On the Gentleman (Chapter 24)
和鸞之聲，步中武象，趨中韶護。君子聽律習容而後出。
The sound of the harness bells matches the Wu and Xiang in slow steps, and matches the Shao and Hu in quick steps. The gentleman listens for the pitch of the music and rehearses his bearing, and only then goes out.
霜降逆女，冰泮殺止，十日一御。
At the fall of frost, brides are welcomed; when the ice melts, weddings stop — and consorts are attended once every ten days.
坐視膝，立視足，應對言語視面。立視前六尺而大之－－六六三十六，三丈六尺。
When seated, look at the other person's knees; when standing, look at his feet; when responding in speech, look at his face. When standing, look six chi ahead and enlarge it — six sixes are thirty-six, that is, three zhang and six chi.
文貌情用，相為內外表裡。禮之中焉，能思索謂之能慮。
Outward form and the inner substance of feeling are each other's exterior and interior. Within ritual, to be able to ponder is called being able to reflect.
禮者，本末相順，終始相應。
In ritual, root and branch accord with one another, and end and beginning answer one another.
禮者，以財物為用，以貴賤為文，以多少為異。
Ritual takes goods as its use, takes noble and lowly as its pattern, and takes much and little as its differentiation.
下臣事君以貨，中臣事君以身，上臣事君以人。
The lowest kind of minister serves his lord with goods and money; the middling minister serves his lord with his own person; the highest minister serves his lord with men of talent.
易曰："復自道，何其咎？"春秋賢穆公，以為能變也。
The Book of Changes says: 'To return from the Way — what fault is there?' The Spring and Autumn Annals considered Duke Mu of Qin worthy, holding that he was able to change.
士有妒友，則賢交不親；君有妒臣，則賢人不至。蔽公者謂之昧，隱賢者謂之妒，奉妒昧者謂之交譎。交譎之人，妒昧之臣，國之薉孽也。
If an officer has jealous friends, the friendship of the worthy will not grow close; if a lord has jealous ministers, the worthy will not come. To block the impartial is called delusion; to bury the worthy is called jealousy; to practice jealousy and delusion is called mutual deceit. Men of mutual deceit and ministers of jealousy and delusion are the filth and scourge of the state.
口能言之，身能行之，國寶也。口不能言，身能行之，國器也。口能言之，身不能行，國用也。口言善，身行惡，國妖也。治國者敬其寶，愛其器，任其用，除其妖。
One whose mouth can speak of it and whose body can carry it out is a treasure of the state. One whose mouth cannot speak of it yet whose body can carry it out is a vessel of the state. One whose mouth can speak of it but whose body cannot carry it out is a tool of the state. One whose mouth speaks good while his body does evil is a bane of the state. Those who govern a state revere its treasure, cherish its vessel, employ its tool, and remove its bane.
不富無以養民情，不教無以理民性。故家五畝宅，百畝田，務其業，而勿奪其時，所以富之也。立大學，設庠序，修六禮，明七教，所以道之也。詩曰："飲之食之，教之誨之。"王事具矣。
Without wealth there is no way to nourish the people's feelings; without teaching there is no way to order the people's nature. Therefore each household is given five mu for a homestead and a hundred mu of fields; the people devote their strength to their tasks and their seasons are not encroached upon — this is the means of enriching them. Establish the great school, set up the local academies, cultivate the six rites, and make plain the seven teachings — this is the means of guiding them. The Book of Songs, Minor Odes, 'Mianman,' says: 'Give them drink, give them food; teach them, instruct them.' Then the work of a king is complete.
武王始入殷，表商容之閭，釋箕子之囚，哭比干之墓，天下鄉善矣。
When King Wu had just entered the capital of Yin, he marked the lane of Shangrong with honors, released Jizi from his imprisonment, and wept at the grave of Bigan — and the world turned toward goodness.
天下國有俊士，世有賢人。迷者不問路，溺者不問遂，亡人好獨。詩曰："我言維服，勿用為笑。先民有言，詢於芻蕘。"言博問也。
Throughout the states of the world there are outstanding officers, and every age has worthy men. The man who has lost his way does not ask the road; the drowning man does not ask where it can be forded; the fugitive likes to go alone. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, 'Ban,' says: 'My words are matters of urgency — do not take them as a joke. The men of old had a saying: ask even the firewood gatherers.' This means one should inquire widely.
有法者以法行，無法者以類舉。以其本知其末，以其左知其右，凡百事異理而相守也。慶賞刑罰，通類而後應；政教習俗，相順而後行。
Where there is a law, act according to the law; where there is no law, handle matters by analogy. From the root know the branches; from the left know the right; in all affairs the principles differ yet hold to one another. Rewards and punishments take effect only after they accord with their categories; government, teaching, and custom can be carried out only after they accord with one another.
八十者一子不事，九十者舉家不事，廢疾非人不養者，一人不事，父母之喪，三年不事，齊衰大功，三月不事，從諸侯來，與新有昏，期不事。
For a man of eighty, one son is exempted from service; for a man of ninety, the whole household is exempt; for a disabled person who cannot be supported except by another, one person is exempt. During a parent's mourning, there is no service for three years; during the qicui and dagong mourning grades, no service for three months. Those who have just arrived from a feudal lord's domain and the newly married have no service for one year.
子謂子家駒續然大夫，不如晏子；晏子功用之臣也，不如子產；子產惠人也，不如管仲；管仲之為人，力功不力義，力知不力仁，野人也，不可為天子大夫。
Confucius said that Zijiaju was a stopgap minister, not equal to Yanzi; that Yanzi was a minister of practical use, not equal to Zichan; that Zichan was a dispenser of favors, not equal to Guan Zhong. Guan Zhong as a man labored at achievement and not at righteousness, labored at cleverness and not at humaneness — he was a rustic and could not serve as a great officer of the Son of Heaven.
孟子三見宣王，不言事。門人曰："曷為三遇齊王而不言事？"孟子曰："吾先攻其邪心。"
Mencius had three audiences with King Xuan and did not speak of affairs of state. His disciples said: 'Why did you meet the King of Qi three times without speaking of affairs of state?' Mencius said: 'I first attacked his erring heart.'
公行子之之燕，遇曾元於塗，曰："燕君何如？"曾元曰："志卑。志卑者輕物，輕物者不求助；苟不求助，何能舉？氐羌之虜也，不憂其系壘也，而憂其不焚也。利夫秋毫，害靡國家，然且為之，幾為知計哉！"
When Gonghang Zizhi went to Yan, he met Zeng Yuan on the road and said: 'What is the lord of Yan like?' Zeng Yuan said: 'His aims are petty. One whose aims are petty makes light of things; one who makes light of things does not seek help. If he does not seek help, how can anything be accomplished? The Di and Qiang captives do not grieve at being bound, but grieve that after death they will not be burned. The gain is no more than a fine hair, yet the harm reaches the whole state — and still he does it; how can that be called knowing how to reckon?'
今夫亡箴者，終日求之而不得；其得之也，非目益明也，眸而見之也。心之於慮亦然。
Now a man who has lost a needle may seek it all day without finding it; when he does find it, it is not that his eyes have become keener — it is that by looking carefully he sees it. The heart's relation to thinking is the same.
"義"與"利"者，人之所兩有也。雖堯舜不能去民之慾利；然而能使其欲利不克其好義也。雖桀紂不能去民之好義；然而能使其好義不勝其欲利也。故義勝利者為治世，利克義者為亂世。上重義則義克利，上重利則利克義。故天子不言多少，諸侯不言利害，大夫不言得喪，士不通貨財。有國之君不息牛羊，錯質之臣不息雞豚，冢卿不修幣，大夫不為場園，從士以上皆羞利而不與民爭業，樂分施而恥積藏；然故民不困財，貧窶者有所竄其手。
Righteousness and profit are both present in men. Even Yao and Shun could not remove the people's desire for profit; yet they could keep that desire from overcoming the people's love of righteousness. Even Jie and Zhou could not remove the people's love of righteousness; yet they could keep that love from overcoming their desire for profit. Thus an age in which righteousness overcomes profit is an ordered age; an age in which profit overcomes righteousness is a disordered age. When those above value righteousness, righteousness overcomes profit; when those above value profit, profit overcomes righteousness. Therefore the Son of Heaven does not speak of quantities; the feudal lords do not speak of benefit and harm; the great officers do not speak of gain and loss; officers do not circulate goods and wealth. The lord who possesses a state does not breed cattle and sheep; the minister who has pledged himself does not breed chickens and pigs; the prime minister does not traffic in currency; the great officers do not keep farms and gardens. From the officers upward, all are ashamed of profit and do not compete with the people for livelihood; they delight in distributing and are ashamed of amassing. Thus the people are not distressed by want of goods, and the poor and wretched have a place to put their hands to work.
文王誅四，武王誅二，周公卒業，至成康則案無誅已。
King Wen punished and destroyed four states; King Wu punished and destroyed two; the Duke of Zhou completed that work; and by the time of Kings Cheng and Kang there were no more punitive campaigns.
多積財而羞無有，重民任而誅不能，此邪行之所以起，刑罰之所以多也。
To amass great wealth while making people ashamed of having none, and to load the people with burdens while executing those who cannot bear them — this is the reason wickedness arises and punishments multiply.
上好義，則民闇飾矣！上好富，則民死利矣！二者治亂之衢也。民語曰："欲富乎？忍恥矣！傾絕矣！絕故舊矣！與義分背矣！"上好富，則人民之行如此，安得不亂！
When those above love righteousness, the people quietly cultivate themselves; when those above love wealth, the people die for profit. These two are the crossroads of order and disorder. A proverb among the people says: 'Want to be rich? Then endure disgrace! Ruin your household and end your life! Cut off your old friends! Part ways with righteousness and run the opposite direction!' When those above love wealth, the people's conduct comes to be like this — how can there not be disorder?
湯旱而禱曰："政不節與？使民疾與？何以不雨至斯極也！宮室榮與？婦謁盛與？何以不雨至斯之極也！苞苴行與？讒夫興與？何以不雨至斯極也！"
Tang prayed on account of the drought, saying: 'Is my government without restraint? Do I press the people too hard in service? Why has the rain failed to this extreme! Are my palaces too ornate? Are women's petitions too prevalent? Why has the rain failed to this extreme! Are bribes circulating? Are slanderers on the rise? Why has the rain failed to this extreme!'
天之生民，非為君也；天之立君，以為民也。故古者，列地建國，非以貴諸侯而已；列官職，差爵祿，非以尊大夫而已。
Heaven produces the people not for the sake of the ruler; Heaven establishes the ruler for the sake of the people. Therefore in antiquity land was divided and states founded not merely to make the feudal lords honored, and offices were ranked and emoluments graded not merely to make the great officers exalted.
主道知人，臣道知事。故舜之治天下，不以事詔而萬物成。農精於田，而不可以為田師，工賈亦然。
The way of the ruler is to know men; the way of the minister is to know affairs. Thus Shun governed the world without directing every matter, yet the myriad things were accomplished. A farmer may be skilled in the fields yet cannot be made a field master; artisans and merchants are likewise.
以賢易不肖，不待卜而後知吉。以治伐亂，不待戰而後知克。
To replace the unworthy with the worthy — one need not wait to divine to know it is auspicious. To attack disorder with order — one need not wait for the battle to know it will win.
齊人慾伐魯，忌卞莊子，不敢過卞。晉人慾伐衛，畏子路，不敢過蒲。
The men of Qi wished to attack Lu but, fearing Bian Zhuangzi, dared not pass through Bian. The men of Jin wished to attack Wei but, fearing Zilu, dared not pass through Pu.
不知而問堯舜，無有而求天府。－－曰：先王之道，則堯舜已；六貳之博，則天府已。
If you do not know, ask Yao and Shun; if you do not possess, seek the treasury of Heaven. — This means: the Way of the former kings is Yao and Shun; the breadth of the six arts is the treasury of Heaven.
君子之學如蛻，翻然遷之。故其行效，其立效，其置顏色、出辭氣效。無留善，無宿問。
The gentleman's learning is like shedding a skin — he suddenly shifts and changes. Thus his walking models the pattern, his standing models the pattern, and his composing of expression and issuing of tone all model the pattern. He leaves undone no good that remains to be done; he lets no doubt pass the night unasked.
善學者盡其理，善行者究其難。
One who is good at learning exhausts the principle; one who is good at practice presses into the difficulty.
君子立志如窮，雖天子三公問正，以是非對。
The gentleman holds his resolve as though he were in straits; even if the Son of Heaven and the three dukes ask him about proper government, he answers according to what is right and what is wrong.
君子隘窮而不失，勞倦而不苟，臨患難而不忘細席之言。歲不寒無以知松柏，事不難無以知君子無日不在是。
The gentleman is in straits yet does not lose himself; he is weary yet not careless; facing calamity he does not forget the words spoken upon his mat. If the year does not turn cold, there is no way to know the pine and cypress; if affairs do not turn difficult, there is no way to know that the gentleman does not depart from the right path for a single day.
雨小，漢故潛。夫盡小者大，積微者箸，德至者色澤洽，行盡而聲問遠，小人不誠於內而求之於外。
The rain may be slight, yet the Han River is still deep. Exhaust the small and it becomes great; accumulate the minute and it becomes manifest. One whose virtue reaches the utmost has a harmonious countenance; one whose virtuous conduct is complete has a renown that travels far. The petty man is not sincere within yet seeks it from without.
言而不稱師謂之畔，教而不稱師謂之倍。倍畔之人，明君不內，朝士大夫遇諸塗不與言。
To speak without invoking one's teacher is called betrayal; to teach without invoking one's teacher is called defection. One who betrays and defects is not received by an enlightened lord, and the officers of the court who meet him on the road will not speak with him.
不足於行者，說過；不足於信者，誠言。故春秋善胥命，而詩非屢盟，其心一也。善為詩者不說，善為易者不占，善為禮者不相，其心同也。
A man not capable of practice speaks in excess; a man not capable of good faith speaks with protestations. Thus the Spring and Autumn Annals approves of spoken covenants, while the Book of Songs condemns repeated oaths — the intent is the same. One who is good with the Book of Songs does not speak emptily; one who is good with the Book of Changes does not divine; one who is good with ritual does not serve as usher — their hearts are the same.
曾子曰："孝子言為可聞，行為可見。言為可聞，所以說遠也；行為可見，所以說近也；近者說則親，遠者悅則附；親近而附遠，孝子之道也。"
Zengzi said: 'A filial son's words are fit for men to hear, and his conduct is fit for men to see. Words fit to be heard are the means of pleasing those far away; conduct fit to be seen is the means of pleasing those near. When those near are pleased, they grow close; when those far away are pleased, they come and attach themselves. To draw close to those near and attract those afar — this is the way of the filial son.'
曾子行，晏子從於郊，曰："嬰聞之：君子贈人以言，庶人贈人以財。嬰貧無財，請假於君子，贈吾子以言：乘輿之輪，太山之木也，示諸檃栝，三月五月，為幬採，敝而不反其常。君子之檃栝，不可不謹也。慎之！蘭茞槁本，漸於蜜醴，一佩易之。正君漸於香酒，可讒而得也。君子之所漸，不可不慎也。"
When Zengzi was setting out on a journey, Yanzi escorted him to the outskirts and said: 'I, Ying, have heard that the gentleman sends a man off with words, while common men send him off with wealth. I am poor and have no wealth; allow me to borrow the gentleman's name and send my lord off with words. The wheel of a carriage is wood of Mount Tai; placed in the bending-frame for three to five months, it is made into a close-fitting rim, and even when worn out it never returns to its former crookedness. The bending-frame for a gentleman must be attended with care. Take care! The fragrant angelica and gaoben, steeped in honeyed wine, are changed for new after a single wearing. An upright lord steeped in fragrant wine may likewise be won over by slander. What the gentleman is steeped in must not be chosen without care.'
人之於文學也，猶玉之於琢磨也。詩曰："如切如磋，如琢如磨。"謂學問也。和之璧，井裡之厥也，玉人琢之，為天子寶。子贛季路故鄙人也，被文學，服禮義，為天下列士。
A man's relation to letters and learning is like jade's relation to cutting and polishing. The Book of Songs, Airs of Wei, 'The Banks of the Qi,' says: 'As if cut, as if filed; as if carved, as if polished.' This speaks of learning. Bian He's jade disc was a stone of the lanes; a jade-worker carved it and it became the treasure of the Son of Heaven. Zigong and Jilu were originally rustic and uncouth men; they cloaked themselves in letters, practiced ritual and righteousness, and became ranked officers of the world.
學問不厭，好士不倦，是天府也。
To learn without weariness and to love officers without flagging — this is the treasury of Heaven.
君子疑則不言，未問則不言，道遠日益矣。
The gentleman does not speak where he has doubts, and does not speak of what he has never asked about; the Way is long and far, and he adds to it day by day.
多知而無親，博學而無方，好多而無定者，君子不與。
One who knows much without distinguishing near from far, learns widely without direction, or loves many things without settled purpose — the gentleman does not befriend him.
少不諷誦，壯不論議，雖可，未成也。
If in youth one does not recite and chant, and in one's prime does not discourse and discuss, then even if one is capable, one will accomplish nothing.
君子壹教，弟子壹學，亟成。
When the gentleman teaches single-mindedly and the disciple learns single-mindedly, completion comes swiftly.
君子進則益上之譽，而損下之憂。不能而居之，誣也；無益而厚受之，竊也。學者非必為仕，而仕者必如學。
When the gentleman advances to office, he adds to the renown of those above and diminishes the sorrows of those below. To occupy a post one cannot fill is fraud; to receive a fat salary while conferring no benefit is theft. One who pursues learning need not aim at office, but one who holds office must be as one who has pursued learning.
子貢問於孔子曰："賜倦於學矣，願息事君。"孔子曰："詩云：'溫恭朝夕，執事有恪。'事君難，事君焉可息哉！""然則，賜願息事親。"孔子曰："詩云：'孝子不匱，永錫爾類。'事親難，事親焉可息哉！""然則賜願息於妻子。"孔子曰："詩云：'刑于寡妻，至於兄弟，以御於家邦。'妻子難，妻子焉可息哉！""然則賜願息於朋友。"孔子曰："詩云：'朋友攸攝，攝以威儀。'朋友難，朋友焉可息哉！""然則賜願息耕。"孔子曰："詩云：'晝爾於茅，宵爾索綯，亟其乘屋，其始播百穀。'耕難，耕焉可息哉！""然則賜無息者乎？"孔子曰："望其壙，皋如也，顛如也，鬲如也，此則知所息矣。"子貢曰："大哉！死乎！君子息焉，小人休焉。"
Zigong said to Confucius: 'I, Ci, am weary of study and wish to stop and serve my lord.' Confucius said: 'The Book of Songs, Hymns of Shang, "Na," says: "Gentle and reverent from morning to evening, he performs his tasks with reverence." Serving a lord is hard — how can service to a lord be a place to stop!' Zigong said: 'Then I wish to stop and serve my parents.' Confucius said: 'The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, "Already Drunk," says: "The filial son is never exhausted; evermore he blesses your kind." Serving parents is hard — how can service to parents be a place to stop!' Zigong said: 'Then I wish to stop with wife and children.' Confucius said: 'The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, "Si Qi," says: "He set the example for his consort, extended it to his brothers, and so governed his family and state." Wife and children are hard — how can wife and children be a place to stop!' Zigong said: 'Then I wish to stop with friends.' Confucius said: 'The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, "Already Drunk," says: "Friends aid one another, aided by dignified deportment." Friends are hard — how can friends be a place to stop!' Zigong said: 'Then I wish to stop and plow.' Confucius said: 'The Book of Songs, Airs of Bin, "Seventh Month," says: "By day you go to cut the thatch; by night you twist the ropes; quickly mend the roof; then begins the sowing of the hundred grains." Plowing is hard — how can plowing be a place to stop!' Zigong said: 'Then is there no place for me to stop?' Confucius said: 'Look at that grave mound — lofty, like a hilltop, like a tripod and cauldron — and you will know the place to stop.' Zigong said: 'Great indeed is death! The gentleman rests here; the petty man ends here.'
國風之好色也，傳曰："盈其欲而不愆其止。其誠可比於金石，其聲可內於宗廟。"小雅不以於汙上，自引而居下，疾今之政以思往者，其言有文焉，其聲有哀焉。
Of the Airs of the States' fondness for the sensual, the commentary says: 'They satisfy desire without overstepping the limit; their sincerity can be compared to metal and stone; their sound can be offered in the ancestral temple.' The Minor Odes do not pander to the corrupt rulers above but withdraw themselves and dwell below; hating the government of the present, they long for that of the past — their words are patterned, their sound is mournful.
國將興，必貴師而重傅，貴師而重傅，則法度存。國將衰，必賤師而輕傅；賤師而輕傅，則人有快；人有快則法度壞。
When a state is about to flourish, it is sure to honor teachers and esteem tutors; honoring teachers and esteeming tutors, its laws and standards endure. When a state is about to decline, it is sure to scorn teachers and make light of tutors; scorning teachers and making light of tutors, men become wanton; men being wanton, laws and standards are ruined.
古者匹夫五十而士。天子諸侯子十九而冠，冠而聽治，其教至也。
In antiquity a common man became an officer only at fifty. The sons of the Son of Heaven and the feudal lords were capped at nineteen; that they were capped and then heard the conduct of government is instruction carried to its utmost.
君子也者而好之，其人也；其人而不教，不祥。非君子而好之，非其人也；非其人而教之，齎盜糧，借賊兵也。
If he is a gentleman and you love him, then he is the right kind of man; if he is the right kind of man and you do not teach him, that is unlucky. If he is not a gentleman and you love him, he is not the right kind of man; if he is not the right kind of man yet you teach him, that is giving grain to robbers and lending weapons to bandits.
不自嗛其行者，言濫過。古之賢人，賤為布衣，貧為匹夫，食則饘粥不足，衣則豎褐不完；然而非禮不進，非義不受，安取此？
A man who is not content with his own virtue speaks in excess. The worthy men of antiquity might be humbled to plain cloth and poor to the level of a commoner; for food they had not even enough thick gruel, for dress their coarse clothes were incomplete; yet they would not advance except by ritual and would not accept except by righteousness — whence would they take such excessive words?
子夏家貧，衣若縣鶉。人曰："子何不仕？"曰："諸侯之驕我者，吾不為臣；大夫之驕我者，吾不復見。柳下惠與後門者同衣，而不見疑，非一日之聞也。爭利如蚤甲，而喪其掌。"
Zixia's household was poor; his clothes hung like a dangling quail. Someone said: 'Why do you not take office?' He said: 'A feudal lord who treats me arrogantly — I will not be his minister; a great officer who treats me arrogantly — I will not see him again. Liuxia Hui wore the same clothes as the keeper of the back gate, yet was never suspected — such a name is not made in a day. To fight over profit is like fighting over a fingernail and losing the whole palm.'
君人者不可以不慎取臣，匹夫不可不慎取友。友者、所以相有也。道不同，何以相有也？均薪施火，火就燥；平地注水，水流溼。夫類之相從也，如此其著也，以友觀人，焉所疑？取友善人，不可不慎，是德之基也。詩曰："無將大車，維塵冥冥。"言無與小人處也。
A ruler must not fail to choose his ministers with care; a common man must not fail to choose his friends with care. Friends are for drawing near and aiding one another. If their ways differ, by what can they draw near and aid? Lay the firewood evenly and light it — the flame goes for the driest; pour water on level ground — it flows to the wettest. That like follows like is this plain; observe a man by his friends, and what doubt can remain? Choosing friends and drawing near to good men must not be done carelessly — this is the root of virtue. The Book of Songs, Minor Odes, 'Do Not Push the Great Cart,' says: 'Do not push the great cart — the dust is dim and dark.' This means one should not dwell among petty men.
藍苴路作，似知而非。懦弱易奪，似仁而非。悍戇好鬥，似勇而非。
To act coarsely and perform gestures on the road looks like wisdom but is not. To be weak and easily robbed of one's resolve looks like humaneness but is not. To be fierce, blunt, and fond of fighting looks like courage but is not.
仁義禮善之於人也，闢之若貨財粟米之於家也，多有之者富，少有之者貧，至無有者窮。故大者不能，小者不為，是棄國捐身之道也。
Humaneness, righteousness, ritual, and goodness are to a man as goods and grain are to a household: have much and you are rich; have little and you are poor; reach having none and you are destitute. Thus to be unable to do the great and unwilling to do the small is the way to cast away one's state and abandon one's self.
凡物有乘而來，乘其出者，是其反也。
All things come by means of something; that by which they depart is also that by which they return.
流言滅之，貨色遠之。禍之所由生也，生自纖纖也。是故君子蚤絕之。
Extinguish rumors; keep sensual goods at a distance. That from which calamity is born is born from the minute; therefore the gentleman severs it early.
言之信者，在乎區蓋之間。疑則不言，未問則不言。
One who speaks with good faith keeps to the border between doubt and certainty: where there is doubt he does not speak; what he has not inquired into he does not speak.
知者明於事，達於數，不可以不誠事也。故曰："君子難說，說之不以道，不說也。"
The wise are clear about affairs and versed in the underlying reckoning, and one cannot but serve them with sincerity. Thus it is said: 'The gentleman is hard to please; if you please him not by the Way, he is not pleased.'
語曰："流丸止於甌臾，流言止於知者。"此家言邪說之所以惡儒者也。是非疑，則度之以遠事，驗之以近物，參之以平心，流言止焉，惡言死焉。
A proverb says: 'A rolling pellet stops in the basin; rumors stop at the wise man.' This is why private schools of perverse doctrine hate the Ru. When there is doubt about right and wrong, measure it by distant events, verify it by near things, and test it with an even heart — then rumors stop and evil words die out.