第4节

ts, but i do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."

the master said to tsze-kung, "which do you consider superior, yourself orhui?"

tsze-kung replied, "how dare i compare myself with hui? hui hears one pointand knows all about a subject; i hear one point, and know a second."

the master said, "you are not equal to him. i grant you, you are not equalto him."

tsai yu being asleep during the daytime, the master said, "rotten woodcannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. this yu,-what is the use of my reproving him?"

the master said, "at first, my way with men was to hear their words, andgive them credit for their conduct. now my way is to hear their words, and lookat their conduct. it is from yu that i have learned to make this change."

the master said, "i have not seen a firm and unbending man." some onereplied, "there is shan ch'ang." "ch'ang," said the master, "is under theinfluence of his passions; how can he be pronounced firm and unbending?"

tsze-kung said, "what i do not wish men to do to me, i also wish not to doto men." the master said, "ts'ze, you have not attained to that."

tsze-kung said, "the master's personal displays of his principles andordinary descriptions of them may be heard. his discourses about man's nature,and the way of heaven, cannot be heard."

when tsze-lu heard anything, if he had not yet succeeded in carrying it intopractice, he was only afraid lest he should hear something else.

tsze-kung asked, saying, "on what ground did kung-wan get that title ofwan?"

the master said, "he was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, andhe was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors!-on these grounds he hasbeen styled wan."

the master said of tsze-ch'an that he had four of the characteristics of asuperior man-in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving his superior,he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was kind; in ordering the people,he was just."

the master said, "yen p'ing knew well how to maintain friendly intercourse.the acquaintance might be long, but he showed the same respect as at first."

the master said, "tsang wan kept a large tortoise in a house, on thecapitals of the pillars of which he had hills made, and with representations ofduckweed on the small pillars above the beams supporting the rafters.-of whatsort was his wisdom?"

tsze-chang asked, saying, "the minister tsze-wan thrice took office, andmanifested no joy in his countenance. thrice he retired from office, andmanifested no displeasure. he made it a point to inform the new minister of theway in which he had conducted the government; what do you say of him?" themaster replied. "he was loyal." "was he perfectly virtuous?" "i do not know. howcan he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?"

tsze-chang proceeded, "when the officer ch'ui killed the prince of ch'i,ch'an wan, though he was the owner of forty horses, abandoned them and left thecountry. coming to another state, he said, 'they are here like our great officer,ch'ui,' and left it. he came to a second state, and with the same observationleft it also;-what do you say of him?" the master replied, "he was pure." "washe perfectly virtuous?" "i do not know. how can he be pronounced perfectlyvirtuous?"

chi wan thought thrice, and then acted. when the master was informed of it,he said, "twice may do."

the master said, "when good order prevailed in his country, ning wu actedthe part of a wise man. when his country was in disorder, he acted the part of astupid man. others may equal his wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity."

when the master was in ch'an, he said, "let me return! let me return! thelittle children of my school are ambitious and too hasty. they are accomplishedand complete so far, but they do not know how to restrict and shape themselves."

the master said, "po-i and shu-ch'i did not keep the former wickednesses ofmen in mind, and hence the resentments directed towards them were few."

the master said, "who says of weishang kao that he is upright? one beggedsome vinegar of him, and he begged it of a neighbor and gave it to the man."