Book 15: Duke Ling of Wei

Book 15: Duke Ling of Wei

Fifteen: One

Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about military formations. Confucius replied, "I have learned something about the handling of sacrificial vessels, but I have never studied the business of warfare." The next day, he departed. When he was in Chen, his provisions ran out. His followers fell ill, and none could rise. Zilu came to him in resentment and said, "Does the gentleman also come to such straits?" The Master said, "The gentleman remains steadfast in straits. When the small man comes to straits, he loses all restraint."

Fifteen: Two

The Master said, "Siu, do you suppose I have become widely learned by memorizing much?" He replied, "Yes—is it not so?" The Master said, "No. I have one thread that runs through it all."

Fifteen: Three

The Master said, "Zhi, those who know true virtue are few indeed!"

Fifteen: Four

The Master said, "Was not Shun the one who governed by non-action? For what did he do? He composed himself with reverence and sat facing south—that was all."

Fifteen: Five

Zizhang asked about getting through in the world. The Master said, "If your words are loyal and trustworthy, and your conduct earnest and respectful, then even in the lands of the barbarians you will get through. If your words are not loyal and trustworthy, and your conduct not earnest and respectful, then even in your own district, how can you get through? When you stand, let these principles be ever before you; when you ride in your carriage, let them seem leaning on the yoke. Then you will get through." Zizhang wrote these words on the sash of his robe.

Fifteen: Six

The Master said, "How upright was Shiyu! When the Way prevailed in the state, he was straight as an arrow; when the Way did not prevail, he was straight as an arrow. What a gentleman was Qiu Boyu! When the Way prevailed in the state, he served in office; when the Way did not prevail, he could roll up his talents and hide them away."

Fifteen: Seven

The Master said, "To fail to speak with someone when you ought to speak with them is to lose the person. To speak with someone when you ought not to speak with them is to waste your words. The wise man loses neither person nor words."

Fifteen: Eight

The Master said, "A man of purpose and a man of benevolence will never seek to preserve their lives at the cost of benevolence. They will even sacrifice their lives to fulfill benevolence."

Fifteen: Nine

Zigong asked about the practice of benevolence. The Master said, "A craftsman who wishes to do his work well must first sharpen his tools. When you reside in a state, serve the worthy among its ministers, and befriend the benevolent among its men of learning."

Fifteen: Ten

Yan Yuan asked about governing a state. The Master said, "Follow the calendar of Xia, ride in the carriage of Yin, wear the ceremonial cap of Zhou, and for music, perform the Shao and the Wu. Banish the tunes of Zheng, and keep flatterers at a distance—the tunes of Zheng are seductive, and flatterers are dangerous."

Fifteen: Eleven

The Master said, "If a man takes no thought for what is distant, sorrow will be near at hand."

Fifteen: Twelve

The Master said, "It is hopeless! I have yet to meet anyone who loves virtue as much as he loves beauty."

Fifteen: Thirteen

The Master said, "Was not Zang Wenzhong a man who held a position he did not deserve? He knew that Liu Xiahui was worthy, yet did not secure a place for him at court."

Fifteen: Fourteen

The Master said, "If you are strict with yourself and lenient with others, you will keep resentment far away."

Fifteen: Fifteen

The Master said, "As for those who never say, 'What is to be done? What is to be done?'—I can do nothing with them either!"

Fifteen: Sixteen

The Master said, "To gather together all day and never speak of what is right, and to delight in showing off small cleverness—it is hopeless with such people!"

Fifteen: Seventeen

The Master said, "The gentleman takes rightness as his substance, carries it out through ritual, gives expression to it with modesty, and brings it to completion with good faith. This is the gentleman!"

Fifteen: Eighteen

The Master said, "The gentleman is troubled by his own lack of ability, not by others' failure to recognize him."

Fifteen: Nineteen

The Master said, "The gentleman is troubled that, when he leaves the world, his name will not be honored."

Fifteen: Twenty

The Master said, "The gentleman seeks it in himself; the small man seeks it in others."

Fifteen: Twenty-One

The Master said, "The gentleman is dignified but not contentious; he is sociable but not partisan."

Fifteen: Twenty-Two

The Master said, "The gentleman does not promote a man because of his words, nor does he discard a man's words because of the man."

Fifteen: Twenty-Three

Zigong asked, "Is there one word that one can practice throughout one's life?" The Master said, "Is it not reciprocity? What you do not wish for yourself, do not impose on others."

Fifteen: Twenty-Four

The Master said, "In my dealings with others, whom do I blame? Whom do I praise? If I praise anyone, it is because I have tested him. It is by these same principles that the people of the Three Dynasties walked the straight path."

Fifteen: Twenty-Five

The Master said, "I can still recall when historians left blanks in their texts, and those who owned horses lent them to others. Now all that is gone!"

Fifteen: Twenty-Six

The Master said, "Clever words corrupt virtue. If one cannot bear small matters, great plans may be thrown into disorder."

Fifteen: Twenty-Seven

The Master said, "When all dislike a man, you must examine him. When all like a man, you must examine him."

Fifteen: Twenty-Eight

The Master said, "It is man who can broaden the Way; it is not the Way that broadens man."

Fifteen: Twenty-Nine

The Master said, "To have faults and not to reform them—this is truly to have faults."

Fifteen: Thirty

The Master said, "I have spent whole days without eating and whole nights without sleep, in thought. It was of no use. It is better to learn."

Fifteen: Thirty-One

The Master said, "The gentleman devotes his mind to the Way, not to livelihood. In farming, hunger may be found; in learning, emolument may be found. The gentleman is anxious about the Way, not about poverty."

Fifteen: Thirty-Two

The Master said, "If a man attains something through wisdom but cannot hold it through benevolence, though he has gained it, he will surely lose it. If a man attains it through wisdom and can hold it through benevolence, but does not govern the people with dignity, they will not be reverent. If a man attains it through wisdom, holds it through benevolence, and governs the people with dignity, but does not set them in motion according to ritual, it is still not yet good."

Fifteen: Thirty-Three

The Master said, "The gentleman cannot be known through small matters, but he can be entrusted with great responsibilities. The small man cannot be entrusted with great responsibilities, but he may be known through small matters."

Fifteen: Thirty-Four

The Master said, "The people's need for benevolence is greater than their need for fire and water. I have seen men die from treading on fire and water, but I have never seen a man die from treading the path of benevolence."

Fifteen: Thirty-Five

The Master said, "When it comes to benevolence, one does not defer even to one's teacher."

Fifteen: Thirty-Six

The Master said, "The gentleman is upright but not rigidly faithful in small matters."

Fifteen: Thirty-Seven

The Master said, "In serving a ruler, attend to your duties first, and only then consider your stipend."

Fifteen: Thirty-Eight

The Master said, "In teaching, there should be no distinction of categories."

Fifteen: Thirty-Nine

The Master said, "Those whose ways differ cannot lay plans together."

Fifteen: Forty

The Master said, "In language, it is enough if it conveys the meaning."

Fifteen: Forty-One

The music-master Mian came to visit. When he reached the steps, Confucius said, "The steps." When he reached the mat, Confucius said, "The mat." When all were seated, Confucius told him, "So-and-so is here, so-and-so is there." After the music-master had left, Zizhang asked, "Is this the proper way to speak with a music-master?" Confucius said, "Yes, this is indeed the proper way of assisting a music-master."