Analects

Tzu Kung asked: "On what ground has received his posthumous title of Wen?" "He was clever and fond of learning," replied the Master, " and he was not ashamed to seek knowledge from his inferiors;— that is why he has been styled ' Cultured/ "

The Master remarked of Tzu Chan that he had four of the Ideal Man's characteristics; — in his personal conduct he was serious, in his duty to his superior he was deferential, in providing for the people he was beneficent, and in directing them he was just.

Chi used to think thrice before acting. The Master hearing of it said: " Twice would do."

The Master said: "While good order prevailed in his State Ning Wu Tzu was a wise man. When the it -K State fell into disorder he was a fool. His wisdom may be equalled, his folly cannot be equalled."

When the Master wras in the State of Ch'en he said: " Let us return! Let us return! My young people at home are ambitious and hasty; their culture acquires elegance, but they do not know where to draw the line/'

The Master said: " Po I and Shu Ch'i never bore ills in mind; hence those who bore them resentment were few."

The Master said: "Who says that Wei-shang Kao is upright? Someone begged vinegar of him, whereupon he begged it of a neighbour and gave it him."

The Master said: " It is all in vain! I have never yet seen a man who could perceive his own faults and bring the charge home against himself."

The Master said: " Even in a hamlet of ten houses there must be men as conscientious and sincere as myself, but none as fond of learning as I am."

i. The Master said: " Yung! He is fit to occupy a ruler's seat." 2. Chung Kung thereupon asked concerning Tzu-Sang Po-Tzu. " He will do," said the Master, " but he is easy-going." 3. " For a man who is strict in his own life," observed Chung Kung, " to be easy in conduct in the surveillance of the people may, I suppose, be allowed? But he who is easy going in private and easy-going in public,— that surely is sheer laxity? " " Yung's state ment is correct, " said the Master.

Duke Ai asked which of the disciples was fond of learning. Confucius answered him: " There was Yen Hui,- he was fond of learning; he never visited his anger on another, and he never repeated a fault. Unfortunately his life was short and he died. Now there is none like him, nor have I heard of one who is fond of learning."

having been sent on a mission to the Ch'i State, asked for grain for his mother. The Master said, " Give her a///." He asked for more. " Give her ayii then " was the reply. gave her five ping. 2. The Master remarked: "On Ch'ih setting out for Ch'i he drove sleek horses and wore light furs. I have heard that the wise man suc cours the needy; he does not add to the rich." 3. When Yuan Ssu was made governor of a certain place, the Master allowed him nine hundred measures of grain, which he declined. 4. " Do not decline it," said the Master. " Can you not bestow it in your courts and hamlets, parishes and villages? "

The Master speaking of Chung Kung said: " If the offspring of a brindled ox be ruddy and clean-horned, although men may not wish to use it, would the gods of the hills and streams reject it? "

The Master said, "Hui! His heart for three months together never de parted from Virtue. As to the others, on some day or in some month they reached it, but that was all."

Chi asked whether Chung Yu were suited for employment in the administration. " Yu is a man of decision," said the Master. " What difficulty would he find in the administration? "And T'zu?" he said, " Is he suitable for the administration?" "T'zu is a man of penetration," was the answer. " What diflfi-

The head of the Chi clan sent to ask Min Tzu Ch'ien to be governor of Pi. Min Tzu Ch'ien, replied, " Courteously decline the offer for me. If any one comes for me again, then I shall certainly be on the banks of the Wen."

When Po Niu was ill the Master went to enquire about him. Having grasped his hand through the window he said: " We are losing him. Alas! It is the will of Heaven. That such a man should have such a disease! That such a man should have such a disease! "

The Master said: " What a man of worth was Hui! A single bamboo bowl of millet; a single ladle of cabbage soup; living in a mean alley!

The Master speaking to Tsu Hsia said: "Be you a scholar of the A fm nobler type, not a scholar of the inferior man's type."

When Tzu Yu was governor of the city of Wu the Master asked him: " Have you been able to obtain men? " There is one T'an-t'ai Mieh-ming," was the reply, " who when walking takes no VI. XII, XIII, XIV. THE ANAI.KCTS. K. I lave you siuxveded in gelling a good man under you? I have now a man who never acts upon expediency. Couv. Avez-vous trouve des honinies meritcnt votre -onfiance?..,11 ne va jamais par K-s scntiers ecartes et caches. CHAPTER xiii. - - BETTER PREVARICATE THAN BOAST. Meng Chili-fan was a scion of the house of SL, named fjlij and a Minister of Lu. The is said to be a gate or piss on the Lu frontier. 'Hie flight was in the i!th year of Duke JT, C. approvinglyquotes wlio recognises this the one in Chuang Tzu as the same person. C Boastful of his achievcn-nts. jjjr A ilight on defeat. n The rear of the troops is called To whip. & fe It isan ilonour to be the last to flee on a defeat. L. does not boast his merit. Ik-ing in the rear on an occasion of flight, when etc. advance. Z. non se jactat: capta fuga, tune crat in postsignanis; jam portam ingressus non quoad ego ausus fuerim retro etc. K. lie was a man who never would boast he slowly brought up the rear; city It was not courage wh. kept me behind. you see— my horse w'd not go. Couv. ne se vaute pas lui-meme Arrive a la porte de la capitale Ce que le courage de me retirer a autrcs etc.

The Master said: " Without the eloquence of T'o, the Temple reader, and tke beauty of Prince Chao of Sung, it is hard.to escape in the present generation."

- The Master said: "Who can go forth except by the door? Why will not men go by this Way? "

The Master said: " When nature exceeds training you have the rustic. When training exceeds nature you have the clerk. It is only when nature and training are proportionately blended that you have the higher type of man."

The Master said: " Man is born for uprightness. Without it he is lucky to escape with his life."

The Master said: " He who knows the Truth is not equal to him who loves and he who loves it is not equal to him who delights in it."

The Master said:." To men above the average one may dis course on higher things; but to those who are below the average one may not discourse on higher things."

When Fan Ch'ih asked what constituted Wisdom the Master replied: " To devote oneself earnestly to one's duty to humanity and, while respecting the spirits, to avoid them, may be called Wisdom." On his asking about Virtue, the Master replied: " The man of Virtue puts duty first, however difficult, and makes what he will gain there by an after consideration, — and this may be called Virtue." VI. XXI, XXII. TIIK ANAI.KCTS.

The Master said: " The clever delight in water, the Virtuous in hills; the clever are restless, the Virtuous calm; the clever enjoy life, the Virtuous prolong life."

The Master said: " The State of Ch'i, at one reform, could attain to the standard of Lu; but Lu, at one reform, could attain to ideal government."

The Master ex claimed: " A wassail-bowl that is not a bowl! What a bowl! What a bowl! "

Tsai Wo asked, saying: " An altruist, even if some one said to him. ' There is a man in the well,' would, I suppose, go in after him? " " Why should he act like that? " answered the Master. " The higher type of man might hasten to the well, but not precipitate himself into it; he mieht be imposed upon, but not utterly hoodwinked." VI. xxiv, xxv, xxvr. Tin- ANALECTS. ille prosequetur Sapiens poterit admovcri, non poterit praecipitari: clccepi halluciirui. K. A moral man, a man fallen into a well, I suppose hew'd immediately follow into the well imposed upon, but not made a fool of. Couv. Un homme parfait tombe dans un puits aller au borcl du puits, ne s'y jettcra pas lui-meme trompe aveugle.

The Master said: " The Scholar who becomes widely versed in letters and who restrains his learning within the bounds of good taste, is not likely to get off the track."

When the Master went to see Nan-tzu, Tzii Lu shewed his dis pleasure, on which the Sage swore to him saying: " If I have in any way done wrong, may Heaven reject me! May Heaven reject

The master said: "The virtue that accords with the golden mean, how perfect it is! For long has it been rare among the people."

The Master said: " A transmitter and not an originator, a believer in and lover of antiquity, I venture to compare myself with our ancient worthy P'eng."

The Master said: "The meditative treasuring up of knowledge, the unwearying pursuit of wisdom, the tireless instruction of others, — which of these is found in me? "

The Master said: " Neglect in the cultivation of character, lack of thoroughness in study, incompetency to move towards recognised duty, inability to correct my imperfectipns, — these are what cause me solicitude."

In his leisure hours the Master relaxed his manner and wore a cheerful countenance.

The Master said: " How utterly fallen off I am! For long I have not dreamed as of yore that I saw the Duke of Chou."

i. The Master said: " Fix your mind on the right way; 2. hold fast to it in your moral character; 3. follow it up in kindness to others; 4. take your recreation in the polite arts."

- The Master said: " From him who has brought his simple present of dried flesh seeking to enter my school I have never withheld instruction."

The Master said: " I expound nothing to him who is not earnest, nor help out any one not anxious to express himself. When I have demonstrated one angle and he cannot bring me back the other three, then I do not repeat my lesson."

i. When the Master dined by the side of a mourner he never ate to the full. 2. On the same day that he had been mourning he never sang.

i. The Master addressing Yen Yuan said: " To accept office when required, and to dwell in retirement when set aside, — only you and I have this spirit." 2. " But, suppose," said Tzu Lu, that the Master had the conduct of the armies of a great State, whom would he' associate with him? " 3. " The man," replied the Master, " who bare-armed would beard a tiger, or rush a river, dying without regret, — him I would not have with me. If I must have a colleague he should be one who on the verge of an encounter would be apprehensive, and who loved strategyand its successful issue."

The Master said: " If wealth were a thing one could (count on) finding, even though it meant my becoming ffr in a whip-holding groom, I would do it. As one can not (count on) finding it, I will follow the quests that I love better."

The subjects which the Master treated with great solicitude were; — fasting, war, and disease.

Yu asked: 11 Is our Master for the Prince of Wei? " " Ah! " said Tzu Kung, " I will just ask him." 2. On entering he said: " What sort of men were Po I and Shuh Ch'i? '' " Worthies of old," was the reply. " Did they repine? " he asked. " They sought Virtue and they attained to Virtue," answered the Master; " why then should they repine? " Tzu Kung went out and said: " The Master is not for the Prince."

- The Master said: " With coarse food to eat, water for drink, and a bent arm for a pillow, — even in such a state I could be happy, for wealth and honour obtained unworthily are to me as a fleeting cloud."

The Master said: " Given a few more years of life to finish my study of the Book of Changes and I may be free from great errors."

The subjects on which the Master most frequently discoursed were, — the Odes, the History, and the observances of decorum; - - on all these he constantly dwelt.

i. The Duke of She asked Tzu Lu what he thought about Confucius, but Tzu Lu returned him no answer. 2. " Why did you not say," said the Master, " he is simply a man so eager for improvement that he forgets his food, so happy there in that he forgets his sorrows, and so does not observe that old age is at hand? "

The Master said: " I am not one who has innate knowledge, but one who, loving antiquity, is diligent in seeking it therein."

The Master said: " When walking in a party of three, my teachers are always present. I can select the good qualities of the one and copy them, and the unsatisfactory qualities of the other and correct them in myself."

The Master said: 11 Heaven begat the virtue that is in me. — what can he do to me? "

The Master said: " My disciples! Do you think I possess something occult? I have nothing occult from you. I do nothing that is not made known to you, my disciples, — that is the real Ch'iu."

The Master took four subjects for his teaching, — culture, conduct, conscientiousness, and good faith.

- 1. The Master said: " An inspired man it is not mine to see. Could I behold a noble man I would be content." 2. The Master said: " A really good man it is not mine to see. Could I see a man of constant purpose I would be content. 3. Affecting to have when they have not, empty yet affecting to be full, in straits yet affecting to be prosperous, — how

The Master fished with a line but not with a net; when shooting he did not aim at a resting bird.

The Master said: ' There are men, probably, who do things correctly without knowing the reason why, but I am not like that: I hear much, select the good and follow it; I see much and treasure it up. This is the next best thing to philosophical knowledge."

i. The people of Hu-hsiang were hard to get on with; hence when a youth from there had an interview with the sage the disciples wondered. 2. " In sanctioning a man's entry here," said the Master, " I sanction nothing he may do on his withdrawal. Why, indeed, be so extreme? When a man cleanses himself and comes to me I may accept his present cleanness without becoming sponsor for his past."

The Master said: "Is Virtue indeed afar oft"? I crave for Virtue and lo! Virtue is at hand."

i. The Minister of Justice of the State of Ch'en asked whether Duke Chao knew the Regulations. " He knew them," replied Confucius. 2. When Confucius had withdrawn the Minister bowed to Wu-ma Ch'i to come forward and said: " I have heard that a man of noble parts is not a partisan. May then a noble man be also a partisan? Prince Chao took his wife from the house of Wu, of the same surname as himself, and spoke of her as the elder R An

When the Master was in company with any one who was singing and the piece was good, he always had it repeated, joining in the melody himself.

The master said: " In letters perhaps I may compare with others, but as to my living the noble life, to that I have not yet attained."

The Master said: " As to being a Sage, or a man of Virtue, how dare I presume to such a claim! But as to striving thereafter unwearyingly, and teaching others therein without flagging,— that can be said of me, and that is all." " And that," said Kung-hsi Hua, " is just what we disciples cannot learn."

Once when the Master was seriously ill Tzu Lu asked leave to have prayers offered. " Is there authority for such a step? " asked the Master. " There is," Tzu Lu replied. " In the litanies it is said, ' We pray to you, spirits celestial and terrestrial.' ' The Master answered, " My praying has been for long."

The Master said: 1 If prodigal then uncontrolled; if frugal then narrow: but better be narrow than beyond control."

The Master said: " The nobler man is calm and serene, the inferior man is continually worried and anxious."

The Master was affable yet dignified, commanding yet not overbearing, courteous yet easy.

The Master said:— uT'ai Po may be described as possessing a character of the noblest. He resolutely renornced the Imperial Throne, leaving people no ground for appreciating his conduct."

i. The Master said:— " Courtesy uncontrolled by the laws of good taste becomes laboured effort, caution un controlled becomes timidity, boldness un controlled becomes recklessness, and franknot discard old dependents, neither will the people deal meanly with theirs."

When the philosopher Tseng was taken ill, he called his disciples and said: — " Uncover my feet, uncover my arms. The Ode says:— ' Be anxious, be cautious, As when near a deep gulf, As when treading thin ice/ From now henceforth I know I shall escape all injury. My disciples."

i. During Tseng Tzus illness Meng Ching Tzu called to make enquiries. 2. Tseng Tzu spoke to him saying: — " When a bird is dying its song is sad. When a man is dying, what he says is worth listening to. 3. The three rules of conduct upon which a man of high rank should place value are, — in his bearing to avoid rudeness and remissness, in ordering his looks to aim lift fig Hat sincerity, and in the tone of his conversation to keep aloof from vulgarity and impropriety. As to the details of temple vessels, — there are proper officers for looking after them."

Tseng Tzu said:— Talented, yet seeking knowledge from the untalented, of many attainments yet seeking knowledge from those with few, having, as though he had not, full yet bearing himself as if empty, offended against yet not retali ating, — once upon a time I had a friend who lived after this manner."

Tseng Tzu said:— uThe man to whom one could entrust a young orphan prince and delegate the command over a hundred //, yet whom the advent of no emergency, however great, could shake, — would he be a man of the nobler order? Of the nobler order he would certainly be."

i. Tseng Tzu said:- " The scholar may not be without capacity and fortitude, for his load is heavy and the road is long. 2. He takes Virtue for his and is not that heavy? Only with death does his course end, and is not that long?"

i. The Master said: "Let the character be formed by ths Poets; 2. established by the Laws T-T of Decorum; 3. and perfected by Music."

The Master said:— ' The people may be made to follow a course, but not to understand the reason why."

The Master said:- 14 Love of daring and resentment of poverty drive men to desperate deeds; and men who lack moral character will be driven to similar deeds it resentment of them be carried too far."

The Master said:- " If a man have gifts as admirable as those of Duke Chou, yet be vain and mean, his other gifts are unworthy of notice."

The Master said:— " It is not easy to find a man who has studied for three years without aiming at pay."

i. The Master said: " The man of unwavering sincerity and love and order fail, he is ashamed to be in affluence and honour."

The Master said:- 11 He who does not occupy the office does not discuss its policy."

The Master seldom spoke on profit, on the orderings of Providence, and on perfection.

T. A man of the village of Ta-hsiang remarked: " What a great man is K'ung, the Philosopher. Yet though his learning is vast, in nothing does he acquire a reputation." 2. The Master on hearing it, addressing his disciples, said: " What shall I take up? Shall I take to driving? Or shall I take to archery? I will take to driving."