The Analects of Confucius | Page 8

never been denied the privilege of
seeing them.' The followers of the sage introduced him, and when he came out from the
interview, he said, 'My friends, why are you distressed by your master's loss of office?
The kingdom has long been without the principles of truth and right; Heaven is going to
use your master as a bell with its wooden tongue.' CHAP. XXV. The Master said of the
Shao that it was perfectly beautiful and also perfectly good. He said of the Wu that it was
perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good. CHAP. XXVI. The Master said, 'High station
filled without indulgent generosity; ceremonies performed without reverence; mourning
conducted without sorrow;-- wherewith should I contemplate such ways?'
BOOK IV. LE JIN.

CHAP. I. The Master said, 'It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a
neighborhood. If a man in selecting a residence, do not fix on one where such prevail,
how can he be wise?' CHAP. II. The Master said, 'Those who are without virtue cannot
abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment.
The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue.'
CHAP. III. The Master said, 'It is only the (truly) virtuous man, who can love, or who can
hate, others.' CHAP. IV. The Master said, 'If the will be set on virtue, there will be no
practice of wickedness.' CHAP. V. 1. The Master said, 'Riches and honours are what men
desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and
meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not
be avoided. 2. 'If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfil the requirements of
that name? 3. 'The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act
contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves
to it.'
CHAP. VI. 1. The Master said, 'I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who
hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. He
who hated what is not virtuous, would practise virtue in such a way that he would not
allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person. 2. 'Is any one able for one day
to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be
insufficient. 3. 'Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it.' CHAP. VII.
The Master said, 'The faults of men are characteristic of the class to which they belong.
By observing a man's faults, it may be known that he is virtuous.'
CHAP. VIII. The Master said, 'If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in
the evening without regret.' CHAP. IX. The Master said, 'A scholar, whose mind is set on
truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to be discoursed with.'
CHAP. X. The Master said, 'The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either
for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.' CHAP. XI. The Master
said, 'The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior
man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favours which he may
receive.'
CHAP. XII. The Master said: 'He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage
will be much murmured against.' CHAP. XIII. The Master said, 'Is a prince is able to
govern his kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety, what
difficulty will he have? If he cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has he to do
with the rules of propriety?' CHAP. XIV. The Master said, 'A man should say, I am not
concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not
concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known.' CHAP. XV. 1. The
Master said, 'Shan, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity.' The disciple Tsang
replied, 'Yes.' 2. The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying,
'What do his words mean?' Tsang said, 'The doctrine of our master is to be true to the
principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,-- this and nothing
more.' CHAP. XVI. The Master said, 'The mind of the superior man is conversant with

righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain.' CHAP. XVII. The
Master said, 'When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we
see