User blogs
Tzu-hsia said, A gentleman changes thrice. Looking up to him he seems stern; as we draw near, he warms; but his speech, when we hear it, is sharp.
第十九
BOOK XIX
1. 子張曰：「士見危致命，見得思義，祭思敬，喪思哀，其可已矣。」
Tzu-chang said, The knight that stakes his life when he sees danger, who in sight of gain thinks of right, and whose thoughts are reverent at worship, and sad when he is in mourning, will do.
2. 子張曰：「執德不弘，信道不篤，焉能為有？焉能為亡？」
Tzu-hsia said, Goodness, clutched too narrowly; a belief in the Way which is not honest; can they be said to be, or said not to be?
3. 子夏之門人，問「交」於子張。子張曰：「子夏云何？」對曰：「子夏曰：『可者與 之，其不可者拒之。』」子張曰：「異乎吾所聞：『君子尊賢而容眾，嘉善而矜不能。』我之大賢與，於人何所不容。我之不賢與，人將拒我，如之何拒人也！」
The disciples of Tzu-hsia asked Tzu-chang whom we should choose as our companions. Tzu-chang said. What does Tzu-hsia say? They answered, Tzu-hsia says, If the men be well for thee, go with them; if they be not well, push them off. Tzu-chang said. This is not the same as what I had heard. A gentleman honours worth and bears with the many. He applauds goodness and pities weakness. If I were a man of great worth, what could I not bear with in others? If I am without worth, men will push me off: why should I push other men off?
4. 子夏曰：「雖小道，必有可觀者焉；致遠恐泥，是以君子不為也。」
Tzu-hsia said, Though there must be things worth seeing along small ways, a gentleman does not follow them, for fear of being left at last in the mire.
5. 子夏曰：「日知其所亡，月無忘其所能，可謂好學也已矣！」
Tzu-hsia said, He that each day remembers his failings and each month forgets nothing won may be said to love learning indeed!
6. 子夏曰：「博學而篤志，切問而近思，仁在其中矣。」
Tzu-hsia said, By wide learning and singleness of will, by keen questions and home thinking we reach love.
7. 子夏曰：「百工居肆，以成其事，君子學以致其道。」
Tzu-hsia said, To master the hundred trades, apprentices work in a shop; by learning, a gentleman finds his way.
8. 子夏曰：「小人之過也必文。」
Tzu-hsia said, The small man must always gloss his faults.
9. 子夏曰：「君子有三變：望之儼然，即之也溫，聽其言也厲。」
Tzu-hsia said, A gentleman changes thrice. Looking up to him he seems stern; as we draw near, he warms; but his speech, when we hear it, is sharp.
10. 子夏曰：「君子信而後勞其民，未信則以為厲己也。信而後諫，未信則以為謗己 也。」
Tzu-hsia said, Until they trust him, a gentleman lays no burdens on his people. If they do not trust him, they will think it cruel. Until they trust him, he does not chide them. Unless they trust him, it will seem fault-finding.
The Duke of Chou said to the Duke of Lu, A gentleman does not forsake kinsmen, nor offend his great lieges by not using them. He will not cast off an old friend unless he have big cause; he does not ask everything of anyone.
微子第十八
BOOK XVIII
7. 子路從而後，遇丈人，以杖荷蓧，子路問曰：「子見夫子乎？」丈人曰：「四體不勤， 五穀不分，孰為夫子！」植其杖而芸。子路拱而立。止子路宿，殺雞為黍而食之，見其二子焉。明日，子路行以告。子曰：「隱者也。」使子路反見之。至，則行矣。子路曰：「不士無義，長幼之節，不可廢也。君臣之義，如之何其廢之？欲潔其身，而亂大倫。君子之仕也，行其義也，道之不行，已知之矣！」
Tzu-lu, who was following behind, met an old man carrying a basket on his staff.
Tzu-lu asked him, Have ye seen the Master, Sir?
The old man answered, Thy four limbs are idle, thou canst not sort the five seeds: who is thy Master?
And he planted his staff, and weeded.
Tzu-lu stood and bowed.
He kept Tzu-lu for the night, killed a fowl, made millet, gave them him to eat, and presented his two sons.
Tzu-lu left the next day, and told the Master.
The Master said, He is in hiding.
He sent Tzu-lu back to see him; but when he arrived he had gone.
Tzu-lu said, Not to take office is not right. If the ties of old and young cannot be thrown off, how can he throw off the liege's duty to his lord? He wishes to keep his life clean, but he is unsettling the bonds between men. To discharge that duty a gentleman takes office, though he knows beforehand that the Way will not be kept.
8. 逸民：伯夷、叔齊、虞仲、夷逸、朱張、柳下惠、少連。子曰：「不降其志，不辱其 身，伯夷叔齊與？」謂柳下惠、少連：「降志辱身矣；言中倫，行中慮，其斯而已矣！」謂虞仲、夷逸：「隱居放言，身中清，廢中權。」「我則異於是，無可無不可。」
Po-yi, Shu-ch'i, Yü-chung, Yi-yi, Chu-chang, Liu-hsia Hui and Shao-lien were men that hid from the world.
The Master said, Po-yi and Shu-ch'i did not bend the will or shame the body.
We must say that Liu-hsia Hui and Shao-lien bent the will and shamed the body. Their words hit man's duty, their deeds hit our hopes. This we can say and no more.
We may say that Yü-chung and Yi-yi lived hidden, but were free of speech. Their lives were clean, their retreat was well weighed.
But I am unlike all of them: there is nothing I must, or must not, do.
9. 大師摯適齊，亞飯干適楚，三飯繚適蔡，四飯缺適秦；鼓方叔，入於河；播武， 入於漢；少師陽，擊磬襄，入於海。
Chih, the Great Music-master, went to Ch'i; Kan, the conductor at the second meal, went to Ch'u; Liao, the conductor at the third meal, went to Ts'ai; Chüeh, the conductor at the fourth meal, went to Ch'in. The drum master Fang-shu crossed the River; the tambourine master Wu crossed the Han; Yang the second bandmaster and Hsiang, who played the sounding stones, crossed the sea.
10. 周公謂魯公曰：「君子不施其親，不使大臣，怨乎不以。故舊無大故，則不棄也。無 求備於一人。」
The Duke of Chou said to the Duke of Lu, A gentleman does not forsake kinsmen, nor offend his great lieges by not using them. He will not cast off an old friend unless he have big cause; he does not ask everything of anyone.
11. 周有八士：伯達、伯适、仲突、仲忽、叔夜、叔夏、季隨、季騧。子張
Chou had eight knights: Po-ta and Po-kuo, Chung-tu and Chung-hu, Shu-yeh and Shu-hsia, Chi-sui and Chi-kua.
The Master said,Can I herd with birds and beasts? he said. Whom but these men can I take as fellows? And if the Way were kept by all below heaven, I should not need to change them.
微子第十八
BOOK XVIII
1. 微子去之，箕子為之奴，比干諫而死。孔子曰：「殷有三仁焉！」
The lord of Wei left, the lord of Chi was made a slave, Pi-kan spake out, and died. Confucius said, Three of the Yin had love.
2. 柳下惠為士師，三黜。人曰：「子未可以去乎？」曰：「直道而事人，焉往而不三黜 ！枉道而事人，何必去父母之邦！」
Whilst Liu-hsia Hui was Chief Knight he was dismissed thrice. Men said. Is it not yet time to leave. Sir? He answered, If I serve men the straight way, where can I go without being dismissed thrice? If I am to serve men the crooked way, why should I leave the land of my father and mother?
3. 齊景公待孔子曰：「若季氏則吾不能，以季、孟之間待之。」曰：「吾老矣。不能 用也。」孔子行。
Speaking of how to treat Confucius, Ching, Duke of Ch'i, said, I cannot treat him as I do the Chi. I put him between Chi and Meng. I am old, he said; I cannot use him. Confucius left.
4. 齊人歸女樂，季桓子受之，三日不朝，孔子行。
The men of Ch'I sent a gift of music girls. Chi Huan accepted them, and for three days no court was held. Confucius left.
5. 楚狂接輿，歌而過孔子曰：「鳳兮！鳳兮！何德之衰？往者不可諫，來者猶可追。 已而！已而！今之從政者殆而！」孔子下，欲與之言。趨而辟之，不得與之言。
Chieh-yü, the mad-head of Ch'u, as he passed Confucius, sang, Phoenix, bright phoenix,Thy glory is ended!Think of to-morrow;The past can't be mended.Up and away!The Court is todayWith danger attended. Confucius alighted, for he wished to speak with him: but he hurried away, and he could not speak with him.
6. 長沮桀溺耦而耕。孔子過之，使子路問津焉。長沮曰：「夫執輿者為誰？」子路曰： 「為孔丘。」曰：「是魯孔丘與？」曰：「是也。」曰：「是知津矣！」問於桀溺，桀溺曰：「子為誰？」曰：「為仲由。」曰：「是魯孔丘之徒與？」對曰：「然。」曰：「滔滔者，天下皆是也，而誰以易之？且而與其從辟人之士也，豈若從辟世之士哉？」耰而不輟。子路行以告，夫子憮然曰：「鳥獸不可與同群，吾非斯人之徒與而誰與？天下有道，丘不與易也。」
Ch'ang-chü and Chieh-ni were working in the fields. As Confucius passed them, he sent Tzu-lu to ask for the ford. Ch'ang-chü said, Who is that holding the reins? He is K'ung Ch'iu, said Tzu-lu. Is he K'ung Ch'iu of Lu? Yes, said Tzu-lu. He knows the ford, said Ch'ang-chü. Tzu-lu asked Chieh-ni. Who are ye, Sir? he answered. I am Chung Yu. The disciple of K'ung Ch'iu of Lu? Yes, he answered. All below heaven is seething and boiling, said Chieh-ni, who can change it? How much better would it be to follow a knight that flees the world than to follow a knight that flees persons! And he went on hoeing without stop. Tzu-lu went and told the Master, whose face fell. Can I herd with birds and beasts? he said. Whom but these men can I take as fellows? And if the Way were kept by all below heaven, I should not need to change them.
The Master said, I hate those that take spying for wisdom, who take want of manners for courage, and take tale-telling for honesty.
陽貨第十七
BOOK XVII
17. 子曰：「巧言令色鮮矣仁。」
The Master said, Smooth words and fawning looks are seldom found with love.
18. 子曰：「惡紫之奪朱也，惡鄭聲之亂雅樂也，惡利口之覆邦家者。」
The Master said, I hate the ousting of scarlet by purple. I hate the strains of Cheng, confounders of sweet music. I hate a sharp tongue, the ruin of kingdom and home.
19. 子曰：「予欲無言！」子貢曰：「子如不言，則小子何述焉？」子曰：「天何言哉！ 四時行焉，百物生焉，天何言哉？」
The Master said, I wish no word were spoken! Tzu-kung said, Sir, if ye said no word, what could your little children write? The Master said, What are the words of Heaven? The four seasons pass, the hundred things bear life. What are the words of Heaven?
20. 孺悲欲見孔子，孔子辭以疾，將命者出戶，取瑟而歌，使之聞之。
Ju Pei wished to see Confucius. Confucius pleaded sickness; but, as the messenger left his door, he took a lute and sang, so the messenger should hear.
21. 宰我問：「三年之喪，期已久矣！君子三年不為禮，禮必壞；三年不為樂，樂必崩。 舊穀既沒，新穀既升；鑽燧改火，期可已矣。」子曰：「食夫稻，衣夫錦，於女安乎？」曰：「安！」「女安則為之。夫君子之居喪，食旨不甘，聞樂不樂，居處不安，故不為也。今女安，則為之。」宰我出。子曰：「予之不仁也！子生三年，然後免於父母之懷。夫三年之喪，天下之通喪也；予也，有三年之愛於其父母乎？」
Tsai Wo asked about mourning for three years. He thought that one was enough. If for three years gentlemen forsake courtesy, courtesy must suffer. If for three years they forsake music, music must decay. The old grain passes, the new grain sprouts, the round of woods for the fire-drill is ended in one year. The Master said, Feeding on rice, clad in brocade, couldst thou be at rest? I could, he answered. Then do what gives thee rest. But a gentleman, when he is mourning, has no taste for sweets and no ear for music; he cannot rest in his home. So he gives these up. Now, they give thee rest; then keep them. After Tsai Wo had gone, the Master said, Yü's want of love! At the age of three a child first leaves the arms of his father and mother, and mourning lasts for three years everywhere below heaven. But did Yü have for three years the love of his father and mother?
22. 子曰：「飽食終日，無所用心，難矣哉！不有博弈者乎？為之猶賢乎已！」
The Master said, It is hard indeed when a man eats his fill all day, and has nothing to task the mind! Could he not play at chequers? Even that were better.
23. 子路曰：「君子尚勇乎？」子曰：「君子義以為上。君子有勇而無義為亂，小人有勇 而無義為盜。」
Tzu-lu said, Do gentlemen honour daring? They put right higher, said the Master. With daring and no sense of right gentlemen turn rebels and small men turn robbers.
24. 子貢曰：「君子亦有惡乎？」子曰：「有惡。惡稱人之惡者，惡居下流而訕上者，惡 勇而無禮者，惡果敢而窒者。」曰：「賜也亦有惡乎？」「惡徼以為知者，惡不孫以為勇者，惡訐以為直者。」
Tzu-kung said, Do gentlemen hate too? They do, said the Master. They hate the sounding of evil deeds; they hate men of low estate that slander those over them; they hate daring without courtesy; they hate men that are stout and fearless, but blind. And Tz'u, he said, dost thou hate too? I hate those that take spying for wisdom, who take want of manners for courage, and take tale-telling for honesty.
25. 子曰：「唯女子與小人為難養也！近之則不孫，遠之則怨。」
The Master said, Only maids and serving-lads are hard to train. If we draw near to them, they get unruly; if we hold them off, they grow spiteful.
26. 子曰：「年四十而見惡焉，其終也已。」
The Master said, When a man of forty is hated, he will be so to the end.
The Master said, Men of old had three failings, which have, perhaps, died out to-day. Ambitious men of old were not nice; now they are unprincipled. Stern men of old were hard; now they are quarrelsome. Ignorant men of old were straight; now they are false. That is all.
陽貨第十七
BOOK XVII
9. 子曰：「小子！何莫學夫詩？詩，可以興，可以觀，可以群，可以怨。邇之事父，遠 之事君，多識於鳥獸草木之名。」
The Master said, My little children, why do ye not learn poetry? Poetry would ripen you; teach you insight, friendliness and forbearance; show you how to serve your father at home; and teach your lord abroad; and it would teach you the names of many birds and beasts, plants and trees.
10. 子謂伯魚曰：「女為周南召南矣乎？人而不為周南，召南，其猶正牆面而立也與？」
The Master said to Po-yü, Hast thou done the Chou-nan and Shao-nan? He that has not done the Chou-nan and Shao-nan is like a man standing with his face to the wall.
11. 子曰：「禮云禮云，玉帛云乎哉？樂云樂云，鐘鼓云乎哉？」
The Master said, 'Courtesy, courtesy,' is the cry; but are jade and silk the whole of courtesy? 'Music, music,' is the cry; but are bells and drums the whole of music?
12. 子曰：「色厲而內荏，譬諸小人，其猶穿窬之盜也與。」
The Master said, Fierce looks and weakness within are like the small man, like the thief that breaks through or clambers over a wall.
13. 子曰：「鄉原，德之賊也。」
The Master said, The plain townsman is the bane of mind.
14. 子曰：「道聽而塗說，德之棄也。」
The Master said, To tell unto the dust all that we hear upon the way is to lay waste the mind.
15. 子曰：「鄙夫可與事君也與？其未得之也，患得之；既得之，患失之。苟患失之，無 所不至矣！」
The Master said, How can we serve the king with a low fellow, who is itching to get what he wants and trembling to lose what he has? This trembling to lose what he has may lead him anywhere.
16. 子曰：「古者民有三疾，今也或是之亡也。古之狂也肆，今之狂也蕩；古之矜也廉， 今之矜也忿戾；古之愚也直，今之愚也詐而已矣。」
The Master said, Men of old had three failings, which have, perhaps, died out to-day. Ambitious men of old were not nice; now they are unprincipled. Stern men of old were hard; now they are quarrelsome. Ignorant men of old were straight; now they are false. That is all.
Confucius said, Love is to mete out five things to all below heaven: Modesty and bounty, truth, earnestness and kindness. Modesty escapes insult: bounty wins the many; truth gains men's trust; earnestness brings success; and kindness is enough to make men work.
陽貨第十七
BOOK XVII
1. 陽貨欲見孔子，孔子不見，歸孔子豚。孔子時其亡也，而往拜之。遇諸塗。謂孔子曰： 「來！予與爾言。」曰：「懷其寶而迷其邦，可謂仁乎？」曰：「不可。」「好從事而亟失時，可謂知乎？」曰：「不可。」「日月逝矣！歲不我與！」孔子曰：「諾，吾將仕矣！」
Yang Huo wished to see Confucius. Confucius did not go to see him. He sent Confucius a sucking pig. Confucius chose a time when he was out, and went to thank him. They met on the road. He said to Confucius, Come, let us speak together. To cherish a gem, and undo the kingdom, can that be called love? It cannot, said Confucius. To love office, and miss the hour again and again, can that be called wisdom? It cannot, said Confucius. The days and months go by; the years do not wait for us. True, said Confucius; I must take office.
2. 子曰：「性相近也，習相遠也。」
The Master said, Men are near to each other by nature; the lives they lead sunder them.
3. 子曰：「唯上知與下愚不移。」
The Master said, Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
4. 子之武城，聞弦歌之聲，夫子莞爾而笑曰：「割雞焉用牛刀？」子游對曰：「昔者， 偃也聞諸夫子曰：『君子學道則愛人，小人學道則易使也。』」子曰：「二三子！偃之言是也，前言戲之耳！」
As the Master came to Wu-ch'eng he heard sounds of lute and song. Why use an ox-knife to kill a fowl? said the Master, with a pleased smile. Tzu-yu answered, Master, once I heard you say, A gentleman that has learnt the Way loves men; small folk that have learnt the Way are easy to rule. My two-three boys, said the Master, what Yen says is true. I spake before in play.
5. 公山弗擾以費叛，召，子欲往。子路不說，曰：「末之也已，何必公山氏之之也？」 子曰：「夫召我者，而豈徒哉？如有用我者，吾其為東周乎！」
Kung-shan Fu-jao held Pi in rebellion. He called the Master, who wished to go. Tzu-lu said in displeasure. This cannot be! why must ye go to Kung-shan? The Master said, He calls me, and would that be all? Could I not make an Eastern Chou of him that uses me?
6. 子張問「仁」於孔子。孔子曰：「能行五者於天下，為仁矣。」「請問之？」曰： 「恭、寬、信、敏、惠。恭則不侮，寬則得眾，信則人任焉，敏則有功，惠則足以使人。」
Tzu-chang asked Confucius what is love. Confucius said, Love is to mete out five things to all below heaven. May I ask what they are? Modesty and bounty, said Confucius, truth, earnestness and kindness. Modesty escapes insult: bounty wins the many; truth gains men's trust; earnestness brings success; and kindness is enough to make men work.
7. 佛肸召，子欲往。子路曰：「昔者由也聞諸夫子曰：『親於其身為不善者，君子不入 也』。佛肸以中牟畔，子之往也，如之何？」子曰：「然，有是言也。不曰堅乎？磨而不磷；不曰白乎？涅而不緇。吾豈匏瓜也哉？焉能繫而不食！」
Pi Hsi called the Master, who wished to go. Tzu-lu said, Master, I heard you say once, To men whose own life is evil, no gentleman will go. Pi Hsi holds Chung-mou in rebellion; how could ye go to him, Sir? Yes, I said so, answered the Master. But is not a thing called hard that cannot be ground thin; white, if steeping will not turn it black? And am I a gourd? Can I hang without eating?
8. 子曰：「由也，女聞六言六蔽矣乎？」對曰：「未也。」「居！吾語女。好仁不好學， 其蔽也愚；好知不好學，其蔽也蕩；好信不好學，其蔽也賊；好直不好學，其蔽也絞；好勇不好學，其蔽也亂；好剛不好學，其蔽也狂。」
The Master said, Hast thou heard the six words, Yu, and the six they sink into? \ He answered. No. Sit down, and I shall tell thee. The thirst for love, without love of learning, sinks into simpleness. Love of knowledge, without love of learning, sinks into vanity. Love of truth, without love of learning, sinks into cruelty. Love of straightness, without love of learning, sinks into rudeness. Love of daring, without love of learning, sinks into turbulence. Love of strength, without love of learning, sinks into oddity.
Confucius said, to live seclusive and search thy will; to achieve thy Way, by doing right: I have heard these words, but I have seen no such men..
季氏第十六
BOOK XVI
11. 孔子曰：「見善如不及，見不善而探湯，吾見其人矣，吾聞其語矣！隱居以求其志， 行義以達其道，吾聞其語矣，未見其人也！」
Confucius said, In sight of good to be filled with longing; to look on evil as scalding to the touch: I have seen such men, I have heard such words. To live apart and search thy will; to achieve thy Way, by doing right: I have heard these words, but I have seen no such men.
12. 「齊景公有馬千駟，死之日，民無德而稱焉。伯夷、叔齊餓於首陽之下，民到于今 稱之，其斯之謂與？」 Ching, Duke of Ch'i, had a thousand teams of horses; but the people, on his death day, found no good in him to praise. Po-yi and Shu-ch'I starved at the foot of Shou-yang, and to this day the people still praise them. Is not this the clue to that?
13. 陳亢問於伯魚曰：「子亦有異聞乎？」對曰：「未也。嘗獨立，鯉趨而過庭。曰： 『學詩乎？』對曰：『未也。』『不學詩，無以言。』鯉退而學詩。他日，又獨立，鯉趨而過庭。曰：『學禮乎？』對曰：『未也。』『不學禮，無以立。』鯉退而學禮。聞斯二者。」陳亢退而喜曰：「問一得三，聞詩、聞禮，又聞君子之遠其子也。」
Ch'en K'ang asked Po-yü, Apart from us, have ye heard anything, Sir? He answered, No: once as my father stood alone and I sped across the hall, he said to me, Art thou learning poetry? I answered, No. He that does not learn poetry, he said, has no hold on words. I withdrew and learned poetry. Another day, when he again stood alone and I sped across the hall, he said to me, Art thou learning courtesy? I answered, No. He that does not learn courtesy, he said, has no foothold. I withdrew and learned courtesy. These two things I have heard. Ch'en K'ang withdrew, and cried gladly, I asked one thing, and I get three! I hear of poetry; I hear of courtesy; and I hear too that a gentleman stands aloof from his son.
14. 邦君子之妻，君稱之曰夫人，夫人自稱曰小童，邦人稱之曰君夫人，稱諸異邦曰寡 小君，異邦人稱之亦曰君夫人。 A king speaks of his wife as 'my wife.' She calls herself 'handmaid.' Her subjects speak of her as 'our lord's wife,' but when they speak to foreigners, they say 'our little queen.' Foreigners speak of her, too, as 'the lord's wife.'
Confucius said, A gentleman has nine aims. To see clearly; to understand what he hears; to be warm in manner, dignified in bearing, faithful of speech, keen at work; to ask when in doubt; in anger to think of difficulties; and in sight of gain to think of right.
季氏第十六
BOOK XVI
6. 孔子曰：「侍於君子有三愆。言未及之而言謂之躁，言及之而不言謂之隱，未見顏色 而言謂之瞽。」
Confucius said. Men that wait upon lords fall into three mistakes. To speak before the time has come is rashness. Not to speak when the time has come is secrecy. To speak heedless of looks is blindness.
7. 孔子曰：「君子有三戒。少之時，血氣未定，戒之在色；及其壯也，血氣方剛，戒之 在鬥；及其老也，血氣既衰，戒之在得。」
Confucius said, A gentleman has three things to guard against. In the days of thy youth, ere thy strength is steady, beware of lust. When manhood is reached, in the fulness of strength, beware of strife. In old age, when thy strength is broken, beware of greed.
8. 孔子曰：「君子有三畏：畏天命，畏大人，畏聖人之言。小人不知天命而不畏也，狎 大人，侮聖人之言。」
Confucius said, A gentleman holds three things in awe. He is in awe of the Bidding of Heaven; he is in awe of great men; and he is awed by the words of the holy. The small man knows not the Bidding of Heaven, and holds it not in awe. He is saucy towards the great; he makes game of holy men's words.
9. 孔子曰：「生而知之者，上也；學而知之者，次也；困而學之，又其次也。困而不學 ，民斯為下矣！」
Confucius said, The best men are born wise. Next come those that grow wise by learning; then those that learn from toil. Those that do not learn from toil are the lowest of the people.
10. 孔子曰：「君子有九思：視思明，聽思聰，色思溫，貌思恭，言思忠，事思敬，疑 思問，忿思難，見得思義。」
Confucius said, A gentleman has nine aims. To see clearly; to understand what he hears; to be warm in manner, dignified in bearing, faithful of speech, keen at work; to ask when in doubt; in anger to think of difficulties; and in sight of gain to think of right.
Confucius said, There are three delights that do good, and three that do us harm. Those that do good are delight in dissecting good form and music, delight in speaking of the good in men, and delight in having many worthy friends. Those that do harm are proud delights, delight in idle roving, and delight in the joys of the feast.
季氏第十六
BOOK XVI
1. 季氏將伐顓臾。冉有季路見於孔子曰：「季氏將有事於顓臾。」孔子曰：「求，無乃 爾是過與？夫顓臾，昔者先王以為東蒙主，且在邦域之中矣，是社稷之臣也，何以伐為？」冉有曰：「夫子欲之；吾二臣者，皆不欲也。」孔子曰：「求，周任有言曰：『陳力就列，不能者止。』危而不持，顛而不扶，則將焉用彼相矣？且爾言過矣。虎兕出於柙，龜玉毀於櫝中，是誰之過與？」冉有曰：「今夫顓臾，固而近於費，今不取，後世必為子孫憂。」孔子曰：「求，君子疾夫舍曰『欲之』，而必為之辭。丘也聞，有國有家者，不患寡而患不均，不患貧而患不安。蓋均無貧，和無寡，安無傾。夫如是，故遠人不服，則修文德以來之。既來之，則安之。今由與求也，相夫子，遠人不服而不能來也，邦分崩離析，而不能守也，而謀動干戈於邦內，吾恐季孫之憂，不在顓臾，而在蕭牆之內也！」
The Chi was about to make war on Chuan-yü. When Confucius saw Jan Yu and Chi-lu, they said to him, The Chi is going to deal with Chuan-yü.
Confucius said, After all, Ch'iu, art thou not in the wrong? The kings of old made Chuan-yü lord of Tung Meng. Moreover, as Chuan-yü is inside our borders it is the liege of the spirits of earth and corn of our land; so how can ye make war upon it? Jan Yu said, Our master wishes it. Tzu-lu and I, his two ministers, do not, either of us, wish it.
Confucius said, Ch'iu, Chou Jen used to say, 'He that can put forth his strength takes his place in the line; he that cannot stands back.' Who would take to help him a man that is no stay in danger and no support in falling? Moreover, what thou sayest is wrong. If a tiger or a buffalo escapes from his pen, if tortoiseshell or jade is broken in its case, who is to blame?
Jan Yu said, But Chuan-yü is now strong, and it is near to Pi; if it is not taken now, in days to come it will bring sorrow on our sons and grandsons. Ch'iu, said Confucius, instead of saying 'I want it,' a gentleman hates to plead that he needs must. I have heard that fewness of men does not vex a king or a chief, but unlikeness of lot vexes him. Poverty does not vex him, but want of peace vexes him. For if wealth were even, no one would be poor. In harmony is number; peace prevents a fall. Thus, if far off tribes will not submit, bring them in by encouraging mind and art, and when they come in give them peace. But now, when far off tribes will not submit, ye two, helpers of your lord, cannot bring them in. The kingdom is split and falling, and ye cannot save it. Yet inside our land ye plot to move spear and shield! The sorrows of Chi's grandsons will not rise in Chuan-yü, I fear: they will rise within the palace wall.
2. 孔子曰：「天下有道，則禮樂征伐自天子出；天下無道，則禮樂征伐自諸侯出。自諸 侯出，蓋十世希不失矣；自大夫出，五世希不失矣。陪臣執國命，三世希不失矣。天下有道，則政不在大夫。天下有道，則庶人不議。」
Confucius said, When the Way is kept below heaven, courtesy, music and punitive wars flow from the Son of heaven. When the Way is lost below heaven, courtesy, music and punitive wars flow from the great vassals. When they flow from the great vassals they will rarely last for ten generations. When they flow from the great ministers they will rarely last for five generations. When underlings sway the country's fate they will rarely last for three generations. When the Way is kept below heaven power does not lie with the great ministers. When the Way is kept below heaven common folk do not argue.
3. 孔子曰：「祿之去公室五世矣，政逮於大夫四世矣。故夫三桓之子孫微矣。」 Confucius said, For five generations its income has passed from the ducal house; for four generations power has lain with the great ministers: and humbled, therefore, are the sons and grandsons of the three Huan.
4. 孔子曰：「益者三友，損者三友。友直，友諒，友多聞，益矣。友便辟，友善柔，友 便佞，損矣。」
Confucius said, There are three friends that help us, and three that do us harm. The friends that help us are a straight friend, an outspoken friend, and a friend that has heard much. The friends that harm us are plausible friends, friends that like to flatter, and friends with a glib tongue.
5. 孔子曰：「益者三樂，損者三樂。樂節禮樂，樂道人之善，樂多賢友，益矣。樂驕樂 ，樂佚遊，樂宴樂，損矣。」
Confucius said, There are three delights that do good, and three that do us harm. Those that do good are delight in dissecting good form and music, delight in speaking of the good in men, and delight in having many worthy friends. Those that do harm are proud delights, delight in idle roving, and delight in the joys of the feast.
The Master said, What wisdom has got will be lost again, unless love hold it fast. Wisdom to get and love to hold fast, without dignity of bearing, will not be honoured among men. Wisdom to get, love to hold fast and dignity of bearing, without courteous ways are not enough.
衛靈公第十五
BOOK XV
31. 子曰：「君子謀道不謀食。耕也，餒在其中矣；學也，祿在其中矣。君子憂道不憂 貧。」
The Master said, A gentleman thinks of the Way; he does not think of food. Sow, and famine may follow; learn, and pay may come; but a gentleman grieves for the Way; to be poor does not grieve him.
32. 子曰：「知及之，仁不能守之，雖得之，必失之。知及之，仁能守之，不莊以 之，則民不敬。知及之，仁能守之，莊以 之，動之不以禮，未善也。」
The Master said, What wisdom has got will be lost again, unless love hold it fast. Wisdom to get and love to hold fast, without dignity of bearing, will not be honoured among men. Wisdom to get, love to hold fast and dignity of bearing, without courteous ways are not enough.
33. 子曰：「君子不可小知，而可大受也。小人不可大受，而可小知也。」
The Master said, A gentleman has no small knowledge, but he can carry out big things: the small man can carry out nothing big, but he may be knowing in small things.
34. 子曰：「民之於仁也，甚於水火。水火，吾見蹈而死者矣，未見蹈仁而死者也。」
The Master said, Love is more to the people than fire and water. I have seen men come to their death by fire and water: I have seen no man that love brought to his death.
35. 子曰：「當仁不讓於師。」
The Master said, When love is at stake yield not to an army.
36. 子曰：「君子貞而不諒。」
The Master said, A gentleman is consistent, not changeless.
37. 子曰：「事君敬其事而後其食。」
The Master said, A servant of the king honours his work, and puts food after it.
38. 子曰：「有教無類。」
The Master said, Learning knows no rank.
39. 子曰：「道不同，不相為謀。」
The Master said, Mingle not in projects with a man whose way is not thine.
40. 子曰：「辭，達而已矣！」
The Master said, The whole end of speech is to be understood.
41. 師冕見。及階，子曰：「階也！」及席，子曰：「席也！」皆坐，子告之曰：「某在 斯！某在斯！」師冕出，子張問曰：「與師言之道與？」子曰：「然，固相師之道也。」
When he saw the music-master Mien, the Master said, as they came to the steps, Here are the steps. On coming to the mat, he said, Here is the mat. When all were seated, the Master told him, He and he are here. After the music-master had gone, Tzu-chang said, Is this the way to speak to a music-master? The Master said, Surely it is the way to help a music-master.
