Analects

i. The Master said; "Is it not indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and constantly to exercise oneself therein? 2. And is it not delightful to have men of kindred spirit come to one from afar? 3. But is not he a true philosopher who, though he be unrecognised of men, cherishes no resentment? "

i. The philosopher Yu said: " He who lives a filial and respectful life, yet who is disposed to give offence to those above him is rare; and there has never been any one indisposed to offend those above him who yet has been fond of creating disorder. 2. The true philosopher devotes himself to the fundamental, for when that has been established right courses naturally evolve; and are not filial devotion and respect for elders the very foundation of an unselfish life? "

The Master said; " Artful speech and an ingratiating demeanour rarely accompany Virtue."

The philosopher Tseng said: " I daily examine myself on three points, — In planning for others have I failed in conscientiousness? In intercourse with friends have I been insincere? And have I failed to practise what I have been taught? "

The Master said; " To conduct the government of.a State of a thousand chariots there must be religious A attention to business and good faith, economy in expenditure and love of the people, and their employment on public works at the proper seasons."

The Master said: " When a youth is at home let him be filial, when abroad respectful to his elders; let him be circumspect and truthful, and while exhibiting a comprehensive love for all men, let him ally himself with the good. Having so acted, if he have energy to spare, let him employ it in polite studies."

Tzii Hsia said: " He who transfers his mind from feminine allure ment to excelling in moral excellence; who in serving his parents is ready to do so to the utmost of his ability; who in the service of his Prince is prepared to lay his life; and who in intercourse with his friends is sincere in what he says, — though others may speak of him as uneducated, I should certainly call him educated.".CHAPTER VIII.— 1. The Master said; " A Scholar is not grave will not inspire respect, and his learning will therefore lack stability. 2. His chief principles should be conscientiousness and sincerity. 3. Let him have no friends unequal to himself. 4. And when in the wrong let him not hesitate to amend."

The philosopher Tseng said; " Solicitude on the decease of parents, and the pursuit of them for long after, would cause an abundant restoration of the people's morals."

enquired of Tzu Kung saying: " When the Master

i. The philosopher Yu said: " In the usages of Decorum it is naturalness that is of value. In the regulations of the ancient kings this was the admirable feature, both small and great arising therefrom. 2. But there is a natural ness that is not permissible; for to know to be natural, and yet to be so beyond the XI, MI- THE ANALECTS. is alive, look at the bent of his will; dead, look at his conduct alter from the way of his father etc. Z. patre superstite, inspice illius animum; actiones; si nihil immutaverit a patris docunicntis, etc. K living, the son should have regard to what his father would have him do; dead, to what his father has done not change his father's principles, good son. Couv. Un consulter la volonte de son que son pere est et ses exemples, quancl il est mort.

The philosopher Yu said: ' When you make a promise consistent with what is right, you can keep your word. When you shew respect consistent with good taste, you keep shame and disgrace at a distance. When he in whom you confide is not one who fails his friends, you may trust him fully."

The Master said: ' The Scholar who in his food does not IS seek the gratification of his appetite, nor in his dwelling is solicitous of comfort, who is diligent in his work, and guarded in his speech, who associates with the high-prin cipled and thereby rectifies himself, — such a one may really be said to love learning."

i. "What do you think," asked Tzu Kung, " of the man who is poor yet not servile, or who is rich yet not proud?" " He will do," replied the Master, " but he is not equal to the man indeed I can begin to talk with him about the Odes, for when I tell him the premise he knows the conclusion."

The Master said. " I will not grieve that men do not know me; I will grieve that I do not know men." H3 II. I. -THE ANALECTS.

The Master said: " He who governs by his. moral excellence may be compared to the Pole-star, which abides in its place, while all the stars bow towards it" II. II. THE ANALKCTS. ing on the moral sentiment, revolve around it. Couv. etoilcs so men vent autour d'elle.

The Master said: "Though the Odes number three hundred, one phrase can cover them all, namely,

i. The Master said: " If you govern the people by laws, and keep them in order by penalties, they will avoid the penalties, yet lose their sense of shame. 2. But if you govern them by your moral excellence, and keep them in order fl- "I- THE ANALECTS.

I. The Master said: " At fifteen I set my mind upon wisdom. 2. At thirty I stood firm. 3. At forty I was free from doubts. 4. At fifty I underfill ffi stood the laws of Heaven. 5. At sixty my ear was docile. 6. At seventy I could follow the desires of my heart without transgressing the right."

When Meng Wu Po asked what filial duty meant the Master answered: " Parents should only have anxiety when their children are ill."

When Tzu Yu asked the meaning of filial piety the Master said: " The filial piety of the present day merely means to feed one's parents; but even one's dogs and horses all get their food; — without reverence wherein lies the difference? "

When Tzu Hsia asked the meaning of filial piety the Master said: " The demeanour is the difficulty. When there is anything to be done, that the young should undertake the burden of it; when there is wine and food that they should serve them to their seniors; — is this to be considered filial piety? "

The Master said: " I could talk to Hui for a whole day and he never raised an objection, as if he were stupid; but when he withdrew and I examined into his conduct when not with me, I nevertheless found him fully competent to demonstrate what I had taught him. Hui I he was not

i. The Master said: "Observe what he does; 2. look into his motives; 3. find out in what he rests. 4. Can a man hide himself! Can a man hide himself!"

The Master said: " He who keeps on reviewing his old and acquiring new knowledge may become a teacher of others."

The Master said: The higher type of man is not a machine."

On Tzu Kung asking about the nobler type of man the Master said: " He first practises what he preaches and afterwards preaches according to his practice."

-The Master said: " The nobler type of man is broad-minded and not partisan. The inferior man is partisan and not broad-minded."

- The Mastei said: " Learning without thought is useless. Thought without learning is dangerous."

- The Master said: " To devote oneself to irregular speculations is decidedly harmful."

- The Master said: " Yu! Shall I teach you the meaning of fir li i knowledge? When you know a thing to recognise that you know it, and when you do not know that you do not know, — that is knowledge."

Chang was studying with a view to preferment. 2. The Master said to him: " Hear much, reserve whatever causes you doubt, and speak guardedly of the rest; you will then suffer little criticism. See much, reserve whatever seems imprudent, and act guardedly as to the rest; you will then have few regrets.

Duke Ai enquired saying: " What should I do to ensure the contentment of the people? " " If you promote the upright and dismiss the ill-doer," replied Confucius, "the people will be contented; but if you promote the ill-doer and dismiss the upright, the people will be dis-contented."

When Chi asked how to inspire the people with respect and loyalty, so that they might be mutually emulous (for the welfare of the State), the Master said: " Lead them with dignity and they will be respectful; be filial and kind and they will be loyal; promote those who excel and teach the incompetent, and they.will encourage each other."

The Master said: " A man who is without good faith — I do not know how he is to get on. A waggon without its yoke-bar for the ox, or a carriage without its collar-bar for the horses, how can it be made to go? "

Tzu Chang asked whether the condition of things ten ages II. XXIII, XXIV. THE ANAI.KCTS. Couv. ce que feraient les cnipcrcurs cessives. H (or and IS threc krrcat of antiquity. Conf. answers that thc main principles of society are inalterable. are perpetuated are the three bonds of society and the five cardinal virtues, i.e. the bonds between JJ and and and; and thc virtues Non-essentials may change, e.g. and ififj 1SU but not the essentials followed the regulations of the Hea; wherein it took from or added to them may be known Some other may follow the Chow, but tlio' it should be at the distance of a hundred ages, its affairs may be known. '/,. Yin innitebatur in dynastias Ilia principles, etc. qure forte succedcnt dyn. Tcheou, licet centum essent dyn., possunt sciri. K. The present adopted the civilisation of the Mouse of Yin; what modification, etc. Perhaps some other may hereafter etc; but should that happen a hundred generations after this, etc. Couv. La Tcheou a adopte les prescriptions de la dyn. des In, etc. CHAPTKR XXIV.— SYCOPHANCY AND PUSIL LANIMITY. I. jU nicans -'' disembodied spirit, i.e. the manes of one's ancestors. Kuan. A a sPirit hc ought to Currying favour, toadying. to sacrifice to a spirit does not belong to him is flattery. 7,. )U genius, adulatio. K. To a spirit to whom one is not bound by a real feeling of duty or respect is idolatry. THE ANALECTS. II. XXIII, XXIV hence could be foreknown. 2. The Master answered: " The Yin dynasty perpetuated the civilisation of the Hsia; its modifications and accretions can be known. The Chou perpetuated the civilisation of the Yin, and its modifications and accretions can be known- Whatever others may succeed the Chou, their character, even a hundred ages hence, can be known."

-i. The Master said: " To sacrifice to a spirit not one's own

Confucius said of the head of the House of Chi, who had eight rows of dancers performing in his Temple:— " If he can bear to do this, what can he not bear to do? "

The members of the three great houses of Lu used the Yung Ode at the removal of the sacrifices. The Master " Assisted by princes and noblemen, Solemnly stands the Son of Heaven,'- What application can this have in the Hall of the three Families! "

-The Master said:— " A man who is not virtuous, what has he to do with worship? A man who is not virtuous, what has he to do with the music (of the

i. Lin Fang asked what was the chief principle in ceremonial " A great question indeed! 3. In ceremonies in general, it is better to be simple than lavish: and in the rites of mourning, heart felt distress is better than observance of detail."

The Master said:— 14 The tribes of the east and north have their princes, and are not, like all our great land, without."

When the chief of the Chi family was going to sacrifice on Mount T'ai, the Master addressing Jan Yu said: — "Can -you not save him from this?" "I cannot," he replied. "Alas!" said the Master, " is that not saying that the Spirit of Mount T'ai is not equal to Lin Fang?"

The Master said:- "A gentleman never contends in anything he does. — except perhaps in archery. Even then, he bows to his rival and yields him the way as they ascend the pavilion; in like manner he descends and offers him the penalty cup, — in his contentions he is still a gentleman."

Hsia asked:- 11 What is the meaning of the passage,— Tzu Hsia. "'Tis Shang who unfolds my meaning," replied the Master. " Now indeed, I can begin to discuss the poets with him."

The" Master said:- " I can describe the civilisation of the Hsia s a ai JE a it a it dynasty, but the descendant State of Ch'i cannot render adequate corroboration. I can describe the civilisation of the Yin dynasty, but the descendant State of Sung cannot render adequate corroboration. And all because of the deficiency of their records and wise men. Were those sufficient then I could corroborate my views."

The Master said: "At the quinquennial Sacrifice (in the Lu Ancestral Temple), after the libation has been sprinkled, I have no further wish to look on."

When some one asked the meaning of the quinquennial sacrifice, the Master replied: — " I do not know. He who knew its meaning, would he not find himself in regard to the whole Empire as if he were looking upon this?" — pointing to his palm.

i. He sacrificed (to his forefathers) as if they were present; he sacrificed to the gods as if the gods were present. 2. The Master said: "For me not to be present at a sacrifice is as if I did not sacrifice."

i. Wang-sun Chia efiqu red, "What is the meaning of the saying, ' It is better to pay court to the god of the hearth than to the god of the hall'?" 2. " Not so," answered Confucius, " He who sins against Heaven has no where left for prayer."

The Master said:- " Chou had the advantage of surveying the two preceding dynasties. How replete was its culture! I follow Chou."

When the Master first entered the Grand Temple he asked about everything, whereupon some one remark ed, — "Who says the son of the man ofTsou knows the correct forms? On entering the Grand Temple he asks about everything." The Master hearing (of) it remarked: — "This too is correct form."

The Master said:- " In archery (piercing) the target is not the E it essential, for men are not of equal strength. Such was the rule of yore."

i. TzuKung wished to dispense with the live sheep presented in the Ducal Temple at the announcement of the new moon. 2. The Master said: — " T'zu! You care for the sheep. I care for the ceremony."

The Master said:- " If one were to serve one's Prince with perfect homage, people to-day would deem it sycophancy."

The Master said:- " The Kuan Chu ode is passionate without being sensual, is plaintive without being morbid."

i. When Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo concerning the Altars to the A tutelary deities of the land, 2. Tsai Wo re sponded: — " The Sovereign of Hsia adopted the pine, the men of Yin the cypress, but the men of Chou the chestnut, intimating that the people should stand in awe/ 3- On the Master hearing of this he said: — " When a deed is done it is useless to discuss it, when a thing has taken its course it is useless to remonstrate, what is past and gone it is useless to blame."

1. The Master said: — " The calibre of Kuan Chung s mind stand. If Kuan understood etiquette who does not understand it? "

The Master discoursing to the State Band Master of Lu on the subject of Music said: — "The Art of Music may be readily understood. The attack should be prompt and united, and as the piece proceeds it should so har moniously, with clearness of tone, and continuity of time, and so on to its conclusion."

The Master spoke of the Shao as perfectly beautiful in its form and perfectly good in its influence. He spoke of the Wu as perfectly beautiful in itsform but not perfectly good in its influence.

The Master said:- " High station filled without magnanimity, religious observances performed without reverence, and ' mourning ' conducted with out grief, — from what standpoint shall I view If si

The Master said: " It is the moral character of a neighbourhood that constitutes its excellence, and how can he be considered wise who does not elect to dwell in moral surroundings? "

The Master said: man without Virtue cannot long abide in adversity, nor can he long abide in happibut the Virtuous man is at rest in Virtue, and the wise man covets it."

The Master said: "Only the Virtuous are competent to love or to hate men."

The Master said: "He who has really set his mind will do no evil."

i. The Master said: " I have never seen one who loved Virtue, nor one who hated what was not Virtuous. He who loved Virtue would esteem nothing above it; and he who hated what is not Virtuous would himself be so Virtuous that he would allow nothing evil to adhere to him. 2. Is there any one able for a single day to devote his strength to Virtue? I have never seen such a one whose ability would be insufficient. 3. If perchance there be such I have never seen him."

The Master said: "A man's faults all conform to his type of mind. Observe his faults and you may know his virtues."

The Master said: "He who heard the Truth in the morning might die content in the evening."

The Master said: "The student who aims at Wisdom, and yet who is ashamed of shabby clothes and poor food, is not yet worthy to be discoursed with."

The Master said: " The wise man in his attitude towards the world has neither predilections nor prejudices. He is on the side of is right."

The Master said: "The man of honour thinks of his character, the inferior man of his position. The man of honour desires justice, the inferior man favour."

The Master said: " He who works for his own interests will arouse much animosity."

The Master said: " Is a Prince able to rule his country with courtesy and deference, — then what difficulty will he have? And if he cannot rule his country with courtesy and deference, what use are the forms of courtesy to him? "

The Master said: " One should not be concerned at lack of position; but should be concerned about what will fit him to occupy it. One should not be concerned at being unknown; he should seek to be worthy of being known."

i. The Master said: " Shen! My teaching contains one allpervading principle." " Yes," replied Tseng Tzti. 2. When the Master had left the room the disciples asked, " What did he mean? " Tseng Tzu replied, " Our Master's teaching is simply this: Conscientiousness to self and consideration for others."

The Master said: " The Wise man is informed in what is right. The inferior man is informed in what will pay."

The Master said: " When you see a man of worth, think how to rise to his level. When you see an unworthy man, then look within and examine yourself."

The Master said: 11 While a father or mother are alive, a son should not travel far. If he travel he must have a stated destination."

The Master said: " If for three years a son does not change from his father's ways, he may be called filial."

The Master said: " The age of one's parents should ever be kept in mind, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear."

The Master said: " The men of ojd were reserved in speech out of shame lest they should come short in deed."

The Master said: " The self-restrained seldom err."

The Master said: " The wise man desires to be slow to speak but quick to act."

The Master said: " Virtue never dwells alone; it always has neighbours."

The Master said of Kung Yeh Ch'ang that he was a suitable man to marry, for though he had been in prison it was through no wrong-doing of his. So he gave him his own daughter to wife. 2. The Master said of Nan Yung that when the country was well governed he would not be set aside, and when the country was ill governed he would escape suffering and?Jr death. So he gave him his elder brother's daughter to wife.

The Master said of TzG Chien: "An honourable man indeed is such a one as he! Were Lu without men of honour how could he have acquired this

Tzu Kung asked: " What is your opinion of me? " " You are a vessel," said the Master. "What sort of a vessel?" he asked. "A jewelled temple vessel " was the reply.

i. Some one remark ed: "A virtuous man is Yung, but he is not ready of speech." 2. " What need has he of ready speech?" said the Master. "The man who is always ready with his tongue to others will often be disliked by them. I do not know about his virtue, but what need has he of ready speech?'

The Master wanted to engage Ch'i-tiao K'ai in office, but he replied: " I still lack confidence for this." Whereat the Master was pleased CHAPTER V.— The Master wanted to engage Ch'i-tiao K'ai in office, but he replied: " I still lack confidence for this." Whereat the Master was pleased

The Master said: "My doctrines make no progress. I will get upon a raft and float away upon the sea. If any one accompanies me will it not be Yu? " T/AI Lu on hearing this was pleased; whereupon the Master said: "Yu is fonder of daring than I; he also exercises no discretion."

Wu Po asked whether Tzu Lu was a man of Virtue. The Master answered "I do not know." 2. One his repeating the question the Master said: " Yu! In a kingdom of a thousand chariots he might be appointed to the ad ministration of its levies, but I do not know about his Virtue." 3. " What about Ch'iu? " he asked, to which the Master replied: " Ch'iu! Over a city of a thousand families, or a Household of a hundred chariots, he might be appointed as Controller; but I do -iii not know about his Virtue.".4. "And what about Ch'ih? " lie asked. " Ch'ih! " said the Master. " Girded with his sash and standing in a Court, he might be appointed to con verse with its guests; but I dp not know about his Virtue."

i. The Master ad dressing Tzu Kung said: "Which is the superior, you or Hui?" 2. "How dare I look at Hui 1 ' he answered, " Hui hears one point and from it apprehends the whole ten. I hear one point and apprehend a second therefrom." 3. The Master said: " You are not equal to him, I grant you, you are not equal to him."

i. Tsai Yii spending the daytime in sleep, the Master said: " Rotten wood is unfit for carving, and a wall of dirt unfit for plastering. As to Yii, — is the use of reproving him! " 2. " Formerly," he continued, " my attitude towards others was to hear what they said and give them credit for their deeds. Now my attitude towrards others is to listen to what they say and note what they do. It is through Yii that I have made this change."

The Master said: "I have never seen a man of strong character." Some one remarked, " There is Shen Ch'eng." " Ch eng! " said the Master. " He is under the influence of his passions, and how can he be possessed of strength of

Tzu Kung said: "What I do not wish others to do to me, that also I wish not to do to them." "Tzul" observed the Master, uthat is a point to which you have not attained."

Tzii Kung said: " Our Master's culture and refinement (all) may hear; but our Master's discourse on the nature of man and the Laws of Heaven it is not given (to all) to hear."

When Tzu Lu heard any precept and had not yet been able to put it into practice, he was only afraid lest he should hear some other.