Book 14: Xian Wen

Book 14: Xian Wen

Xian asked about shame. The Master said, "When the state is well governed, to receive a salary is right; when the state is ill governed, to receive a salary is shameful."

Someone asked, "If a man could free himself from contention, boasting, resentment, and desire, could he be called Good?" The Master said, "He may be called admirable, but whether he is Good, I do not know."

The Master said, "A gentleman who clings to the comforts of his home is not worthy to be called a gentleman."

The Master said, "When the state is well governed, speak and act with boldness. When the state is ill governed, act with boldness but speak with humility."

The Master said, "A man of virtue will always have something worth saying, but not everyone who has something worth saying is a man of Goodness. A man of Goodness will always have courage, but not every courageous man is a man of Goodness."

Nan-gong Kuo asked Confucius, "Yi was a great archer and Ao could drive boats across the land, yet both met violent ends. Yu and Ji, on the other hand, tilled the soil and came to possess the empire." The Master made no reply. After Nan-gong Kuo had left, the Master said, "What a gentleman is this man! What a reverence for virtue he has!"

The Master said, "It may happen that a gentleman falls short of Goodness, but a petty man never attains to Goodness."

The Master said, "If you love a man, can you help but encourage him to exert himself? If you are loyal to a man, can you help but admonish him?"

The Master said, "In drafting a diplomatic document, Pi Chen prepared the first draft, Shi Shu reviewed and refined it, the diplomat Zi Yu embellished it, and Zi Chan of Dongli polished and gave it its final form."

Someone asked about Zi Chan. The Master said, "He was a generous man." Someone asked about Zi Xi. The Master said, "That man! That man!" Someone asked about Guan Zhong. The Master said, "He was a man of ability. He stripped the Earl of Bo of his three hundred households at Pian, and though the Earl lived out his days on coarse food, he uttered no word of resentment."

The Master said, "To be poor without resentment is difficult; to be rich without arrogance is easy."

The Master said, "Meng Gong Chuo would be well suited as an elder advisor to the Zhao or Wei families, but he would not do as a grand officer of Teng or Xue."

Zi Lu asked what constitutes a complete person. The Master said, "Take a man with the wisdom of Wu Zhong, the selflessness of Gong Chuo, the courage of Bian Zhuang Zi, and the accomplishments of Ran Qiu, adorned with ritual and music—such a man might be called a complete person." Then he added, "But must a complete person of today meet all these standards? One who in the face of gain thinks of what is right, in the face of danger is ready to give his life, and does not forget his long-standing promises even in times of hardship—such a man may also be called a complete person."

The Master asked Gongming Jia about Gongshu Wen Zi, saying, "Is it true that your master neither speaks, nor laughs, nor takes anything?" Gongming Jia replied, "That is what the one who told you exaggerated. My master speaks only when the time is right, so men never tire of his words. He laughs only when he is genuinely pleased, so men never tire of his laughter. He takes only what is right, so men never tire of his taking." The Master said, "Is that so? Could it really be so?"

The Master said, "Wu Zhong used his possession of Fang to demand that he be granted an hereditary succession in Lu. Though it is said that he did not coerce his lord, I do not believe it."

The Master said, "Duke Wen of Jin was crafty and lacked rectitude; Duke Huan of Qi was upright and lacked craftiness."

Zi Lu said, "When Duke Huan killed Prince Jiu, Zhao Hu died for him, but Guan Zhong did not die. Did Guan Zhong lack Goodness?" The Master said, "Duke Huan was able to assemble the feudal lords nine times without resorting to war chariots—such was the power of Guan Zhong! Such was his Goodness! Such was his Goodness!"

Zi Gong said, "Was Guan Zhong not lacking in Goodness? When Duke Huan killed Prince Jiu, Guan Zhong not only failed to die but went on to serve as his chief minister!" The Master said, "Guan Zhong served Duke Huan as chief minister, made him hegover of the feudal lords, and set the whole realm in order. To this day the people enjoy his benefits. But for Guan Zhong, we would be wearing our hair loose and our garments fastened on the left! Should we expect of him the petty faithfulness of common men and women, who would strangle themselves in a ditch and die unknown?"

When Gongshu Wen Zi's minister Xuan was promoted to serve alongside his lord at court, the Master, upon hearing of it, said, "He deserves the posthumous title of Wen."

The Master spoke of the misrule of Duke Ling of Wei. Kang Zi said, "If things are as bad as that, why does he not lose his state?" Confucius said, "Zhongshu Yu manages his foreign relations, Zhu Tuo manages the ancestral temple, and Wangsun Jia commands the army. With such men at his side, how could he lose his state?"

The Master said, "When a man makes grand promises without embarrassment, it will be hard for him to fulfill them!"

Chen Cheng Zi assassinated Duke Jian of Qi. Confucius bathed, went to court, and reported to Duke Ai, saying, "Chen Heng has slain his lord. I beg that you punish him." The Duke said, "Report this to the three great ministers." Confucius said, "Following in the train of the ministers, I dare not fail to report this. My lord says, 'Report this to the three great ministers!'" He went and reported to the three ministers, but they would not act. Confucius said, "Following in the train of the ministers, I dare not fail to report!"

Zi Lu asked how to serve a prince. The Master said, "Do not deceive him, but you may remonstrate with him."

The Master said, "The gentleman aspires upward; the petty man aspires downward."

The Master said, "In ancient times, men studied for their own improvement; nowadays, men study for the approval of others."

Qu Bo Yu sent a messenger to Confucius. Confucius had him seated and asked, "How is your master faring?" The messenger replied, "My master wishes to reduce his shortcomings, but he has not yet succeeded." After the messenger had left, the Master said, "What a messenger! What a messenger!"

The Master said, "Do not concern yourself with matters that are not your responsibility."

Master Zeng said, "The gentleman's thoughts do not go beyond his position."

The Master said, "A gentleman is ashamed of his words exceeding his deeds."

The Master said, "The gentleman embodies three qualities, all of which I lack: the Good are free of anxiety, the wise are free of perplexity, and the courageous are free of fear." Zi Gong said, "That is the Master's own portrait."

Zi Gong criticized others. The Master said, "Shen, are you so accomplished? As for me, I have no time for that."

The Master said, "I do not grieve that others do not know me; I grieve that I lack ability."

The Master said, "Do not anticipate deceit, do not presume untrustworthiness—yet if one perceives these things before they manifest, that is true wisdom!"

Wei Shengmu said to Confucius, "Qiu, why are you so restless and bustling about? Is it not because you are given to eloquence?" Confucius said, "I would not dare to be eloquent. I simply detest stubbornness."

14.35

The Master said, "A fine steed is praised not for its strength but for its virtue."

14.36

Someone said, "How about repaying injury with kindness?" The Master asked, "Then how would you repay kindness? Repay injury with fairness, and repay kindness with kindness."

14.37

The Master said, "No one understands me!" Zigong said, "What do you mean, no one understands you?" The Master said, "I do not blame Heaven, nor do I blame men. I study what is below and reach upward to what is above. Perhaps only Heaven understands me!"

14.38

Gongbo Liao spoke ill of Zilu to Jisun. Zifu Jingbo reported this, saying, "The Master is indeed misled by Gongbo Liao, but I still have the power to have him executed and his body exposed in the marketplace." The Master said, "Whether the Way prevails is a matter of fate. Whether the Way is abandoned is also a matter of fate. What can Gongbo Liao do about fate?"

14.39

The Master said, "The worthiest men withdraw from the world. The next best withdraw from a particular place. The next best withdraw because of a look. The next best withdraw because of a word."

14.40

The Master said, "Those who have done so number seven."

14.41

Zilu spent the night at Shimen. The gatekeeper asked, "Where are you from?" Zilu said, "From the house of Kong." The gatekeeper said, "Is he the one who knows it is impossible yet persists in doing it?"

14.42

The Master was playing a stone chime in Wei. A man carrying a straw basket passed by the door of the Kong household and said, "How earnest is the one playing that chime!" After a moment he added, "How crude this clinking and clanging! If no one understands you, then simply stop! 'When the water is deep, wade through it with your clothes on. When the water is shallow, lift your robes.'" The Master said, "How resolute! Then there is nothing to be said against him."

14.43

Zizhang said, "The Book of Documents says, 'Emperor Gaoyang observed the mourning rites and did not speak for three years.' What does this mean?" The Master said, "Why speak only of Emperor Gaoyang? The ancients all did the same. When a ruler died, all the officials each devoted themselves to their duties and listened to the chief minister for three years."

14.44

The Master said, "When those in high positions love ritual, the people are easy to govern."

14.45

Zilu asked what constitutes a gentleman. The Master said, "He cultivates himself with reverence." Zilu said, "Is that all?" The Master said, "He cultivates himself so as to bring peace to others." Zilu said, "Is that all?" The Master said, "He cultivates himself so as to bring peace to the people. Even Yao and Shun would have found this difficult."

14.46

Yuan Rang sat waiting with his legs spread apart. The Master said, "When you were young, you were not humble or respectful. When you grew older, you achieved nothing worth mentioning. And now, old and not dead—you are nothing but a pest!" And he struck him on the shin with his staff.

14.47

A young boy from the village of Que was entrusted with delivering a message. Someone asked about him, saying, "Is he one who seeks to improve himself?" The Master said, "I have seen him take a seat among adults and walk side by side with his elders. He is not one who seeks to improve himself; he is one who is in a hurry to become an adult."