The Analects of Confucius Part 10

3. Confucius said, 'Ch'iu, is it not you who are in fault here?

4. 'Now, in regard to Chwan-yu, long ago, a former king appointed its ruler to preside over the sacrifices to the eastern Mang; moreover, it is in the midst of the territory of our State; and its ruler is a minister in direct connexion with the sovereign:-- What has your chief to do with attacking it?'

5. Zan Yu said, 'Our master wishes the thing; neither of us two ministers wishes it.'

6. Confucius said, 'Ch'iu, there are the words of Chau Zan,-- "When he can put forth his ability, he takes his place in the ranks of office; when he finds himself unable to do so, he retires from it.

How can he be used as a guide to a blind man, who does not support him when tottering, nor raise him up when fallen?"

7. 'And further, you speak wrongly. When a tiger or rhinoceros escapes from his cage; when a tortoise or piece of jade is injured in its repository:-- whose is the fault?'

8. Zan Yu said, 'But at present, Chwan-yu is strong and near to Pi; if our chief do not now take it, it will hereafter be a sorrow to his descendants.'

9. Confucius said. 'Ch'iu, the superior man hates that declining to say-- "I want such and such a thing," and framing explanations for the conduct.

10. 'I have heard that rulers of States and chiefs of families are not troubled lest their people should be few, but are troubled lest they should not keep their several places; that they are not troubled with fears of poverty, but are troubled with fears of a want of contented repose among the people in their several places.

For when the people keep their several places, there will be no poverty; when harmony prevails, there will be no scarcity of people; and when there is such a contented repose, there will be no rebellious upsettings.

11. 'So it is.-- Therefore, if remoter people are not submissive, all

the influences of civil culture and virtue are to be cultivated to attract them to be so; and when they have been so attracted, they must be made contented and tranquil.

12. 'Now, here are you, Yu and Ch'iu, a.s.sisting your chief.

Remoter people are not submissive, and, with your help, he cannot attract them to him. In his own territory there are divisions and downfalls, leavings and separations, and, with your help, he cannot preserve it.

13. 'And yet he is planning these hostile movements within the State.-- I am afraid that the sorrow of the Chi-sun family will not be on account of Chwan-yu, but will be found within the screen of their own court.'

CHAP. II. 1. Confucius said, 'When good government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the son of Heaven. When bad government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the princes. When these things proceed from the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in ten generations. When they proceed from the Great officers of the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in five generations. When the subsidiary ministers of the great officers hold in their grasp the orders of the state, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in three generations.

2. 'When right principles prevail in the kingdom, government will not be in the hands of the Great officers.

3. 'When right principles prevail in the kingdom, there will be no discussions among the common people.'

CHAP. III. Confucius said, 'The revenue of the state has left the ducal House now for five generations. The government has been in the hands of the Great officers for four generations. On this account, the descendants of the three Hwan are much reduced.'

CHAP. IV. Confucius said, 'There are three friends.h.i.+ps which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Friends.h.i.+p with the upright; friends.h.i.+p with the sincere; and friends.h.i.+p with the man of much observation:-- these are advantageous. Friends.h.i.+p with the man of specious airs; friends.h.i.+p with the insinuatingly soft; and friends.h.i.+p with the glib-tongued:-- these are injurious.'

CHAP. V. Confucius said, 'There are three things men find enjoyment in which are advantageous, and three things they find enjoyment in which are injurious. To find enjoyment in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music; to find enjoyment in

speaking of the goodness of others; to find enjoyment in having many worthy friends:-- these are advantageous. To find enjoyment in extravagant pleasures; to find enjoyment in idleness and sauntering; to find enjoyment in the pleasures of feasting:-- these are injurious.'

CHAP. VI. Confucius said, 'There are three errors to which they who stand in the presence of a man of virtue and station are liable. They may speak when it does not come to them to speak;-- this is called rashness. They may not speak when it comes to them to speak;-- this is called concealment. They may speak without looking at the countenance of their superior;-- this is called blindness.'

CHAP. VII. Confucius said, 'There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers

are not yet settled, he guards against l.u.s.t. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against quarrelsomeness. When he is old, and the animal powers are decayed, he guards against covetousness.'

CHAP. VIII. 1. Confucius said, 'There are three things of which the superior man stands in awe. He stands in awe of the ordinances of Heaven. He stands in awe of great men. He stands in awe of the words of sages.

2. 'The mean man does not know the ordinances of Heaven, and consequently does not stand in awe of them. He is disrespectful to great men. He makes sport of the words of sages.'

CHAP. IX. Confucius said, 'Those who are born with the possession of knowledge are the highest cla.s.s of men. Those who learn, and so, readily, get possession of knowledge, are the next.

Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compa.s.s the learning, are another cla.s.s next to these. As to those who are dull and stupid and yet do not learn;-- they are the lowest of the people.'

CHAP. X. Confucius said, 'The superior man has nine things which are subjects with him of thoughtful consideration. In regard to the use of his eyes, he is anxious to see clearly. In regard to the use of his ears, he is anxious to hear distinctly. In regard to his countenance, he is anxious that it should be benign. In regard to his demeanor, he is anxious that it should be respectful. In regard to his speech, he is anxious that it should be sincere. In regard to his doing of business, he is anxious that it should be reverently careful.

In regard to what he doubts about, he is anxious to question others.

When he is angry, he thinks of the difficulties (his anger may involve him in). When he sees gain to be got, he thinks of righteousness.'

CHAP. XI. 1. Confucius said, 'Contemplating good, and pursuing it, as if they could not reach it; contemplating evil, and shrinking from it, as they would from thrusting the hand into boiling water:-- I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.

2. 'Living in retirement to study their aims, and practising

righteousness to carry out their principles:-- I have heard these words, but I have not seen such men.'

CHAP. XII. 1. The duke Ching of Ch'i had a thousand teams, each of four horses, but on the day of his death, the people did not praise him for a single virtue. Po-i and Shu-ch'i died of hunger at the foot of the Shau-yang mountain, and the people, down to the present time, praise them.

2. 'Is not that saying ill.u.s.trated by this?'

CHAP. XIII. 1. Ch'an K'ang asked Po-yu, saying, 'Have you heard any lessons from your father different from what we have all heard?'

2. Po-yu replied, 'No. He was standing alone once, when I pa.s.sed below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, "Have you learned the Odes?" On my replying "Not yet," he added, "If you do not learn the Odes, you will not be fit to converse with." I retired and studied the Odes.

3. 'Another day, he was in the same way standing alone, when I pa.s.sed by below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have you learned the rules of Propriety?' On my replying 'Not yet,' he added, 'If you do not learn the rules of Propriety, your character cannot be established.' I then retired, and learned the rules of Propriety.

4. 'I have heard only these two things from him.'

5. Ch'ang K'ang retired, and, quite delighted, said, 'I asked one thing, and I have got three things. I have heard about the Odes. I have heard about the rules of Propriety. I have also heard that the superior man maintains a distant reserve towards his son.'

CHAP. XIV. The wife of the prince of a state is called by him FU ZAN. She calls herself HSIAO T'UNG. The people of the State call

her CHUN FU ZAN, and, to the people of other States, they call her K'WA HSIAO CHUN. The people of other states also call her CHUN FU ZAN.

BOOK XVII. YANG HO.

CHAP. I. 1. Yang Ho wished to see Confucius, but Confucius would not go to see him. On this, he sent a present of a pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a time when Ho was not at home, went to pay his respects for the gift. He met him, however, on the way.

2. Ho said to Confucius, 'Come, let me speak with you.' He then asked, 'Can he be called benevolent who keeps his jewel in his

bosom, and leaves his country to confusion?' Confucius replied, 'No.'

'Can he be called wise, who is anxious to be engaged in public employment, and yet is constantly losing the opportunity of being so?' Confucius again said, 'No.' 'The days and months are pa.s.sing away; the years do not wait for us.' Confucius said, 'Right; I will go into office.'

CHAP. II. The Master said, 'By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.'

CHAP. III. The Master said, 'There are only the wise of the highest cla.s.s, and the stupid of the lowest cla.s.s, who cannot be changed.'

CHAP. IV. 1. The Master, having come to Wu-ch'ang, heard there the sound of stringed instruments and singing.

2. Well pleased and smiling, he said, 'Why use an ox knife to kill a fowl?'

3. Tsze-yu replied, 'Formerly, Master, I heard you say,-- "When the man of high station is well instructed, he loves men; when the man of low station is well instructed, he is easily ruled."'

4. The Master said, 'My disciples, Yen's words are right. What I said was only in sport.'

CHAP. V. Kung-shan Fu-zao, when he was holding Pi, and in an att.i.tude of rebellion, invited the Master to visit him, who was rather inclined to go.

2. Tsze-lu was displeased, and said, 'Indeed, you cannot go!

Why must you think of going to see Kung-shan?'

3. The Master said, 'Can it be without some reason that he has invited ME? If any one employ me, may I not make an eastern Chau?'

CHAP. VI. Tsze-chang asked Confucius about perfect virtue.

Confucius said, 'To be able to practise five things everywhere under heaven const.i.tutes perfect virtue.' He begged to ask what they were, and was told, 'Gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. If you are grave, you will not be treated with disrespect. If you are generous, you will win all. If you are sincere, people will repose trust in you. If you are earnest, you will accomplish much. If you are kind, this will enable you to employ the services of others.

CHAP. VII. 1. Pi Hsi inviting him to visit him, the Master was inclined to go.

2. Tsze-lu said, 'Master, formerly I have heard you say, "When a man in his own person is guilty of doing evil, a superior man will not a.s.sociate with him." Pi Hsi is in rebellion, holding possession of Chung-mau; if you go to him, what shall be said?'

3. The Master said, 'Yes, I did use these words. But is it not said, that, if a thing be really hard, it may be ground without being made thin? Is it not said, that, if a thing be really white, it may be steeped in a dark fluid without being made black?

4. 'Am I a bitter gourd! How can I be hung up out of the way of being eaten?'

CHAP. VIII. 1. The Master said, 'Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?' Yu replied, 'I have not.'

2. 'Sit down, and I will tell them to you.

3. 'There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to insubordination.

There is the love of firmness without the love of learning;-- the beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct.'

CHAP. IX. 1. The Master said, 'My children, why do you not study the Book of Poetry?

2. 'The Odes serve to stimulate the mind.

3. 'They may be used for purposes of self-contemplation.

4. 'They teach the art of sociability.

5. 'They show how to regulate feelings of resentment.

6. 'From them you learn the more immediate duty of serving one's father, and the remoter one of serving one's prince.

7. 'From them we become largely acquainted with the names of birds, beasts, and plants.'

CHAP. X. The Master said to Po-yu, 'Do you give yourself to the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan. The man who has not studied the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan, is like one who stands with his face right against a wall. Is he not so?'

CHAP. XI. The Master said, '"It is according to the rules of propriety," they say.-- "It is according to the rules of propriety,"

they say. Are gems and silk all that is meant by propriety? "It is music," they say.-- "It is music," they say. Are bells and drums all that is meant by music?'

CHAP. XII. The Master said, 'He who puts on an appearance of stern firmness, while inwardly he is weak, is like one of the small, mean people;-- yea, is he not like the thief who breaks through, or climbs over, a wall?'

CHAP. XIII. The Master said, 'Your good, careful people of the villages are the thieves of virtue.'