XIX
The Master said, “To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced.”
XX
Fan Ch’ih asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said, “To give one’s self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.” He asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, “The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration;—this may be called perfect virtue.”
XXI
The Master said, “The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived.”
XXII
The Master said, “Ch’î, by one change, would come to the State of Lû. Lû, by one change, would come to a State where true principles predominated.”
XXIII
The Master said, “A cornered vessel without corners.—A strange cornered vessel! A strange cornered vessel!”
XXIV
Tsâi Wo asked, saying, “A benevolent man, though it be told him—‘There is a man in the well’ will go in after him, I suppose.” Confucius said, “Why should he do so? A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled.”
XXV
The Master said, “The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right.”
XXVI
The Master having visited Nan-tsze, Tsze-lû was displeased, on which the Master swore, saying, “Wherein I have done improperly, may Heaven reject me, may Heaven reject me!”
XXVII
The Master said, “Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Constant Mean! Rare for a long time has been its practise among the people.”
XXVIII
Tsze-kung said, “Suppose the case of a man extensively conferring benefits on the people, and able to assist all, what would you say of him? Might he be called perfectly virtuous?” The Master said, “Why speak only of virtue in connection with him? Must he not have the qualities of a sage? Even Yâo and Shun were still solicitous about this.
“Now the man of perfect virtue, wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others.
“To be able to judge of others by what is nigh in ourselves;—this may be called the art of virtue.”
Book VII
Shû R
I
The Master said, “A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with our old P’âng.”
II
The Master said, “The silent treasuring up of knowledge; learning without satiety; and instructing others without being wearied:—which one of these things belongs to me?”
III
The Master said, “The learning virtue without proper cultivation; the not thoroughly discussing what is learned; not being able to move towards righteousness of which a knowledge is gained; and not being able to change what is not good:—these are the things which occasion me solicitude.”
IV
When the Master was unoccupied with business, his manner was easy, and he looked pleased.
V
The Master said, “Extreme is my decay. For a long time, I have not dreamed, as I was wont to do, that I saw the duke of Châu.”
VI
The Master said, “Let the will be set on the path of duty.
“Let every attainment in what is good be firmly grasped.
“Let perfect virtue be accorded with.
“Let relaxation and enjoyment be found in the polite arts.”
VII
The Master said, “From the man bringing his bundle of dried flesh for my teaching upwards, I have never refused instruction to anyone.”
VIII
The Master said, “I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge, nor help out anyone who is not anxious to explain himself. When I have presented one corner of a subject to anyone, and he cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson.”
IX
When the Master was eating by the side of a mourner, he never ate to the full.
He did not sing on the same day in which he had been weeping.
X
The Master said to Yen Yüan, “When called to office, to undertake its duties; when not so called, to lie retired;—it is only I and you who have attained to this.”
Tsze-lû said, “If you had the conduct of the armies of a great State, whom would you have to act with you?”
The Master said, “I would not have him to act with me, who will unarmed attack a tiger, or cross a river without a boat, dying without any regret. My associate must be the man who proceeds to action full of solicitude, who is fond of adjusting his plans, and then carries them into execution.”
XI
The Master said, “If the search for riches is sure to be successful, though I should become a groom with whip in hand to get them, I will do so. As the search may not be successful, I will follow after that which I love.”
XII
The things in reference to which the Master exercised the greatest caution were—fasting, war, and sickness.
XIII
When the Master was in Ch’î, he heard the Shâo, and for three months did not know the taste of flesh. “I did not think,” he said, “that music
