CHAP. I. 1. The head of the Chi family was going to attack
Chwan-yu.
2. Zan Yu and Chi-lu had an interview with Confucius, and
said, 'Our chief, Chi, is going to commence operations against
Chwan-yu.'
3. Confucius said, 'Ch'iu, is it not you who are in fault here?
4. 'Now, in regard to Chwan-yu, long ago, a former king
appointed its ruler to preside over the sacrifices to the eastern
Mang; moreover, it is in the midst of the territory of our State; and
its ruler is a minister in direct connexion with the sovereign:--
What has your chief to do with attacking it?'
5. Zan Yu said, 'Our master wishes the thing; neither of us two
ministers wishes it.'
6. Confucius said, 'Ch'iu, there are the words of Chau Zan,--
"When he can put forth his ability, he takes his place in the ranks of
office; when he finds himself unable to do so, he retires from it.
How can he be used as a guide to a blind man, who does not
support him when tottering, nor raise him up when fallen?"
7. 'And further, you speak wrongly. When a tiger or
rhinoceros escapes from his cage; when a tortoise or piece of jade is
injured in its repository:-- whose is the fault?'
8. Zan Yu said, 'But at present, Chwan-yu is strong and near to
Pi; if our chief do not now take it, it will hereafter be a sorrow to
his descendants.'
9. Confucius said. 'Ch'iu, the superior man hates that declining
to say-- "I want such and such a thing," and framing explanations
for the conduct.
10. 'I have heard that rulers of States and chiefs of families
are not troubled lest their people should be few, but are troubled
lest they should not keep their several places; that they are not
troubled with fears of poverty, but are troubled with fears of a
want of contented repose among the people in their several places.
For when the people keep their several places, there will be no
poverty; when harmony prevails, there will be no scarcity of
people; and when there is such a contented repose, there will be no
rebellious upsettings.
11. 'So it is.-- Therefore, if remoter people are not submissive,
all
the influences of civil culture and virtue are to be cultivated to
attract them to be so; and when they have been so attracted, they
must be made contented and tranquil.
12. 'Now, here are you, Yu and Ch'iu, assisting your chief.
Remoter people are not submissive, and, with your help, he cannot
attract them to him. In his own territory there are divisions and
downfalls, leavings and separations, and, with your help, he cannot
preserve it.
13. 'And yet he is planning these hostile movements within
the State.-- I am afraid that the sorrow of the Chi-sun family will
not be on account of Chwan-yu, but will be found within the screen
of their own court.'
CHAP. II. 1. Confucius said, 'When good government prevails
in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions
proceed from the son of Heaven. When bad government prevails in
the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions
proceed from the princes. When these things proceed from the
princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose
their power in ten generations. When they proceed from the Great
officers of the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they
do not lose their power in five generations. When the subsidiary
ministers of the great officers hold in their grasp the orders of the
state, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their
power in three generations.
2. 'When right principles prevail in the kingdom, government
will not be in the hands of the Great officers.
3. 'When right principles prevail in the kingdom, there will be
no discussions among the common people.'
CHAP. III. Confucius said, 'The revenue of the state has left
the ducal House now for five generations. The government has been
in the hands of the Great officers for four generations. On this
account, the descendants of the three Hwan are much reduced.'
CHAP. IV. Confucius said, 'There are three friendships which
are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Friendship with
the upright; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the
man of much observation:-- these are advantageous. Friendship
with the man of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly
soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued:-- these are injurious.'
CHAP. V. Confucius said, 'There are three things men find
enjoyment in which are advantageous, and three things they find
enjoyment in which are injurious. To find enjoyment in the
discriminating study of ceremonies and music; to find enjoyment in
speaking of the goodness of others; to find enjoyment in having
many worthy friends:-- these are advantageous. To find enjoyment
in extravagant pleasures; to find enjoyment in idleness and
sauntering; to find enjoyment in the pleasures of feasting:-- these
are injurious.'
CHAP. VI. Confucius said, 'There are three errors to which
they who stand in the presence of a man of virtue and station are
liable. They may speak when it does not come to them to speak;--
this is called rashness. They may not speak when it comes to them
to speak;-- this is called concealment. They may speak without
looking at the countenance of their superior;-- this is called
blindness.'
CHAP. VII. Confucius said, 'There are three things which the
superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers
are not yet settled, he guards against lust. When he is strong and
the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against
quarrelsomeness. When he is old, and the animal powers are
decayed, he guards against covetousness.'
CHAP. VIII. 1. Confucius said, 'There are three things of which
the superior man stands in awe. He stands in awe of the ordinances
of Heaven. He stands in awe of great men. He stands in awe of the
words of sages.
2. 'The mean man does not know the ordinances of Heaven,
and consequently does not stand in awe of them. He is disrespectful
to great men. He makes sport of the words of sages.'
CHAP. IX. Confucius said, 'Those who are born with the
possession of knowledge are the highest class of men. Those who
learn, and so, readily, get possession of knowledge, are the next.
Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compass the learning, are
another class next to these. As to those who are dull and stupid and
yet do not learn;-- they are the lowest of the people.'
CHAP. X. Confucius said, 'The superior man has nine things
which are subjects with him of thoughtful consideration. In regard
to the use of his eyes, he is anxious to see clearly. In regard to the
use of his ears, he is anxious to hear distinctly. In regard to his
countenance, he is anxious that it should be benign. In regard to his
demeanor, he is anxious that it should be respectful. In regard to
his speech, he is anxious that it should be sincere. In regard to his
doing of business, he is anxious that it should be reverently careful.
In regard to what he doubts about, he is anxious to question others.
When he is angry, he thinks of the difficulties (his anger may
involve him in). When he sees gain to be got, he thinks of
righteousness.'
CHAP. XI. 1. Confucius said, 'Contemplating good, and pursuing
it, as if they could not reach it; contemplating evil, and shrinking
from it, as they would from thrusting the hand into boiling water:--
I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.
2. 'Living in retirement to study their aims, and practising
righteousness to carry out their principles:-- I have heard these
words, but I have not seen such men.'
CHAP. XII. 1. The duke Ching of Ch'i had a thousand teams,
each of four horses, but on the day of his death, the people did not
praise him for a single virtue. Po-i and Shu-ch'i died of hunger at
the foot of the Shau-yang mountain, and the people, down to the
present time, praise them.
2. 'Is not that saying illustrated by this?'
CHAP. XIII. 1. Ch'an K'ang asked Po-yu, saying, 'Have you
heard any lessons from your father different from what we have all
heard?'
2. Po-yu replied, 'No. He was standing alone once, when I
passed below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, "Have you
learned the Odes?" On my replying "Not yet," he added, "If you do
not learn the Odes, you will not be fit to converse with." I retired
and studied the Odes.
3. 'Another day, he was in the same way standing alone, when
I passed by below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have
you learned the rules of Propriety?' On my replying 'Not yet,' he
added, 'If you do not learn the rules of Propriety, your character
cannot be established.' I then retired, and learned the rules of
Propriety.
4. 'I have heard only these two things from him.'
5. Ch'ang K'ang retired, and, quite delighted, said, 'I asked one
thing, and I have got three things. I have heard about the Odes. I
have heard about the rules of Propriety. I have also heard that the
superior man maintains a distant reserve towards his son.'
CHAP. XIV. The wife of the prince of a state is called by him
FU ZAN. She calls herself HSIAO T'UNG. The people of the State call
her CHUN FU ZAN, and, to the people of other States, they call her
K'WA HSIAO CHUN. The people of other states also call her CHUN FU
ZAN.