The Analects Chapter 6
The Master said, "There is Yung!-He might occupy the place of a prince."Chung-kung asked about Tsze-sang Po-tsze. The Master said, "He maypass. He does not mind small matters."Chung-kung said, "If a man cherish in himself a reverential feelingof the necessity of attention to business, though he may be easy insmall matters in his government of the people, that may be allowed.
But if he cherish in himself that easy feeling, and also carry itout in his practice, is not such an easymode of procedure excessive?"The Master said, "Yung's words are right."The Duke Ai asked which of the disciples2 loved to learn.
Confucius replied to him, "There was Yen3 Hui; he loved to learn. Hedid not transfer his anger; he did not repeat a fault. Unfortunately,his appointed time was short and he died; and now there is not suchanother. I have not yet heard of any one who loves to learn as hedid."Tsze-hwa being employed on a mission to Ch'i, the disciple1 Zan requestedgrain for his mother. The Master said, "Give her a fu." Yen requestedmore. "Give her a yi," said the Master. Yen gave her five ping.
The Master said, "When Ch'ih was proceeding4 to Ch'i, he had fat horsesto his carriage, and wore light furs. I have heard that a superiorman helps the distressed5, but does not add to the wealth of the rich."Yuan Sze being made governor of his town by the Master, he gave himnine hundred measures of grain, but Sze declined them.
The Master said, "Do not decline them. May you not give them awayin the neighborhoods, hamlets, towns, and villages?"The Master, speaking of Chung-kung, said, "If the calf6 of a brindledcow be red and homed, although men may not wish to use it, would thespirits of the mountains and rivers put it aside?"The Master said, "Such was Hui that for three months there would benothing in his mind contrary to perfect virtue7. The others may attainto this on some days or in some months, but nothing more."Chi K'ang asked about Chung-yu, whether he was fit to be employedas an officer of government. The Master said, "Yu is a man of decision;what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?"K'ang asked, "Is Ts'ze fit to be employed as an officer of government?"and was answered, "Ts'ze is a man of intelligence; what difficultywould he find in being an officer of government?" And to the samequestion about Ch'iu the Master gave the same reply, saying, "Ch'iuis a man of various ability."The chief of the Chi family sent to ask Min Tsze-ch'ien to be governorof Pi. Min Tszech'ien said, "Decline the offer for me politely. Ifany one come again to me with a second invitation, I shall be obligedto go and live on the banks of the Wan8."Po-niu being ill, the Master went to ask for him. He took hold ofhis hand through the window, and said, "It is killing9 him. It is theappointment of Heaven, alas10! That such a man should have such a sickness!
That such a man should have such a sickness!"The Master said, "Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui! With a singlebamboo dish of rice, a single gourd11 dish of drink, and living in hismean narrow lane, while others could not have endured the distress,he did not allow his joy to be affected12 by it. Admirable indeed wasthe virtue of Hui!"Yen Ch'iu said, "It is not that I do not delight in your doctrines,but my strength is insufficient13." The Master said, "Those whose strengthis insufficient give over in the middle of the way but now you limityourself."The Master said to Tsze-hsia, "Do you be a scholar after the styleof the superior man, and not after that of the mean man."Tsze-yu being governor of Wu-ch'ang, the Master said to him, "Haveyou got good men there?" He answered, "There is Tan-t'ai Miehming,who never in walking takes a short cut, and never comes to my office,excepting on public business."The Master said, "Mang Chih-fan does not boast of his merit. Beingin the rear on an occasion of flight, when they were about to enterthe gate, he whipped up his horse, saying, "It is not that I dareto be last. My horse would not advance."The Master said, "Without the specious14 speech of the litanist T'oand the beauty of the prince Chao of Sung, it is difficult to escapein the present age."The Master said, "Who can go out but by the door? How is it that menwill not walk according to these ways?"The Master said, "Where the solid qualities are in excess of accomplishments15,we have rusticity16; where the accomplishments are in excess of thesolid qualities, we have the manners of a clerk. When the accomplishmentsand solid qualities are equally blended, we then have the man of virtue."The Master said, "Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness,and yet live, his escape from death is the effect of mere17 good fortune."The Master said, "They who know the truth are not equal to those wholove it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight init."The Master said, "To those whose talents are above mediocrity, thehighest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity,the highest subjects may not be announced."Fan Ch'ih asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said, "To giveone's self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respectingspiritual beings, to keep aloof18 from them, may be called wisdom."He asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "The man of virtuemakes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and successonly a subsequent consideration;-this may be called perfect virtue."The Master said, "The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous19 findpleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil20.