in the same vessel [xun is fragrant and you is stinking], and Yao and Jie do not govern in the same state, because they are of different kinds. I, Hui, wish to obtain an enlightened king and sage ruler and assist him, spreading the five teachings [fu means to spread; the five teachings are righteousness of the father, kindness of the mother, friendship of the elder brother, respect of the younger brother and filial piety of the son], leading with ritual and music, so that the people need not build city walls and need not cross moats and ditches [meaning no one crosses the moats and ditches], melting swords and halberds into farm tools and letting oxen and horses graze on the plains and marshes [a wide level place is called yuan, and a marsh without water is called sou], households have no yearning of separation or emptiness, and for a thousand years there is no calamity of fighting. Then You would have nowhere to show his courage, and Ci would have nowhere to show his eloquence." The Master said solemnly: "How fine, this is virtue." Zilu raised his hand and asked: "Which does the Master choose?" Confucius said: "Not wasting wealth, not harming the people, not troubling words: the son of the Yan family has all of these."

魯有儉嗇者，瓦鬲煮食，瓦釜食之，自謂其美，盛之土型之器，瓦甂以進孔子．孔子受之，歡然而悅，如受大牢之饋．牛羊豕饋饋也子路曰：“瓦甂，陋器也，煮食，薄膳也，夫子何喜之如此乎？”子曰：“夫好諫者思其君，食美者念其親．吾非以饌具之為厚，以其食厚而我思焉．”孔子之楚，而有漁者，而獻魚焉，孔子不受．漁者曰：“天暑市遠，無所鬻也，思慮棄之糞壤，不如獻之君子，故敢以進焉．”於是夫子再拜受之，使弟子掃地將以享祭．門人曰：“彼將棄之，而夫子以祭之，何也？”孔子曰：“吾聞諸惜其腐●，而欲以務施者，仁人之偶也，惡有受仁人之饋，而無祭者乎？”

In Lu there was a stingy man who cooked rice in an earthenware pot and ate from an earthenware vessel; finding it delicious, he put it in a clay basin and presented it to Confucius. Confucius accepted it and was as delighted as if receiving a grand-sacrifice gift [a gift of ox, sheep and pig]. Zilu said: "An earthenware basin is a crude vessel and cooked food is a meager meal; why is the Master so pleased?" Confucius said: "One who loves to remonstrate thinks of his ruler, and one who eats something delicious thinks of his parents. It is not because of the richness of the dishes, but because he thought of me when he ate richly." When Confucius went to Chu, a fisherman offered a fish, which Confucius did not accept. The fisherman said: "The weather is hot and the market is far, and there is nowhere to sell it; I thought that rather than throw it on a dung heap, I would offer it to a gentleman, so I dared to present it." So the Master bowed twice and accepted it, and had his disciples sweep the ground to prepare an offering. His followers said: "He meant to throw it away, but the Master uses it for sacrifice; why?" Confucius said: "I have heard that those who cherish what is about to spoil and want to give it away are among the benevolent. How can one receive a benevolent person's gift and not sacrifice with it?"

季羔為衛之士師，獄官刖人之足，俄而衛有蒯聵之亂，初衛靈公太子蒯聵得罪出奔晉靈公卒立其子輒蒯聵自晉襲衛時子羔子路並位於衛也季羔逃之，走郭門，刖者守門焉．謂季羔曰：“彼有●．”季羔曰：“君子不踰．”又曰：“彼有竇．”季羔曰：“君子不隧．”隧從竇出又曰：“於此有室．”季羔乃入焉．既而追者罷，季羔將去，謂刖者：“吾不能虧主之法而親刖子之足矣，今吾在難，此正子之報怨之時，而逃我者三，何故哉？”刖者曰：“斷足固我之罪，無可奈何，曩者君治臣以法令，先人後臣，欲臣之免也，臣知獄決罪定，臨當論刑，君愀然不樂，見君顏色，臣又知之，君豈私臣哉？天生君子，其道固然，此臣之所以悅君也．”孔子聞之曰：“善哉為吏，其用法一也．思仁恕則樹德，加嚴暴則樹怨，公以行之，其子羔乎．”

Ji Gao was a judge of Wei [officer of prisons], and cut off a man's foot. Before long the Kuaikui rebellion took place in Wei [Kuaikui, crown prince of Duke Ling of Wei, had offended and fled to Jin; after Duke Ling died his son Zhe was established, and Kuaikui attacked Wei from Jin; at the time Zigao and Zilu were both serving in Wei]. Ji Gao fled, and ran to the outer city gate, where the man whose foot he had cut off was guarding the gate. He said to Ji Gao: "You can climb over the wall there." Ji Gao said: "A gentleman does not climb over walls." He said: "There is a hole there." Ji Gao said: "A gentleman does not crawl through holes." [Sui means to go out through a hole.] He said: "There is a house here." Only then did Ji Gao go in. After a while, when the pursuers had stopped, Ji Gao was about to leave, and said to the footless man: "I could not damage my lord's law and cut off your foot myself; now that I am in distress, it is just the time for you to take revenge, yet you let me escape three times; what is the reason?" The footless man said: "The cutting of my foot was my own offense and I could do nothing about it. In the past when you applied the law to me, you considered others first and me last, wishing to spare me the crime. I knew that the case was already decided and the offense fixed; when it came to passing sentence, your face was sad and unhappy, and seeing your expression I knew it. How could you have favored me? Heaven made a gentleman, and his way is naturally so; this is why I am glad for you." Confucius heard of this and said: "What a good official, applying the law the same way! Thinking of benevolence and forgiveness establishes virtue, while adding severity and harshness establishes resentment. To carry it out impartially is Zigao."

孔子曰：“季孫之賜我粟千鍾也，而交益親，得季孫千鍾之粟以施與眾而交益親自南宮敬叔之乘我車也，而道加行．孔子欲見老聃而西觀周敬叔言於魯君給孔子車馬問禮於老子孔子歷觀郊廟自周而還弟子四方來習也故道雖貴，必有時而後重，有勢而後行，微夫二子之貺財，則丘之道，殆將廢矣．”

Confucius said: "Ji Sun gave me a thousand zhong of grain, and my relationships thereby became closer [with the thousand zhong of grain from Ji Sun I gave to others, and relationships grew closer]; Nangong Jingshu let me ride in his carriage, and so the Way could be more widely practiced [Confucius wanted to see Lao Dan and view Zhou in the west; Jingshu told the Lord of Lu, who supplied Confucius with a carriage and horses to ask Laozi about ritual; Confucius toured the suburban and ancestral temples, and when he returned from Zhou, disciples came from all quarters to study]. So although the Way is valuable, it must have the right moment to be valued and must have power and position to be practiced. Without the material help of these two men, my Way would probably have been abandoned."

孔子曰：“王者有似乎春秋，正其本而萬物皆正文王以王季為父，以太任為母，以太姒為妃，以武王周公為子，以太顛閎天為臣，其本美矣．武王正其身以正其國，正其國以正天下，伐無道，刑有罪，一動而天下正，其事成矣．春秋致其時而萬物皆及，王者致其道而萬民皆治，周公載己行化，載亦行矣言行已以行化其身正不令而行也而天下順之，其誠至矣．”

Confucius said: "A true king is a little like the seasons of spring and autumn: when the root is rectified, the myriad things are all rectified. King Wen of Zhou took Wang Ji as father, Tairen as mother, Taisi as consort, King Wu and the Duke of Zhou as sons, and Taidian and Hong Yao as ministers; his root was fine. King Wu rectified himself to rectify his state, rectified his state to rectify the world, punished those without the Way and penalized the guilty, and with one move the world was rectified and his work was complete. When the season of spring and autumn arrives, the myriad things all arrive with it; when a true king carries out his Way, the myriad people are all governed. The Duke of Zhou carried out transformation with his own person [zai also means to carry out; it means promoting teaching through his own conduct, so that if he himself was upright it would be carried out without orders], and the world followed; his sincerity was at its utmost."

曾子曰：“入是國也，言信於群臣，而留可也；見忠於卿大夫，則仕可也；澤施於百姓，則富可也．”孔子曰：“參之言此可謂善安身矣．”子路為蒲宰，為水備，與其民修溝瀆，以民之勞煩苦也，人與之一簞食簞笥一壺漿．孔子聞之，使子貢止之．子路忿不悅，？見孔子，曰：“由也以暴雨將至，恐有水災，故與民修溝洫以備之，而民多匱餓者，是以簞食壺漿而與之．夫子使賜止之，是夫子止由之行仁也．夫子以仁教而禁其行，由不受也．”孔子曰：“汝以民為餓也，何不白於君，發倉廩以賑之，而私以爾食饋之，是汝明君之無惠，而見己之德美矣．汝速已則可，不則汝之見罪必矣．”

Zeng Shen said: "On entering a state, if one's words can win the trust of the ministers, one can stay; if the high officials can see one's loyalty, one can take office; if one's kindness can reach the common people, one can seek wealth." Confucius said: "These words of Shen can be called good at securing oneself." Zilu was steward of Pu and, to prepare against floods, repaired ditches and channels with his people. Because the people were toiling and in difficulty, he gave each a basket of food [dan is a bamboo basket] and a jug of drink. Confucius heard of this and sent Zigong to stop it. Zilu was indignant, and went to see Confucius, saying: "Because a violent rainstorm was coming, I feared flooding, so I repaired ditches with the people to prepare. Many of the people were short of food and hungry, so I gave them baskets of food and jugs of drink. You sent Ci to stop it, Master; this is you stopping me from practicing benevolence. The Master teaches with benevolence but forbids its practice; I cannot accept it." Confucius said: "If you thought the people were hungry, why did you not report to the ruler and open the granaries to relieve them, instead of privately giving them your own food? This displays that the ruler has no kindness and shows off your own virtue. If you stop quickly, it can still be mended; otherwise, you will certainly be blamed."

子路問於孔子曰：“管仲之為人何如？”子曰：“仁也．”得仁道也子路曰：“昔管仲說襄公，公不受，是不辯也；欲立公子糾而不能，是不智也；齊襄立無常鮑叔牙曰君使民慢亂將作矣奉公子小白出奔莒公孫無知殺襄公管夷吾召忽奉公子糾奔魯齊人殺無知魯伐齊納子糾小白自莒先入是為桓公公乃殺子糾召忽死之也家殘於齊，而無憂色，是不慈也；桎梏而居檻車，無慚心，是無醜也；言無恥惡之心事所射之君，是不貞也；召忽死之，管仲不死，是不忠也．仁人之道，固若是乎？”孔子曰：“管仲說襄公，襄公不受，公之闇也；欲立子糾而不能，不遇時也；家殘於齊而無憂色，是知權命也；桎梏而無慚心，自裁審也；事所射之君，通於變也；不死子糾，量輕重也．夫子糾未成君，管仲未成臣，管仲才度義，管仲不死束縛，而立功名，未可非也．召忽雖死，過與取仁，未足多也．”

Zilu asked Confucius: "What kind of man was Guan Zhong?" Confucius said: "Benevolent." [He attained the Way of benevolence.] Zilu said: "In the past Guan Zhong advised Duke Xiang of Qi and the Duke did not accept it, which was lack of eloquence; he wanted to establish Prince Jiu but could not, which was lack of wisdom [Duke Xiang of Qi's government was erratic, and Bao Shuya said that the ruler had made the people lax and chaos would come, so he served Prince Xiaobai and fled to Ju; Gongsun Wuzhi killed Duke Xiang, and Guan Yiwu and Shao Hu served Prince Jiu and fled to Lu; the men of Qi killed Wuzhi, and Lu attacked Qi wanting to send Jiu home, but Xiaobai entered first from Ju and became Duke Huan, and the Duke killed Prince Jiu, and Shao Hu died too]; his family in Qi was broken up yet he had no look of sorrow, which was lack of kindness; wearing fetters and sitting in a prisoner's cart he had no sense of shame, which was shamelessness [meaning he had no heart to be ashamed of evil]; he served the ruler whom he had once shot at, which was lack of constancy; Shao Hu died for Prince Jiu but Guan Zhong did not die, which was disloyalty. Is this originally the way of a benevolent man?" Confucius said: "Guan Zhong advised Duke Xiang and the Duke did not accept it, which was the Duke's dimness; he wanted to establish Jiu and could not, which was not meeting the time; his family in Qi was broken up and he had no look of sorrow, which was knowing how to weigh fate; wearing fetters without shame was having judged and examined himself; serving the ruler he had once shot at was understanding adaptation to changes; not dying for Prince Jiu was weighing what was light and heavy. Prince Jiu had not yet become ruler, and Guan Zhong had not yet become his minister. Guan Zhong measured righteousness according to his talent and, not being bound to die, was able to establish merit and fame, and cannot be criticized. Although Shao Hu died, his seeking of benevolence went a bit too far and is not worth special praise."

孔子適齊，中路聞哭者之聲，其音甚哀．孔子謂其僕曰：“此哭哀則哀矣，然非喪者之哀矣．”驅而前，少進，見有異人焉，擁鐮帶素，哭者不哀．孔子下車，追而問曰：“子何人也？”對曰：“吾丘吾子也．”曰：“子今非喪之所，奚哭之悲也？”丘吾子曰：“吾有三失，晚而自覺，悔之何及．”曰：“三失可得聞乎？願子告吾，無隱也．”丘吾子曰：“吾少時好學，周遍天下，後還喪吾親，是一失也；長事齊君，君驕奢失士，臣節不遂，是二失也；吾平生厚交，而今皆離絕，是三失也．夫樹欲靜而風不停，子欲養而親不待，？而不來者年也，不可再見者親也，請從此辭，遂投水而死．”孔子曰：“小子識之，斯足為戒矣．自是弟子辭歸養親者十有三．”

Confucius was going to Qi, and on the way heard weeping, a very sad sound. Confucius said to his driver: "This weeping is sad, but it is not the sadness of a funeral." Driving forward and drawing a little nearer, he saw a man of unusual appearance holding a sickle and wearing a white sash, weeping without real sorrow. Confucius got down and hurried after him and asked: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am Qiu Wuzi." Confucius said: "You are not in a place of mourning now; why do you weep so sadly?" Qiu Wuzi said: "I have three faults and only realized them late; how could regret help now?" Confucius said: "May I hear the three faults? I hope you will tell me and not hide them." Qiu Wuzi said: "In my youth I loved learning and traveled all over the world, and when I came back my parents had already died; this is the first fault. When I grew up I served the ruler of Qi, and the ruler was arrogant and extravagant and lost his scholars, and I could not fulfill my duty as a minister; this is the second fault. All my life I was generous to those I befriended, and now they are all scattered and cut off; this is the third fault. A tree wishes to be still but the wind does not stop; a son wishes to care for his parents but they do not wait. What goes and does not return is the years; what cannot be seen again is one's parents. Let me take my leave here." Then he threw himself into the water and died. Confucius said: "Remember this, my young men; it is enough to serve as a warning." After this, thirteen disciples took leave and went home to care for their parents.

孔子謂伯魚曰：“鯉乎，吾聞可以與人終日不倦者，其唯學焉．其容體不足觀也，其勇力不足憚也，其先祖不足稱也，其族姓不足道也．終而有大名，以顯聞四方，流聲後裔者，豈非學之效也．故君子不可以不學．其容不可以不飭，不飭無類，無類失親，類宜為貌不在飭故無貌不得言不飭無類也禮貌矜莊然後親愛可久故曰無類失親也失親不忠，情不相親則無忠誠不忠失禮，禮以忠信為本失禮不立．非禮則無以立夫遠而有光者，飭也；近而愈明者，學也．譬之汙池，水潦注焉，雚葦生焉，雖或以觀之，孰知其源乎．”源泉源也水潦注於池而生雚葦觀者誰知其非源泉乎以言學者雖從外入及其用之人誰知其非從此出也者乎

Confucius said to Boyu: "Li, I have heard that the only thing one can talk about with others all day without weariness is learning. A person whose appearance and body are not worth looking at, whose courage is not enough to make people afraid, whose ancestors are not worth mentioning and whose clan is not worth bringing up, yet who in the end has a great name, famed to the four quarters and with a reputation passed on to his descendants, is this not the effect of learning? So a gentleman cannot fail to learn. One's appearance cannot be left unadjusted; if it is not adjusted there is no fitting look, and with no look one loses affection [lei should be mao (appearance); without adjustment there is no appearance, so it is said that without adjustment there is no category; when manners are dignified, affection can last, so it is said that without a look one loses affection]. Losing affection means lack of loyalty [when feelings are not close there is no loyalty], lack of loyalty means loss of ritual [ritual takes loyalty and good faith as its root], and loss of ritual means one cannot establish oneself [without ritual one cannot stand]. What shines from afar is adjustment; what becomes clearer the closer one looks is learning. It is like a muddy pond: rain pours into it and reeds grow, and though people come to look, who knows its source?" [Source means origin. When rain pours into a pond and reeds grow, who among the onlookers knows it is not a spring? This says that although learners learn from outside, when it comes out in use, who knows it did not come from here?]

子路見於孔子曰：“負重涉遠，不擇地而休，家貧親老，不擇祿而仕．昔者由也，事二親之時，常食藜藿之實，為親負米百里之外．親歿之後，南遊於楚，從車百乘，積粟萬鍾，累茵而坐，列鼎而食，願欲食藜藿，為親負米，不可復得也．枯魚銜索，幾何不蠹，二親之壽，忽若過隙．”孔子曰：“由也事親，可謂生事盡力，死事盡思者也．”

Zilu said to Confucius: "One who carries a heavy load on a long road rests without choosing the place; one whose family is poor and parents old takes office without choosing the salary. In the past, when I served my parents, I often ate goosefoot and bean leaves, and carried rice for my parents from a hundred li away. After my parents died, I traveled south to Chu with a hundred carriages following, with ten thousand zhong of grain stored, sitting on layered mats and eating from rows of tripods. I would like to eat goosefoot and bean leaves again and carry rice for my parents, but I cannot. Dried fish strung on a rope, how long can it last before the worms get it? Parents' lifespans pass faster than a flash through a crack." Confucius said: "You served your parents in such a way that one can say you gave your all while they were alive and your thoughts after they died."

孔子之郯，郯國名也少昊之後吾之本縣也郯子達禮孔子故？諮問焉遭程子於塗，傾蓋而語，傾蓋駐車終日，甚相親．顧謂子路曰：“取束帛以贈先生．”贈送子路屑然對曰：“由聞之士不中間見，女嫁無媒，君子不以交禮也．”中間謂始介也有間，又顧謂子路．子路又對如初．孔子曰：“由，詩不云乎：‘有美一人，清揚宛兮，邂逅相遇，適我願兮．’清揚眉目之間也宛然美也幽期而會令願也今程子，天下賢士也，於斯不贈，則終身弗能見也，小子行之．”

Confucius went to the state of Tan [Tan was the name of a state, descended from Shaohao], and met Master Cheng on the road, stopping their carriages with canopies leaning together, and talked all day, becoming very close. He turned to Zilu and said: "Take a bundle of silk to present to the gentleman." [Zeng means to give.] Zilu answered flippantly: "I have heard that scholars do not meet without an introduction, a woman does not marry without a go-between, and a gentleman does not use the rites of friendship." [The middle means via an introduction.] After a while Confucius turned and said the same to Zilu. Zilu answered as before. Confucius said: "You, does the Book of Odes not say: 'There is a fine person, with clear brows and eyes, whom I met without planning, just what my heart wished'? [Qingyang is the area of brows and eyes, wan is beautiful; meeting without planning, just as the heart wishes.] Now Master Cheng is a worthy man of the world, and if I do not present this here, I will never see him again in my life. Go and do it, young man."

孔子自衛反魯，息駕於河梁而觀焉．河水無梁莊周書說孔子於閭梁言事者通渭水為河也有懸水三十仞，八尺曰仞懸二十四丈者也圜流九十里，圜流回流也水深急則然魚鱉不能導，黿鼉不能居．道行有一丈夫方將厲之，厲渡孔子使人並涯止之曰：“此懸水三十仞，圜流九十里，魚鱉黿鼉不能居也，意者難可濟也．”丈夫不以措意，遂渡而出．孔子問之，曰：“子乎有道術乎，所以能入而出者，何也？”丈夫對曰：“始吾之入也，先以忠信，及吾之出也，又從以忠信，忠信措吾軀于波流，而吾不敢以用私，所以能入而復出也．”孔子謂弟子曰：“二三子識之，水且猶可以忠信成身親之，而況於人乎！”

Confucius, returning from Wei to Lu, stopped his carriage at a bridge on the river to look [the river originally had no bridge; in the book of Zhuang Zhou Confucius discusses affairs at Lüliang, where waters are generally called rivers]. There was a hanging waterfall of thirty ren [eight chi make a ren, so the waterfall is twenty-four zhang] and a whirlpool spreading ninety li [yuan liu is a returning current, which occurs only where the water is deep and fast], where fish and turtles could not swim upward and alligators and crocodiles could not stay. On the road a man was about to wade across [li means to cross]. Confucius sent people along the bank to stop him, saying: "This waterfall is thirty ren high and the whirlpool spreads ninety li, where fish, turtles, alligators and crocodiles cannot stay; it must be hard to cross." The man paid no heed and crossed and came out. Confucius asked him: "Perhaps you have some art? How could you go in and come out again?" The man replied: "When I first went in, I relied on loyalty and good faith first; when I came out, I again followed loyalty and good faith. Loyalty and good faith placed my body in the waves, and I did not dare to mix in private thoughts, so I could go in and come out again." Confucius said to his disciples: "Remember this. If even water can be brought close to one's person by loyalty and good faith, how much more people!"

孔子將行，雨而無蓋．門人曰：“商也有之．”子夏名也孔子曰：“商之為人也，甚？於財，？嗇甚也吾聞與人交，推其長者，違其短者故能久也．”楚王渡江，江中有物大如鬥，圓而赤，直觸王舟，舟人取之，王大怪之，遍問群臣，莫之能識．王使使聘於魯，問於孔子．子曰：“此所謂萍實者也，萍水草也可剖而食也，吉祥也，唯霸者為能獲焉．”使者反，王遂食之，大美．久之使來以告魯大夫，大夫因子游問曰：“夫子何以知其然乎？”曰：“吾昔之鄭，過乎陳之野，聞童謠曰：‘楚王渡江得萍實，大如鬥，赤如日，剖而食之甜如蜜．’此是楚王之應也．吾是以知之．”

Confucius was about to set out, but it rained and he had no canopy. His followers said: "Shang has one." [Zixia's given name was Shang.] Confucius said: "Shang is very stingy with goods [meaning extremely miserly]. I have heard that in dealing with people one should emphasize their strengths and avoid their shortcomings, and so one can keep company for long." The King of Chu was crossing the river when something in the river as big as a peck, round and red, rushed straight at the king's boat. The boatmen took it up, and the king found it very strange and asked all his ministers, but none could identify it. The king sent an envoy to Lu to inquire and ask Confucius. Confucius said: "This is what is called a duckweed fruit [ping is an aquatic plant]; it can be cut open and eaten, and it is auspicious; only one who becomes hegemon can obtain it." The envoy returned and the king ate it, and it was extremely sweet. After a long time the envoy came and told this to the grand master of Lu. The grand master asked through Ziyou: "How did the Master know this?" Confucius said: "When I once went to Zheng, passing the outskirts of Chen, I heard a children's song: 'The King of Chu crossed the river and got a duckweed fruit, big as a peck, red as the sun; cut it open and eat it, sweet as honey.' This foretold it for the King of Chu. That is how I knew."

子貢問於孔子曰：“死者有知乎？將無知乎？”子曰：“吾欲言死之有知，將恐孝子順孫妨生以送死；吾欲言死之無知，將恐不孝之子棄其親而不葬．賜不欲知死者有知與無知，非今之急，後自知之．”

Zigong asked Confucius: "Do the dead have awareness or not?" Confucius said: "If I say the dead have awareness, I fear filial sons and obedient grandsons will harm the living by sending off the dead; if I say the dead have no awareness, I fear unfilial sons will abandon their parents and not bury them. Ci, there is no need to want to know whether the dead have awareness or not; it is not an urgent matter now, and you will know in time."

子貢問治民於孔子．子曰：“懍懍焉若持腐索之扞馬．”懍懍戒懼之貌扞馬突馬子貢曰：“何其畏也？”孔子曰：“夫通達御皆人也，以道導之，則吾畜也；不以道導之，則吾讎也．如之何其無畏也．”

Zigong asked Confucius about governing the people. Confucius said: "Be as wary as one driving galloping horses with rotten reins." [Linlin means wary, and hanma means bolting horses.] Zigong said: "Why be so afraid?" Confucius said: "On roads that connect everywhere, those driving the carts are all people. If I lead them by the Way, they are my livestock; if I do not lead them by the Way, they are my enemies. How can I not be afraid?"

魯國之法，贖人臣妾於諸侯者，皆取金於府，子貢贖之，辭而不取金．孔子聞之曰：“賜失之矣．夫聖人之舉事也，可以移風易俗，而教導可以施之於百姓，非獨適身之行也，今魯國富者寡而貧者眾，贖人受金則為不廉，則何以相贖乎？自今以後，魯人不復贖人於諸侯．”

Under the law of Lu, anyone who redeemed male or female slaves from the feudal lords took gold from the treasury. Zigong redeemed someone and declined to take the gold. Confucius heard of this and said: "Ci is wrong. When a sage acts, he can change customs and his teaching can be carried out among the people, not just conduct fitting his own person. Now in Lu there are few rich and many poor, and if those who redeem people accept gold they will be seen as not being honest, so what will people use to redeem one another? From now on, the people of Lu will no longer redeem people from the feudal lords."

子路治蒲，請見於孔子曰：“由願受教於夫子．”子曰：“蒲其如何？”對曰：“邑多壯士，又難治也．”子曰：“然，吾語爾，恭而敬，可以攝勇；寬而正，可以懷強；愛而恕，可以容困；言愛恕者能容困窮溫而斷，可以抑奸．如此而加之，則正不難矣．”

Zilu governed Pu and asked to see Confucius, saying: "I, You, would like to receive instruction from the Master." Confucius said: "How is Pu?" Zilu replied: "The town has many strong men and is hard to govern." Confucius said: "So it is. I tell you: reverence can subdue the brave; generosity and uprightness can pacify the fierce; affection and forgiveness can accommodate the distressed [meaning that loving and forgiving people can accommodate the poor and distressed]; mildness and decisiveness can restrain the wicked. If you add these, being upright will not be hard."

孔子曰：“君子有三恕，有君不能事，有臣而求其使，非恕也；有親不能孝，有子而求其報，非恕也；有兄不能敬，有弟而求其順，非恕也．士能明於三恕之本，則可謂端身矣．”孔子曰：“君子有三思，不可不察也．少而不學，長無能也；老而不教，死莫之思也；有而不施，窮莫之救也．故君子少思其長則務學，老思其死則務教，有思其窮則務施．”

Confucius said: "A gentleman has three forbearances. To have a ruler but be unable to serve him while demanding that a minister serve one is not forbearance; to have parents but be unable to be filial while demanding that one's son repay one is not forbearance; to have an elder brother but be unable to respect him while demanding that a younger brother obey one is not forbearance. If a scholar can understand the root of the three forbearances, he can be said to have set himself upright." Confucius said: "A gentleman has three reflections, which must not be left unexamined. If one does not learn when young, one will have no ability when grown; if one does not teach when old, no one will remember one after death; if one has wealth but does not give, no one will help one in poverty. So a gentleman, when young, thinks of adulthood and strives to learn; when old, thinks of death and strives to teach; when having wealth, thinks of poverty and strives to give."

伯常騫問於孔子曰：“騫固周國之賤吏也，不自以不肖，將北面以事君子，敢問正道宜行，不容於世，正道宜行而出莫之能貴故行之則不容於世隱道宜行，然亦不忍，世亂則隱道為行然亦不忍為隱事今欲身亦不窮，道亦不隱，為之有道乎？”孔子曰：“善哉子之問也．自丘之聞，未有若吾子所問辯且說也．辯當其理得其說矣丘嘗聞君子之言道矣，聽者無察，則道不入，言聽者不明察道則不能入也奇偉不稽，則道不信．稽考也聽道者不能考校奇偉則道不見信此言苟非其人道不虛行又嘗聞君子之言事矣，制無度量，則事不成，其政曉察，則民不保．保安也政大曉了分察則民不安矣又嘗聞君子之言志矣，●折者不終，●則折矣不終其性命矣徑易者則數傷，徑輕也志輕則數傷於義矣浩倨者則不親，浩倨簡略不恭如是則不親矣就利者則無不弊．言好利者不可久也又嘗聞養世之君子矣，從輕勿為先，從重勿為後，赴憂患從勞苦輕者宜為後重者宜為先養世者也見像而勿強，像法也見法而已不以強世也陳道而勿怫．怫詭也陳道而已不與世相詭違也此四者，丘之所聞也．”

Bo Changqian asked Confucius: "I, Qian, am originally a lowly official of the state of Zhou, and I do not consider myself unworthy and am about to face north and serve a gentleman. May I ask: the correct way should be carried out but is not accepted by the world [the correct way should be practiced, but no one can value it, so when carried out it is not accepted by the world]; the way of hiding should be practiced, but I cannot bear it [when the world is chaotic one should take the way of hiding, but one cannot bear to do the deed of hiding]. Now I wish my person not to be impoverished and the Way not to be buried; is there a method for this?" Confucius said: "You ask well. From what I, Qiu, have heard, no one has asked so clearly and reasonably as you, sir [the argument fits principle and the wording is apt]. I once heard a gentleman discuss the Way: if the listener does not examine clearly, the Way cannot enter [if the listener does not examine clearly, the Way cannot enter]; if the extraordinary is not examined, the Way is not believed [ji means to examine; if the listener of the Way cannot examine the extraordinary, the Way is not believed]. This means that if it is not the right person, the Way will not be carried out in vain. I also once heard a gentleman discuss affairs: if a system has no measure, the work is not accomplished; if government is too discerning, the people cannot be secure [bao means secure; if government is too meticulous in examining details, the people are uneasy]. I also once heard a gentleman discuss aspiration: one who is rigid breaks and cannot live out his life [rigid, so he breaks and cannot live out his life]; one who is frivolous is repeatedly hurt [jing means frivolous; if the aspiration is frivolous one is repeatedly harmed in righteousness]; one who is arrogant and negligent is not liked by people [haoju means negligent and disrespectful, so people do not feel close]; one who chases profit never fails to be ruined [meaning that those who love profit cannot last]. I also heard of a gentleman who preserves himself in the world: in light matters do not rush first, in heavy matters do not lag behind [in going to trouble and following toil, the light should be later and the heavy earlier; this is how one preserves oneself in the world]; when seeing the model do not force it on the world [it is like a model; seeing the model is enough, and do not impose it on the world]; when stating the correct way do not contradict custom [fu means to contradict; stating the correct way is enough, and do not contradict custom]. These four are what I, Qiu, have heard."

孔子觀於魯桓公之廟，有欹器焉．欹傾夫子問於守廟者曰：“此謂何器？”對曰：“此蓋為宥坐之器．”孔子曰：“吾聞宥坐之器，虛則欹，中則正，滿則覆，明君以為至誡，故常置之於坐側．”顧謂弟子曰：“試注水焉．”乃注之，水中則正，滿則覆．夫子喟然嘆曰：“嗚呼！夫物惡有滿而不覆哉？”子路進曰：“敢問持滿有道乎？”子曰：“聰明睿智，守之以愚；功被天下，守之以讓；勇力振世，守之以怯；富有四海，守之以謙．此所謂損之又損之之道也．”

Confucius was visiting the temple of Duke Huan of Lu, where there was a tilted vessel [qi means tilted]. The Master asked the temple keeper: "What kind of vessel is this?" He replied: "This is probably the vessel placed to the right of the seat as a warning." Confucius said: "I have heard of this vessel: when empty it tilts, when filled to the middle it stands upright, and when full it overturns. Enlightened rulers take it as the deepest warning and so keep it beside the seat." He turned to his disciples and said: "Try pouring water in and see." So they poured water, and when the water reached the middle it stood upright, and when it was full it overturned. The Master sighed and said: "Alas! How can anything be full without overturning?" Zilu stepped forward and said: "May I ask whether there is a way to hold fullness?" Confucius said: "If intelligent and wise, hold it by seeming foolish; if one's merit covers the world, hold it by yielding; if one's courage shakes the age, hold it by timidity; if one's wealth reaches the four seas, hold it by humility. This is the so-called way of diminishing and diminishing again."

孔子觀於東流之水．子貢問曰：“君子所見大水，必觀焉何也？”孔子對曰：“以其不息，且遍與諸生而不為也．夫水似乎德，遍與諸生者物得水而後生水不與生而又不德也其流也則卑下，倨邑必修，其理似義；浩浩乎無屈盡之期，此似道；流行赴百仞之？而不懼，此似勇；至量必平之，此似法；盛而不求概，此似正；綽約微達，此似察；發源必東，此似志；以出以入，萬物就以化絜，此似善化也．水之德有若此，是故君子見，必觀焉．”

Confucius was observing water flowing eastward. Zigong asked: "When a gentleman sees a great water he must observe it; why?" Confucius replied: "Because it does not rest, and gives universally to all living things without regarding itself as having merit. Water is like virtue [it gives universally to all living things: things get water and only then live, and water does not claim the birth for itself, nor regard itself as having virtue]. When it flows it tends downward, and where it bends it must be put in order, and its pattern is like righteousness; vast and with no limit, it is like the Way; flowing and rushing into a hundred-ren deep gorge without fear, it is like courage; when it reaches a measure it must be level, like law; when full it does not seek to be scraped off, like uprightness; soft and delicate yet penetrating, it is like discernment; its source must flow east, like aspiration; going out and coming in, the myriad things are cleansed by it, like being good at teaching and transforming. Water has these virtues, and so a gentleman must observe it when he sees it."

子貢觀於魯廟之北堂，出而問於孔子曰：“向也賜觀於太廟之堂，未既輟，還瞻北蓋，皆斷焉，輟止觀北面之蓋斷絕也彼將有說耶？匠過之也．”孔子曰：“太廟之堂宮，致良工之匠，匠致良材，盡其功巧，蓋貴久矣，尚有說也．”尚猶必也言必有說

Zigong was viewing the north hall of the temple of Lu, and when he came out he asked Confucius: "Just now Ci was viewing the hall of the Grand Temple and had not finished looking, when I looked back at the cover boards on the north side, and they were all broken [chuo means to stop looking; the cover boards on the north are cut off]. Is there some reason for this? Or is it the craftsmen's fault?" Confucius said: "The hall of the Grand Temple was built by inviting good craftsmen, who used excellent materials and exhausted their skill, valuing long-lasting work for a long time already; there must be a reason." [Shang means must; it says there must be a reason.]

孔子曰：“吾有所齒，有所鄙，有所殆．夫幼而不能強學，老而無以教，吾恥之；去其鄉事君而達，卒遇故人，曾無舊言，吾鄙之；事君而達得志於君而見故人曾無舊言是棄其平生之舊交而無進之之心者乎與小人處而不能親賢，吾殆之．”殆危也夫疏賢而近小人是危亡之道也

Confucius said: "There are things I am ashamed of, things I find shabby, and things I find dangerous. To be young and unable to study hard, to be old and have nothing to teach others, I am ashamed of that; to leave one's village, serve a ruler and become prominent, and suddenly meet an old friend without a single word of old talk, I consider that shabby [serving the ruler and becoming prominent, gaining one's aim with the ruler, but seeing an old friend with no old talk, is abandoning an old lifelong friendship without the heart to recommend him]; to live among petty people and not be close to the worthy, I consider that dangerous." [Dai means danger. Keeping the worthy at a distance and being close to petty people is the road to ruin.]

子路見於孔子．孔子曰：“智者若何？仁者若何？”子路對曰：“智者使人知己，仁者使人愛己．”子曰：“可謂士矣．”子路出，子貢入，問亦如之．子貢對曰：“智者知人，仁者愛人．”子曰：“可謂士矣．”子貢出，顏回入，問亦如之．對曰：“智者自知，仁者自愛．”子曰：“可謂士君子矣．”

Zilu saw Confucius. Confucius said: "What is a wise man like? What is a benevolent man like?" Zilu replied: "A wise man makes others know him, and a benevolent man makes others love him." Confucius said: "You can be called a scholar." Zilu went out and Zigong came in, and the question was the same. Zigong replied: "A wise man knows others, and a benevolent man loves others." Confucius said: "You can be called a scholar." Zigong went out and Yan Hui came in, and the question was the same. Yan Hui replied: "A wise man knows himself, and a benevolent man loves himself." Confucius said: "You can be called a scholar-gentleman."

子貢問於孔子曰：“子從父命孝，臣從君命貞乎？奚疑焉．”孔子曰：“鄙哉賜，汝不識也．昔者明王萬乘之國，有爭臣七人，則主無過舉；天子有三公四輔主諫爭以救其過失也四輔前曰疑後曰丞左曰輔右曰弼也千乘之國，有爭臣五人，則社稷不危也；諸侯有三卿股肱之臣有內外者也故有五人焉百乘之家，有爭臣三人，大夫之臣有室老家相邑宰凡三人能以義諫諍則祿位不替；父有爭子，不陷無禮；士有爭友，不行不義．士雖有臣既微且陋不能以義匡其君故須朋友之諫爭於己然後不義之事不得行之者也故子從父命，奚詎為孝？臣從君命，奚詎為貞？夫能審其所從，當詳審所宜從與不之謂孝，之謂貞矣．”

Zigong asked Confucius: "Is a son who obeys his father's command filial, and a minister who obeys his ruler's command loyal? What is there to doubt?" Confucius said: "How shallow you are, Ci, you do not understand. In the past, an enlightened king with a state of ten thousand chariots, who had seven remonstrating ministers, made no mistaken moves [the Son of Heaven has three dukes and four assistants in charge of remonstrance to remedy faults; the four assistants are: the Doubter in front, the Aide behind, the Helper on the left, and the Supporter on the right]; a state of a thousand chariots with five remonstrating ministers was not endangered in its altars of state [a lord has three ministers as his limbs, and also inner and outer officials, hence five]; a house of a hundred chariots with three remonstrating ministers did not lose its salary and rank [a grandee's retainers are the house elder, house steward and town steward, three in all; if they can remonstrate righteously, the salary and rank are not lost]; a father with a remonstrating son does not fall into impropriety; a scholar with a remonstrating friend does not do unrighteous things [even if a scholar has retainers, they are humble and lowly and cannot correct their lord by righteousness, so he needs friends to remonstrate with him, and only then can unrighteous things not be carried out]. So how can a son be called filial for obeying his father's command? How can a minister be called loyal for obeying his ruler's command? One who can examine what he should obey [one must carefully examine whether to obey or not] is what is called filial and called loyal."

子路盛服見於孔子．子曰：“由是倨倨者何也？夫江始出於岷山，其源可以濫觴，觴可以盛酒言其微及其至於江津，不舫舟不避風則不可以涉，非唯下流水多耶？今爾衣服既盛，顏色充盈，天下且孰肯以非告汝乎？”子路趨而出，改服而入，蓋自若也．子曰：“由志之，吾告汝，奮於言者華，自矜奮於言者華而無實奮於行者伐，自矜奮行者是自伐夫色智而有能者，小人也．故君子知之曰智，言之要也，不能曰不能，行之至也．言要則智，行至則仁，既仁且智，惡不足哉！”

Zilu came to see Confucius in splendid dress. Confucius said: "You, why this arrogance? The Yangtze begins to flow from Mount Min, and its source can only fill a wine cup [a cup can hold wine, meaning it is tiny]; when it reaches the river crossing, it cannot be crossed without a boat or avoiding the wind; is that only because the lower reaches have much water? Now your clothes are already splendid and your countenance full; who in the world would still be willing to tell you where you are wrong?" Zilu hurried out, changed his clothes and came back in, and his countenance was at ease. Confucius said: "You, remember this, I will tell you: one who shows off in speech is showy without substance [boasting of one's speech is showiness without substance]; one who shows off in conduct is self-praising [boasting of one's conduct is self-praise]. One who shows cleverness and ability in his face is a petty man. So a gentleman who knows says he knows, which is the key of speech; who cannot says he cannot, which is the utmost of conduct. Speech that hits the key is wisdom, conduct that reaches the utmost is benevolence. Being both benevolent and wise, what could he still lack!"

子路問於孔子曰：“有人於此，披褐而懷玉，何如？”褐毛布衣子曰：“國無道，隱之可也；國有道，則袞冕而執玉．”袞冕文衣盛飭

Zilu asked Confucius: "Here is a man who wears coarse cloth yet carries jade in his bosom; how is that?" [he is coarse woolen cloth] Confucius said: "When the state lacks the Way, one may hide; when the state has the Way, one wears ceremonial dress and holds the jade tablet." [robe and cap are patterned splendid dress]

魯哀公問於孔子曰：“昔者舜冠何冠乎？”孔子不對．公曰：“寡人有問於子而子無言，何也？”對曰：“以君之問不先其大者，故方思所以為對．”公曰：“其大何乎？”孔子曰：“舜之為君也，其政好生而惡殺，其任授賢而替不肖，德若天地而靜虛，化若四時而變物，是以四海承風，暢於異類，異類四方之夷狄也鳳翔麟至，鳥獸馴德，馴順無他也，好生故也．君舍此道，而冠冕是問，是以緩對．”

Duke Ai of Lu asked Confucius: "In the past, what kind of cap did Shun wear?" Confucius did not answer. The Duke said: "I asked a question but you do not speak; why?" Confucius answered: "Because Your Lordship's question did not ask about the great thing first, so I was thinking how to answer." The Duke said: "What is the great thing?" Confucius said: "When Shun was ruler, his government loved giving life and hated killing, entrusting and appointing the worthy and replacing the unworthy. His virtue was as still and empty as heaven and earth, his teaching transformed the myriad things like the four seasons, and so the four seas received his moral influence and it reached beings of other kinds [other kinds are the barbarians of the four directions], phoenixes soared and qilin came, and birds and beasts were tamed by his virtue [tamed means obedient]. There was nothing else, only that he loved giving life. Your Lordship sets this Way aside and asks about caps, and so I answered slowly."

孔子讀史至楚復陳，陳夏徵舒殺其君楚莊王討之因陳取之而申叔時諫莊王從之還復陳喟然嘆曰：“賢哉楚王！輕千乘之國，而重一言之信，匪申叔之信，不能達其義，匪莊王之賢，不能受其訓．”

Confucius, reading history, came to Chu's restoration of Chen [Xia Zhengshu of Chen killed his ruler, King Zhuang of Chu punished him and took the opportunity to take Chen; Shen Shushi remonstrated, and King Zhuang listened, returned it and restored Chen], and sighed: "Worthy was the King of Chu! He made light of a state of a thousand chariots but valued the trust of a single word. Without Shen Shushi's sincerity, that righteousness could not have been shown; without King Zhuang's worth, that guidance could not have been accepted."

孔子常自筮其卦，得賁焉，愀然有不平之狀．子張進曰：“師聞卜者得賁卦，吉也，而夫子之色有不平，何也？”孔子對曰：“以其離耶！在周易，山下有火謂之賁，離上艮下離為火艮為山非正色之卦也．夫質也黑白宜正焉，今得賁，非吾兆也．賁飾吾聞丹漆不文，白玉不雕，何也？質有餘不受飾故也．”孔子曰：“吾於甘棠，見宗廟之敬甚矣，邵伯聽訟於甘棠愛其樹作甘棠之詩也思其人必愛其樹，尊其人必敬其位，道也．”

Confucius once divined for himself and obtained the hexagram Bi, and his face turned troubled and uneasy. Zizhang stepped forward and said: "Shi has heard that for one who divines, obtaining Bi is auspicious, yet the Master's expression is uneasy; why?" Confucius answered: "Because it is Li! In the Book of Changes, fire beneath a mountain is called Bi [Li above and Gen below, Li is fire and Gen is mountain], and it is not a hexagram of true color. In substance, black and white should be proper, but now obtaining Bi is not my omen [Bi means ornamentation]. I have heard that cinnabar lacquer need not have further decoration and white jade need not be carved; why? Because the substance is already sufficient and does not accept further ornament." Confucius said: "From the sweet pear tree I see that reverence for the ancestral temple is already deep [Lord Shao heard lawsuits under the sweet pear tree, later people loved that tree and composed the Sweet Pear ode]. When one thinks of a person, one loves his tree; when one honors a person, one respects his place; this is the Way."

子路戎服見於孔子，拔劍而舞之，曰：“古之君子，以劍自衛乎？”孔子曰：“古之君子忠以為質，仁以為衛，不出環堵之室，而知千里之外，有不善則以忠化之，侵暴則以仁固之，何持劍乎？”子路曰：“由乃今聞此言，請攝齊以受教．”齊裳下緝也受教者攝齊升堂

Zilu came to see Confucius in military dress, drew his sword and danced, saying: "Did the ancient gentlemen use swords for self-defense?" Confucius said: "The ancient gentlemen took loyalty as their substance and benevolence as their guard, and without leaving a house of a few feet they knew what was a thousand li away. If there was something not good they transformed it with loyalty, and if there was aggression they secured against it with benevolence; what need was there to hold a sword?" Zilu said: "You have only now heard this; please let me lift my robe hem to receive instruction." [the hem is the seam at the bottom of the lower garment; one receiving instruction lifts his robe hem as he ascends the hall]

楚王出遊，亡弓，左右請求之．王曰：“止，楚王失弓，楚人得之，又何求之！”孔子聞之，惜乎其不大也，不曰人遺弓，人得之而已，何必楚也．王恭王弓鳥？之良弓

The King of Chu was out traveling and lost his bow, and his attendants asked to go find it. The King said: "Stop. The King of Chu lost his bow and a man of Chu will find it; why look for it!" Confucius, hearing of it, regretted that his vision was not large, and said it would have been enough to say that a man lost his bow and a man found it, so why limit it to Chu. The king was King Gong of Chu, and the bow was a fine bow.

孔子為魯司寇，斷獄訟皆進眾議者而問之，曰：“子以為奚若？某以為何若？”皆曰云雲如是，然後夫子曰：“當從某子幾是．”近也重獄事故與眾議之

When Confucius was Minister of Justice in Lu, in deciding lawsuits he always had the multitude discuss them, asking them: "What do you think? What does so-and-so think?" After everyone had spoken, the Master then said: "We should follow so-and-so; roughly it is so." [ji means near. He valued the matter of lawsuits, so he consulted the multitude]

孔子問漆雕憑曰：“子事臧文仲武仲及孺子容，此三大夫孰賢？”對曰：“臧氏家有守龜焉，名曰蔡，文仲三年而為一兆，武仲三年而為二兆，孺子容三年而為三兆，憑從此之見，若問三人之賢與不賢，所未敢識也．”孔子曰：“君子哉漆雕氏之子，其言人之美也，隱而顯；言人之過也，微而著．智而不能及，明而不能見，孰克如此．”克能也而宜為如也

Confucius asked Qidiao Ping: "You served Zang Wenzhong, Zang Wuzhong and Ruzi Rong; which of these three grandees was worthy?" He answered: "The Zang family has a guardian tortoise named Cai. Wenzhong divined with it once every three years, Wuzhong twice every three years, and Ruzi Rong three times every three years. From this alone, if asked whether the three were worthy or not, I would not yet dare to distinguish." Confucius said: "A gentleman, this son of the Qidiao family. In speaking of a person's good, he is subtle yet clear; in speaking of a person's faults, he is faint yet distinct. Intelligence that cannot be overtaken and clarity that cannot be seen through; who could be like this?" [ke means to be able, and yi should be read as ru]

魯公索氏，先落反將祭而亡其牲．孔子聞之曰：“公索氏不及二年將亡，後一年而亡．”門人問曰：“昔公索氏亡其祭牲，而夫子曰，不及二年必亡，今過期而亡，夫子何以知其然？”孔子曰：“夫祭者，孝子所以自盡於其親，將祭而亡其牲，則其餘所亡者多矣．若此而不亡者，未之有也．”

The Gongsuo family of Lu, about to perform a sacrifice, lost the sacrificial victim. Confucius heard of it and said: "The Gongsuo family will be destroyed in less than two years." Afterward it was destroyed in one year. His disciples asked: "Earlier, when the Gongsuo family lost the sacrificial animal, the Master said they would surely perish in less than two years, and now after one year they are destroyed; how did the Master know this?" Confucius said: "Sacrifice is how a filial son does his utmost for his parents. If one is about to sacrifice and loses the victim, then what else he has lost must be much more. Never has such a one not perished."

虛芮二國爭田而訟，連年不決，乃相謂曰：“西伯仁也，西伯文王盍？質之．”盍何不質正也入其境則耕者讓畔，行者讓路；入其朝士讓為大夫，大夫讓於卿．虛芮之君曰：“嘻！吾儕小人也，儕等不可以入君子之朝．”遠自相與而退，鹹以所爭之田為閒田也．孔子曰：“以此觀之，文王之道，其不可加焉，不令而從，不教而聽，至矣哉．”

The two states of Yu and Rui quarreled over land and went to law, and for years could not decide, and said to one another: "The Earl of the West is benevolent [the Earl of the West is King Wen of Zhou]; why not ask him for a fair judgment?" [he means why not, zhi means fair] When they entered his territory, those plowing yielded the field boundaries and travelers yielded the road; when they entered his court, scholars yielded to grandees and grandees yielded to ministers. The rulers of Yu and Rui said: "Alas! We are petty men [chai means kind], and must not enter the gentleman's court." From afar they each withdrew and both regarded the land they had quarreled over as idle land. Confucius said: "From this we see that King Wen's Way cannot be added to. People follow without orders and obey without instruction; this is the utmost."

曾子曰：“狎甚則相簡，莊甚則不親，是故君子之狎足以交歡，其莊足以成禮．”孔子聞斯言也，曰：“二三子志之，孰謂參也不知禮乎！”

Zengzi said: "If intimacy goes too far, people become casual with one another; if dignity goes too far, they are not close. So the gentleman's intimacy is enough to bring joy, and his dignity is enough to complete the ritual." Confucius heard this and said: "Remember this, all of you, who says Shen does not know ritual!"

哀公問曰：“紳委章甫，委委貌章甫冠名也有益於仁乎？”孔子作色而對曰：“君胡然焉，衰麻苴杖者，志不存乎樂，非耳弗聞，服使然也；黼黻袞冕者，容不襲慢，非性矜莊，服使然也；介胃執戈者，無退懦之氣，非體純猛，服使然也．且臣聞之，好肆不守折，言市弗能為廉好肆不守折也而長者不為市，言長者之行則不為市買之事竊夫其有益與無益，君子所以知．”竊宜為察孔子謂子路曰：“見長者而不盡其辭，雖有風雨，吾不能入其門矣．故君子以其所能敬人，小人反是．”

Duke Ai of Lu asked: "Does binding the sash, wearing the weimao cap, or wearing the zhangfu cap [weimao is a cap, zhangfu is the name of a cap] benefit benevolence?" Confucius changed color and answered: "How can Your Lordship say this. One wearing mourning hemp and holding the reed staff has no aim in pleasure, not because his ears cannot hear but because mourning dress makes him so; one wearing embroidered robes and ceremonial cap does not look careless in appearance, not because he is naturally dignified but because ceremonial dress makes him so; one wearing armor and holding a spear has no timid air of retreat, not because he is born fierce but because military dress makes him so. Moreover I have heard: one who loves the market does not keep to loss [meaning that in the market one cannot trade cleanly, and one who loves the market does not keep to loss], and elders do not do market business [meaning an elder's conduct does not include market trading]. By examining what is beneficial and what is not, the gentleman knows this." [qie should be cha] Confucius said to Zilu: "If I see an elder who does not finish his words, even in wind and rain I could not enter his gate. So a gentleman respects people with what he is able to do, while a petty man does the opposite."

孔子謂子路曰：“君子以心導耳目，立義以為勇；小人以耳目導心，不愻以為勇．故曰退之而不怨，先之斯可從已．”言人退之不怨先之則可從足以為師也

Confucius said to Zilu: "The gentleman uses the heart to lead the ears and eyes and sets up righteousness as courage; the petty man uses the ears and eyes to lead the heart and takes disobedience as courage. So it is said: if he is told to step back he does not resent it, and if he is put in front he can be followed." [meaning that if a person is made to step back he does not resent it, and if put in front he can be followed and is fit to be a teacher]

孔子曰：“君子三患，未之聞，患不得聞；既得聞之，患弗得學；既得學之，患弗能行．有其德而無其言，君子恥之；有其言而無其行，君子恥之；既得之，而又失之，君子恥之；地有餘民不足，君子恥之；眾寡均而人功倍己焉，君子恥之．”凡興功業多少與人同而功殊倍己故恥之也

Confucius said: "A gentleman has three worries: if he has not yet heard, he worries he cannot hear; if he has already heard, he worries he cannot learn; if he has already learned, he worries he cannot practice. To have that virtue but not those words is shameful to a gentleman; to have those words but not that conduct is shameful to a gentleman; to have gained and then lost is shameful to a gentleman; to have land in surplus but people in shortage is shameful to a gentleman; when the numbers are equal but another's achievement is double one's own, it is shameful to a gentleman." [in any undertaking, if the numbers are equal to another's but his achievement is double one's own, it is therefore shameful]

魯人有獨處室者，鄰之釐婦，釐寡婦也亦獨處一室．夜暴風雨至，釐婦室壞，趨而托焉，魯人閉戶而不納，釐婦自牖與之言：“何不仁而不納我乎？”魯人曰：“吾聞男女不六十不同居，今子幼吾亦幼，是以不敢納爾也．”婦人曰：“子何不如柳下惠？然嫗不建門之女，國人不稱其亂．”魯人曰：“柳下惠則可，吾固不可．吾將以吾之不可，學柳下惠之可．”孔子聞之曰：“善哉！欲學柳下惠者，未有似於此者，期於至善而不襲其為，可謂智乎！”

A man of Lu lived alone in a house, and his neighbor, a widow [li means widow], also lived alone in a house. One night a storm came, the widow's house collapsed, and she ran to him for shelter. The man of Lu shut the door and would not take her in. The widow said through the window: "Why are you unkind and do not take me in?" The man of Lu said: "I have heard that men and women do not live together until sixty. Now you are young and I am young, so I dare not take you in." The woman said: "Why are you not like Liuxia Hui? Then the people of the state did not call him licentious." The man of Lu said: "Liuxia Hui could; I originally cannot. I will use my cannot to learn Liuxia Hui's can." Confucius heard of it and said: "Good! Of those who wish to learn from Liuxia Hui, none is more like him than this man. Hoping to reach the highest good yet not copying his method, he may be called wise!"

孔子曰：“小辯害義，小言破道，關睢興於鳥而君子美之，取其雄雌之有別；鹿鳴興於獸，而君子大之，取其得食而相呼．若以鳥獸之名嫌之，固不可行也．”

Confucius said: "Petty disputation harms righteousness, and petty words destroy the Way. The Guanju begins with birds, yet gentlemen praise it, taking from it the distinction of male and female; the Lu Ming begins with beasts, yet gentlemen value it, taking from it the calling to one another on finding food. If one rejects it for the names of birds and beasts, it cannot be carried out at all."