Confucian Analects, Confucius, 500 B.C., Part 15
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The Duke Ling of Wei asked
Confucius about tactics. Confucius
replied, "I have heard all about
sacrificial vessels, but I have not
learned military matters." On this, he
took his departure the next day.
When he was in Chan, their provisions
were exhausted, and his followers became
so in that they were unable to rise.
Tsze-lu, with evident dissatisfaction,
said, "Has the superior man likewise to
endure in this way?" The Master said,
"The superior man may indeed have to
endure want, but the mean man, when he
is in want, gives way to unbridled
license."
The Master said, "Ts'ze, you think, I
suppose, that I am one who learns many
things and keeps them in memory?"
Tsze-kung replied, "Yes,-but perhaps it
is not so?"
"No," was the answer; "I seek a unity
all pervading."
The Master said, "Yu I those who know
virtue are few."
The Master said, "May not Shun be
instanced as having governed efficiently
without exertion? What did he do? He did
nothing but gravely and reverently
occupy his royal seat."
Tsze-chang asked how a man should
conduct himself, so as to be everywhere
appreciated.
The Master said, "Let his words be
sincere and truthful and his actions
honorable and careful;-such conduct may
be practiced among the rude tribes of
the South or the North. If his words be
not sincere and truthful and his actions
not honorable and carefull will he, with
such conduct, be appreciated, even in
his neighborhood?
"When he is standing, let him see those
two things, as it were, fronting him.
When he is in a carriage, let him see
them attached to the yoke. Then may he
subsequently carry them into practice."
Tsze-chang wrote these counsels on the
end of his sash.
The Master said, "Truly straightforward
was the historiographer Yu. When good
government prevailed in his state, he
was like an arrow. When bad government
prevailed, he was like an arrow. A
superior man indeed is Chu Po-yu! When
good government prevails in his state,
he is to be found in office. When bad
government prevails, he can roll his
principles up, and keep them in his
breast."
The Master said, "When a man may be
spoken with, not to speak to him is to
err in reference to the man. When a man
may not be spoken with, to speak to him
is to err in reference to our words. The
wise err neither in regard to their man
nor to their words."
The Master said, "The determined scholar
and the man of virtue will not seek to
live at the expense of injuring their
virtue. They will even sacrifice their
lives to preserve their virtue
complete."
Tsze-kung asked about the practice of
virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic,
who wishes to do his work well, must
first sharpen his tools. When you are
living in any state, take service with
the most worthy among its great
officers, and make friends of the most
virtuous among its scholars."
Yen Yuan asked how the government of a
country should be administered.
The Master said, "Follow the seasons of
Hsia.
"Ride in the state carriage of Yin.
"Wear the ceremonial cap of Chau.
"Let the music be the Shao with its
pantomimes. Banish the songs of Chang,
and keep far from specious talkers. The
songs of Chang are licentious; specious
talkers are dangerous."
The Master said, "If a man take no
thought about what is distant, he will
find sorrow near at hand."
The Master said, "It is all over! I have
not seen one who loves virtue as he
loves beauty."
The Master said, "Was not Tsang Wan like
one who had stolen his situation? He
knew the virtue and the talents of Hui
of Liu-hsia, and yet did not procure
that he should stand with him in court."
The Master said, "He who requires much
from himself and little from others,
will keep himself from being the object
of resentment."
The Master said, "When a man is not in
the habit of saying-'What shall I think
of this? What shall I think of this?' I
can indeed do nothing with him!"
The Master said, "When a number of
people are together, for a whole day,
without their conversation turning on
righteousness, and when they are fond of
carrying out the suggestions of a small
shrewdness;-theirs is indeed a hard
case."
The Master said, "The superior man in
everything considers righteousness to be
essential. He performs it according to
the rules of propriety. He brings it
forth in humility. He completes it with
sincerity. This is indeed a superior
man."
The Master said, "The superior man is
distressed by his want of ability. He is
not distressed by men's not knowing
him."
The Master said, "The superior man
dislikes the thought of his name not
being mentioned after his death."
The Master said, "What the superior man
seeks, is in himself. What the mean man
seeks, is in others."
The Master said, "The superior man is
dignified, but does not wrangle. He is
sociable, but not a partisan."
The Master said, "The superior man does
not promote a man simply on account of
his words, nor does he put aside good
words because of the man."
Tsze-kung asked, saying, "Is there one
word which may serve as a rule of
practice for all one's life?" The Master
said, "Is not RECIPROCITY such a word?
What you do not want done to yourself,
do not do to others."
The Master said, "In my dealings with
men, whose evil do I blame, whose
goodness do I praise, beyond what is
proper? If I do sometimes exceed in
praise, there must be ground for it in
my examination of the individual.
"This people supplied the ground why the
three dynasties pursued the path of
straightforwardness."
The Master said, "Even in my early days,
a historiographer would leave a blank in
his text, and he who had a horse would
lend him to another to ride. Now, alas!
there are no such things."
The Master said, "Specious words
confound virtue. Want of forbearance in
small matters confounds great plans."
The Master said, "When the multitude
hate a man, it is necessary to examine
into the case. When the multitude like a
man, it is necessary to examine into the
case."
The Master said, "A man can enlarge the
principles which he follows; those
principles do not enlarge the man."
The Master said, "To have faults and not
to reform them,-this, indeed, should be
pronounced having faults."
The Master said, "I have been the whole
day without eating, and the whole night
without sleeping:-occupied with
thinking. It was of no use. better plan
is to learn."
The Master said, "The object of the
superior man is truth. Food is not his
object. There is plowing;-even in that
there is sometimes want. So with
learning;-emolument may be found in it.
The superior man is anxious lest he
should not get truth; he is not anxious
lest poverty should come upon him."
The Master said, "When a man's knowledge
is sufficient to attain, and his virtue
is not sufficient to enable him to hold,
whatever he may have gained, he will
lose again.
"When his knowledge is sufficient to
attain, and he has virtue enough to hold
fast, if he cannot govern with dignity,
the people will not respect him.
"When his knowledge is sufficient to
attain, and he has virtue enough to hold
fast; when he governs also with dignity,
yet if he try to move the people
contrary to the rules of propriety:-full
excellence is not reached."
The Master said, "The superior man
cannot be known in little matters; but
he may be intrusted with great concerns.
The small man may not be intrusted with
great concerns, but he may be known in
little matters."
The Master said, "Virtue is more to man
than either water or fire. I have seen
men die from treading on water and fire,
but I have never seen a man die from
treading the course of virtue."
The Master said, "Let every man consider
virtue as what devolves on himself. He
may not yield the performance of it even
to his teacher."
The Master said, "The superior man is
correctly firm, and not firm merely."
The Master said, "A minister, in serving
his prince, reverently discharges his
duties, and makes his emolument a
secondary consideration."
The Master said, "In teaching there
should be no distinction of classes."
The Master said, "Those whose courses
are different cannot lay plans for one
another."
The Master said, "In language it is
simply required that it convey the
meaning."
The music master, Mien, having called
upon him, when they came to the steps,
the Master said, "Here are the steps."
When they came to the mat for the guest
to sit upon, he said, "Here is the mat."
When all were seated, the Master
informed him, saying, "So and so is
here; so and so is here."
The music master, Mien, having gone out,
Tsze-chang asked, saying. "Is it the
rule to tell those things to the music
master?"
The Master said, "Yes. This is certainly
the rule for those who lead the blind."
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