“What do you say of Ch’ih?” The Master replied, “With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch’ih might be employed to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.”
VII
The Master said to Tsze-kung, “Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hûi?”
Tsze-kung replied, “How dare I compare myself with Hûi? Hûi hears one point and knows all about a subject; I hear one point, and know a second.”
The Master said, “You are not equal to him. I grant you, you are not equal to him.”
IX
Tsai Yü being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, “Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. This Yü!—what is the use of my reproving him?”
The Master said, “At first, my way with men was to hear their words, and give them credit for their conduct. Now my way is to hear their words, and look at their conduct. It is from Yü that I have learned to make this change.”
X
The Master said, “I have not seen a firm and unbending man.” Someone replied, “There is Shǎn Ch’ǎng.” “Ch’ǎng,” said the Master, “is under the influence of his passions; how can he be pronounced firm and unbending?”
XI
Tsze-kung said, “What I do not wish men to do to me, I also wish not to do to men.” The Master said, “Ts’ze, you have not attained to that.”
XII
Tsze-kung said, “The Master’s personal displays of his principles and ordinary descriptions of them may be heard. His discourses about man’s nature, and the way of Heaven, cannot be heard.”
XIII
When Tsze-lû heard anything, if he had not yet succeeded in carrying it into practice, he was only afraid lest he should hear something else.
XIV
Tsze-kung asked, saying, “On what ground did Kung-wǎn get that title of wǎn?” The Master said, “He was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors!—On these grounds he has been styled wǎn.”
XV
The Master said of Tsze-ch’ân that he had four of the characteristics of a superior man:—in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving his superiors, he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was kind; in ordering the people, he was just.
XVI
The Master said, “Yen P’ing knew well how to maintain friendly intercourse. The acquaintance might be long, but he showed the same respect as at first.”
XVII
The Master said, “Tsǎng Wǎn kept a large tortoise in a house, on the capitals of the pillars of which he had hills made, and with representations of duckweed on the small pillars above the beams supporting the rafters.—Of what sort was his wisdom?”
XVIII
Tsze-chang asked, saying, “The minister Tsze Wǎn thrice took office, and manifested no joy in his countenance. Thrice he retired from office, and manifested no displeasure. He made it a point to inform the new minister of the way in which he had conducted the government;—what do you say of him?” The Master replied. “He was loyal.” “Was he perfectly virtuous?” “I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?”
Tsze-chang proceeded, “When the officer Ch’ûi killed the prince of Ch’î, Ch’ǎn Wǎn, though he was the owner of forty horses, abandoned them and left the country. Coming to another State, he said, ‘They are here like our great officer, Ch’ûi,’ and left it. He came to a second State, and with the same observation left it also;—what do you say of him?” The Master replied, “He was pure.” “Was he perfectly virtuous?” “I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?”
XIX
Chî Wǎn thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, “Twice may do.”
XX
The Master said, “When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Wû acted the part of a wise man. When his country was in disorder, he acted the part of a stupid man. Others may equal his wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity.”
XXI
When the Master was in Ch’ǎn, he said, “Let me return! Let me return! The little children of my school are ambitious and too hasty. They are accomplished and complete so far, but they do not know how to restrict and shape themselves.”
XXII
The Master said, “Po-î and Shû-ch’î did not keep the former wickednesses of men in mind, and hence the resentments directed towards them were few.”
XXIII
The Master said, “Who says of Wei-shang Kâo that he is upright? One begged some vinegar of him, and he begged it of a neighbor and gave it to the man.”
XXIV
The Master said, “Fine words, an insinuating appearance, and excessive respect;—Tso Ch’iû-ming was ashamed of them. I also am ashamed of them. To conceal resentment against a person, and appear friendly with him;—Tso Ch’iû-ming was ashamed of such conduct. I also am ashamed of it.”
XXV
Yen Yüan and Chî Lû being by his side, the Master said to them, “Come, let each of you tell his wishes.”
Tsze-lû said, “I should like, having chariots and horses, and light fur dresses, to share them with my friends, and though they should spoil them, I would not be displeased.”
Yen Yüan said, “I should like not to boast of my excellence, nor to make a display of my meritorious deeds.”
Tsze-lû then said, “I should like, sir, to hear your wishes.” The Master said, “They are, in regard to the aged, to give them rest; in regard to friends, to show them sincerity; in regard to the young, to treat them tenderly.”
XXVI
The Master said, “It is all over! I have not yet seen
