第3节

the master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "what do hiswords mean?" tsang said, "the doctrine of our master is to be true to theprinciples-of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,-this andnothing more."

the master said, "the mind of the superior man is conversant withrighteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain."

the master said, "when we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them;when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examineourselves."

the master said, "in serving his parents, a son may remonstrate with them,but gently; when he sees that they do not incline to follow his advice, he showsan increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon his purpose; and shouldthey punish him, he does not allow himself to murmur."

the master said, "while his parents are alive, the son may not go abroad toa distance. if he does go abroad, he must have a fixed place to which he goes."

the master said, "if the son for three years does not alter from the way ofhis father, he may be called filial."

the master said, "the years of parents may by no means not be kept in thememory, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear."

the master said, "the reason why the ancients did not readily give utteranceto their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up tothem."

the master said, "the cautious seldom err."

the master said, "the superior man wishes to be slow in his speech andearnest in his conduct."

the master said, "virtue is not left to stand alone. he who practices itwill have neighbors."

tsze-yu said, "in serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace.between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant."

the master said of kung-ye ch'ang that he might be wived; although he wasput in bonds, he had not been guilty of any crime. accordingly, he gave him hisown daughter to wife.

of nan yung he said that if the country were well governed he would not beout of office, and if it were in governed, he would escape punishment anddisgrace. he gave him the daughter of his own elder brother to wife.

the master said of tsze-chien, "of superior virtue indeed is such a man! ifthere were not virtuous men in lu, how could this man have acquired thischaracter?"

tsze-kung asked, "what do you say of me, ts'ze!" the master said, "you are autensil." "what utensil?" "a gemmed sacrificial utensil."

some one said, "yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with histongue."

the master said, "what is the good of being ready with the tongue? they whoencounter men with smartness of speech for the most part procure themselveshatred. i know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he showreadiness of the tongue?"

the master was wishing ch'i-tiao k'ai to enter an official employment. hereplied, "i am not yet able to rest in the assurance of this." the master waspleased.

the master said, "my doctrines make no way. i will get upon a raft, andfloat about on the sea. he that will accompany me will be yu, i dare say." tsze-lu hearing this was glad, upon which the master said, "yu is fonder of daringthan i am. he does not exercise his judgment upon matters."

mang wu asked about tsze-lu, whether he was perfectly virtuous. the mastersaid, "i do not know."

he asked again, when the master replied, "in a kingdom of a thousandchariots, yu might be employed to manage the military levies, but i do not knowwhether he be perfectly virtuous."

"and what do you say of ch'iu?" the master replied, "in a city of a thousandfamilies, or a clan of a hundred chariots, ch'iu might be employed as governor,but i do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."

"what do you say of ch'ih?" the master replied, "with his sash girt andstanding in a court, ch'ih might be employed to converse with the visitors andgues