CHAP. I. Tsze-chang said, 'The scholar, trained for public duty,
seeing threatening danger, is prepared to sacrifice his life. When
the opportunity of gain is presented to him, he thinks of
righteousness. In sacrificing, his thoughts are reverential. In
mourning, his thoughts are about the grief which he should feel.
Such a man commands our approbation indeed.'
CHAP. II. Tsze-chang said, 'When a man holds fast to virtue,
but without seeking to enlarge it, and believes right principles, but
without firm sincerity, what account can be made of his existence
or non-existence?'
CHAP. III. The disciples of Tsze-hsia asked Tsze-chang about
the principles that should characterize mutual intercourse. Tsze-
chang asked, 'What does Tsze-hsia say on the subject?' They
replied, 'Tsze-hsia says:-- "Associate with those who can advantage
you. Put away from you those who cannot do so."' Tsze-chang
observed, 'This is different from what I have learned. The superior
man honours the talented and virtuous, and bears with all. He
praises the good, and pities the incompetent. Am I possessed of
great talents and virtue?-- who is there among men whom I will
not bear with? Am I devoid of talents and virtue?-- men will put
me away from them. What have we to do with the putting away of
others?'
CHAP. IV. Tsze-hsia said, 'Even in inferior studies and
employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be
attempted to carry them out to what is remote, there is a danger of
their proving inapplicable. Therefore, the superior man does not
practise them.'
CHAP. V. Tsze-hsia said, 'He, who from day to day recognises
what he has not yet, and from month to month does not forget what
he has attained to, may be said indeed to love to learn.'
CHAP. VI. Tsze-hsia said, 'There are learning extensively, and
having a firm and sincere aim; inquiring with earnestness, and
reflecting with self-application:-- virtue is in such a course.'
CHAP. VII. Tsze-hsia said, 'Mechanics have their shops to
dwell in, in order to accomplish their works. The superior man
learns, in order to reach to the utmost of his principles.'
CHAP. VIII. Tsze-hsia said, 'The mean man is sure to gloss his
faults.'
CHAP. IX. Tsze-hsia said, 'The superior man undergoes three
changes. Looked at from a distance, he appears stern; when
approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his language is
firm and decided.'
CHAP. X. Tsze-hsia said, 'The superior man, having obtained
their confidence, may then impose labours on his people. If he have
not gained their confidence, they will think that he is oppressing
them. Having obtained the confidence of his prince, one may then
remonstrate with him. If he have not gained his confidence, the
prince will think that he is vilifying him.'
CHAP. XI. Tsze-hsia said, 'When a person does not transgress
the boundary line in the great virtues, he may pass and repass it in
the small virtues.'
CHAP. XII. 1. Tsze-yu said, 'The disciples and followers of
Tsze-hsia, in sprinkling and sweeping the ground, in answering and
replying, in advancing and receding, are sufficiently accomplished.
But these are only the branches of learning, and they are left
ignorant of what is essential.-- How can they be acknowledged as
sufficiently taught?'
2. Tsze-hsia heard of the remark and said, 'Alas! Yen Yu is
wrong. According to the way of the superior man in teaching, what
departments are there which he considers of prime importance, and
delivers? what are there which he considers of secondary
importance, and allows himself to be idle about? But as in the case
of plants, which are assorted according to their classes, so he deals
with his disciples. How can the way of a superior man be such as to
make fools of any of them? Is it not the sage alone, who can unite
in one the beginning and the consummation of learning?'
CHAP. XIII. Tsze-hsia said, 'The officer, having discharged all
his duties, should devote his leisure to learning. The student, having
completed his learning, should apply himself to be an officer.'
CHAP. XIV. Tsze-hsia said, 'Mourning, having been carried to
the utmost degree of grief, should stop with that.'
CHAP. XV. Tsze-hsia said, 'My friend Chang can do things
which are hard to be done, but yet he is not perfectly virtuous.'
CHAP. XVI. The philosopher Tsang said, 'How imposing is the
manner of Chang! It is difficult along with him to practise virtue.'
CHAP. XVII. The philosopher Tsang said, 'I heard this from
our Master:-- "Men may not have shown what is in them to the full
extent, and yet they will be found to do so, on occasion of mourning
for their parents."'
CHAP. XVIII. The philosopher Tsang said, 'I have heard this
from our Master:-- "The filial piety of Mang Chwang, in other
matters, was what other men are competent to, but, as seen in his
not changing the ministers of his father, nor his father's mode of
government, it is difficult to be attained to."'
CHAP. XIX. The chief of the Mang family having appointed
Yang Fu to be chief criminal judge, the latter consulted the
philosopher Tsang. Tsang said, 'The rulers have failed in their
duties, and the people consequently have been disorganised, for a
long time. When you have found out the truth of any accusation, be
grieved for and pity them, and do not feel joy at your own ability.'
CHAP. XX. Tsze-kung said, 'Chau's wickedness was not so great
as that name implies. Therefore, the superior man hates to dwell
in a low-lying situation, where all the evil of the world will flow in
upon him.'
CHAP. XXI. Tsze-kung said, 'The faults of the superior man are
like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men
see them; he changes again, and all men look up to him.'
CHAP. XXII. 1. Kung-sun Ch'ao of Wei asked Tsze-kung,
saying, 'From whom did Chung-ni get his learning?'
2. Tsze-kung replied, 'The doctrines of Wan and Wu have not
yet fallen to the ground. They are to be found among men. Men of
talents and virtue remember the greater principles of them, and
others, not possessing such talents and virtue, remember the
smaller. Thus, all possess the doctrines of Wan and Wu. Where
could our Master go that he should not have an opportunity of
learning them? And yet what necessity was there for his having a
regular master?'
CHAP. XXIII. 1. Shu-sun Wu-shu observed to the great
officers in the court, saying, 'Tsze-kung is superior to Chung-ni.'
2. Tsze-fu Ching-po reported the observation to Tsze-kung,
who said, 'Let me use the comparison of a house and its
encompassing wall. My wall only reaches to the shoulders. One may
peep over it, and see whatever is valuable in the apartments.
3. 'The wall of my Master is several fathoms high. If one do
not find the door and enter by it, he cannot see the ancestral
temple with its beauties, nor all the officers in their rich array.
4. 'But I may assume that they are few who find the door.
Was not the observation of the chief only what might have been
expected?'
CHAP. XXIV. Shu-sun Wu-shu having spoken revilingly of
Chung-ni, Tsze-kung said, 'It is of no use doing so. Chung-ni cannot
be reviled. The talents and virtue of other men are hillocks and
mounds which may be stepped over. Chung-ni is the sun or moon,
which it is not possible to step over. Although a man may wish to
cut himself off from the sage, what harm can he do to the sun or
moon? He only shows that he does not know his own capacity.
CHAP. XXV. 1. Ch'an Tsze-ch'in, addressing Tsze-kung, said,
'You are too modest. How can Chung-ni be said to be superior to
you?'
2. Tsze-kung said to him, 'For one word a man is often
deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be
foolish. We ought to be careful indeed in what we say.
3. 'Our Master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as
the heavens cannot be gone up to by the steps of a stair.
4. 'Were our Master in the position of the ruler of a State or
the chief of a Family, we should find verified the description which
has been given of a sage's rule:-- he would plant the people, and
forthwith they would be established; he would lead them on, and
forthwith they would follow him; he would make them happy, and
forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he would
stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. While he
lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterly
lamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to?'