The Analects

The Master said, "Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application? Is it not pleasant to have friends coming from distant quarters? Is one not a person of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though people may take no note of one?" The philosopher You said, "They are few who, being filial and congenial, are fond of offending against their superiors. There have been none, who, not liking to offend against their superiors, have been fond of stirring up confusion. The superior person bends one's attention to what is radical. That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up. Filial piety and congenial submission—are they not the root of all benevolent actions?" The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue." The philosopher Zeng said, "I daily examine myself on three points: whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful; whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere; whether I may have not mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher." The Master said, "To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for people; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons." The Master said, "A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to one's elders. One should be earnest and truthful. One should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When one has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, one should employ them in polite studies." Zixia said, "If one withdraws one's mind from the love of beauty and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving one's parents, one can exert one's utmost strength; if, in serving one's prince, one can devote one's life; if, in one's dealings with friends, one's words are sincere: although people may say that one has not learned, I will certainly say that one has." The Master said, "If the scholar be not grave, one will not call forth any veneration, and one's learning will not be solid. Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Have no friends not equal to yourself. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them." The philosopher Zeng said, "Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice; then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence." Ziqin asked Zigong, saying, "When our master comes to any country, he does not fail to learn all about its government. Does he ask his information? or is it given to him?" Zigong said, "Our master is benign, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant, and thus he gets his information. The master's mode of asking information—is it not different from that of other people?" The Master said, "While one's father is alive, look at the bent of one's will; when one's father is dead, look at one's conduct. If for three years one does not alter from the way of one's father, one may be called filial." The philosopher You said, "In practising the rules of propriety, a natural ease is to be prized. In the ways prescribed by the ancient kings, this is the excellent quality, and in things small and great we follow them. Yet it is not to be observed in all cases. If one, knowing how such ease should be prized, manifests it, without regulating it by the rules of propriety, this likewise is not to be done." The philosopher You said, "When agreements are made according to what is right, what is spoken can be made good. When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps far from shame and disgrace. When the parties upon whom one leans are proper persons to be intimate with, one can make them one's guides and masters." The Master said, "One who aims to be a person of complete virtue, in one's food does not seek to gratify one's appetite, nor in one's dwelling-place does one seek the appliances of ease; one is earnest in what one is doing, and careful in one's speech; one frequents the company of people of principle that one may be rectified: such a person may be said indeed to love to learn." Zigong said, "What do you pronounce concerning the poor person who yet does not flatter, and the rich person who is not proud?" The Master replied, "They will do; but they are not equal to one, who, though poor, is yet cheerful, and to one, who, though rich, loves the rules of propriety." Zigong replied, "It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish.' The meaning is the same, I apprehend, as that which you have just expressed." The Master said, "With one like Ci, I can begin to talk about the Odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence." The Master said, "I will not be afflicted at people's not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know people."

The Master said, "One who exercises government by means of one's virtue, may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it." The Master said, "In the Book of Poetry are three hundred pieces, but the design of them all may be embraced in one sentence—'Have no depraved thoughts.'" The Master said, "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good." The Master said, "At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning. At thirty, I stood firm. At forty, I had no doubts. At fifty, I knew the decrees of heaven. At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth. At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right." Meng Yi asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "It is not being disobedient." Soon after, as Fan Chi was driving him, the Master told him, saying, "Mengsun asked me what filial piety was, and I answered him, 'not being disobedient.'" Fan Chi said, "What did you mean?" The Master replied, "That parents, when alive, should be served according to propriety; that, when dead, they should be buried according to propriety; and that they should be sacrificed to according to propriety." Meng Wu asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "Parents are anxious lest their children should be sick." Ziyou asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The filial piety of nowadays means the support of one's parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support—without reverence, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the other?" Zixia asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The difficulty is with the countenance. If, when their elders have any troublesome affairs, the young take the toil of them, and if, when the young have wine and food, they set them before their elders, is this to be considered filial piety?" The Master said, "I have talked with Hui for a whole day, and he has not made any objection to anything I said—as if he were stupid. He has retired, and I have examined his conduct when away from me, and found him able to illustrate my teachings. Hui—He is not stupid." The Master said, "See what a person does. Mark one's motives. Examine in what things one rests. How can a person conceal one's character! How can a person conceal one's character!" The Master said, "If a person keeps cherishing one's old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, one may be a teacher of others." The Master said, "The accomplished scholar is not a utensil." Zigong asked what constituted the superior person. The Master said, "One acts before one speaks, and afterwards speaks according to one's actions." The Master said, "The superior person is catholic and no partisan. The mean person is a partisan and not catholic." The Master said, "Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous." The Master said, "The study of strange doctrines is injurious indeed!" The Master said, "You, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it—this is knowledge." Zizhang was learning with a view to official emolument. The Master said, "Hear much and put aside the points of which you stand in doubt, while you speak cautiously at the same time of the others—then you will afford few occasions for blame. See much and put aside the things which seem perilous, while you are cautious at the same time in carrying the others into practice—then you will have few occasions for repentance. When one gives few occasions for blame in one's words, and few occasions for repentance in one's conduct, one is in the way to get emolument." Duke Ai asked, saying, "What should be done in order to secure the submission of the people?" Confucius replied, "Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the people will submit. Advance the crooked and set aside the upright, then the people will not submit." Ji Kang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful to one, and to urge themselves to virtue. The Master said, "Let one preside over them with gravity—then they will reverence one. Let one be filial and kind to all—then they will be faithful to one. Let one advance the good and teach the incompetent—then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous." Someone addressed Confucius, saying, "Sir, why are you not engaged in the government?" The Master said, "What does the Shujing say of filial piety? 'You are filial, you discharge your congenial duties. These qualities are displayed in government.' This then also constitutes the exercise of government. Why must there be THAT to make one be in the government?" The Master said, "I do not know how a person without truthfulness is to get on. How can a large carriage be made to go without the crossbar for yoking the oxen to, or a small carriage without the arrangement for yoking the horses?" Zizhang asked whether the affairs of ten ages after could be known. Confucius said, "The Yin dynasty followed the regulations of the Xia: wherein it took from or added to them may be known. The Zhou dynasty has followed the regulations of the Yin: wherein it took from or added to them may be known. Some other may follow the Zhou, but though it should be at the distance of a hundred ages, its affairs may be known." The Master said, "For a person to sacrifice to a spirit which does not belong to one is flattery. To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage."

[Chapter 4: Dwelling in Virtue] The Master said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighbourhood. If a person in selecting a residence, does not fix on one where such prevail, how can one be wise?" The Master said, "Those who are without virtue, cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue." The Master said, "It is only the truly virtuous person, who can love, or who can hate, others." The Master said, "If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness." The Master said, "Riches and honours are what people desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what people dislike. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be avoided. If a superior person abandon virtue, how can one fulfil the requirements of that name? The superior person does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, one cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, one cleaves to it." The Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. One who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. One who hated what is not virtuous, would practise virtue in such a way that one would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach one's person. Is anyone able for one day to apply one's strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which one's strength would be insufficient. Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it." The Master said, "The faults of people are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a person's faults, it may be known that one is virtuous." The Master said, "If a person in the morning hear the right way, one may die in the evening without regret." The Master said, "A scholar, whose mind is set on truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to be discoursed with." The Master said, "The superior person, in the world, does not set one's mind either for anything, or against anything; but what is right one will follow." The Master said, "The superior person thinks of virtue; the small person thinks of comfort. The superior person thinks of the sanctions of law; the small person thinks of favours which one may receive." The Master said, "One who acts with a constant view to one's own advantage will be much murmured against." The Master said, "Is a prince able to govern one's kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety, what difficulty will one have? If one cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has one to do with the rules of propriety?" The Master said, "A person should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known." The Master said, "Shen, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Zeng replied, "Yes." The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Zeng said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others—this and nothing more." The Master said, "The mind of the superior person is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean person is conversant with gain." The Master said, "When we see people of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see people of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves." The Master said, "In serving one's parents, a child may remonstrate with them, but gently; when one sees that they do not incline to follow one's advice, one shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon one's purpose; and should they punish one, one does not allow oneself to murmur." The Master said, "While one's parents are alive, the child may not go abroad to a distance. If one does go abroad, one must have a fixed place to which one goes." The Master said, "If the child for three years does not alter from the way of one's father, one may be called filial." The Master said, "The years of parents may by no means not be kept in the memory, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear." The Master said, "The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up to them." The Master said, "The cautious seldom err." The Master said, "The superior person wishes to be slow in one's words and earnest in one's conduct." The Master said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. One who practises it will have neighbours." Ziyou said, "In serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace. Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant."

[Chapter 4: Dwelling in Virtue] The Master said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighbourhood. If a person in selecting a residence, does not fix on one where such prevail, how can one be wise?" The Master said, "Those who are without virtue, cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue." The Master said, "It is only the truly virtuous person, who can love, or who can hate, others." The Master said, "If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness." The Master said, "Riches and honours are what people desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what people dislike. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be avoided. If a superior person abandon virtue, how can one fulfil the requirements of that name? The superior person does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, one cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, one cleaves to it." The Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. One who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. One who hated what is not virtuous, would practise virtue in such a way that one would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach one's person. Is anyone able for one day to apply one's strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which one's strength would be insufficient. Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it." The Master said, "The faults of people are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a person's faults, it may be known that one is virtuous." The Master said, "If a person in the morning hear the right way, one may die in the evening without regret." The Master said, "A scholar, whose mind is set on truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to be discoursed with." The Master said, "The superior person, in the world, does not set one's mind either for anything, or against anything; but what is right one will follow." The Master said, "The superior person thinks of virtue; the small person thinks of comfort. The superior person thinks of the sanctions of law; the small person thinks of favours which one may receive." The Master said, "One who acts with a constant view to one's own advantage will be much murmured against." The Master said, "Is a prince able to govern one's kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety, what difficulty will one have? If one cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has one to do with the rules of propriety?" The Master said, "A person should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known." The Master said, "Shen, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Zeng replied, "Yes." The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Zeng said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others—this and nothing more." The Master said, "The mind of the superior person is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean person is conversant with gain." The Master said, "When we see people of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see people of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves." The Master said, "In serving one's parents, a child may remonstrate with them, but gently; when one sees that they do not incline to follow one's advice, one shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon one's purpose; and should they punish one, one does not allow oneself to murmur." The Master said, "While one's parents are alive, the child may not go abroad to a distance. If one does go abroad, one must have a fixed place to which one goes." The Master said, "If the child for three years does not alter from the way of one's father, one may be called filial." The Master said, "The years of parents may by no means not be kept in the memory, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear." The Master said, "The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up to them." The Master said, "The cautious seldom err." The Master said, "The superior person wishes to be slow in one's words and earnest in one's conduct." The Master said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. One who practises it will have neighbours." Ziyou said, "In serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace. Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant."

The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with our old Peng." The Master said, "The silent treasuring up of knowledge; learning without satiety; and instructing others without being wearied—what one of these things belongs to me?" The Master said, "The leaving virtue without proper cultivation; the not thoroughly discussing what is learned; not being able to move towards righteousness of which a knowledge is gained; and not being able to change what is not good—these are the things which occasion me solicitude." When the Master was unoccupied with business, his manner was easy, and he looked pleased. The Master said, "Extreme is my decay. For a long time, I have not dreamed, as I was wont to do, that I saw the Duke of Zhou." The Master said, "Let the will be set on the path of duty. Let every attainment in what is good be firmly grasped. Let perfect virtue be accorded with. Let relaxation and enjoyment be found in the polite arts." The Master said, "From the person bringing one's bundle of dried flesh for my teaching upwards, I have never refused instruction to anyone." The Master said, "I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge, nor help out anyone who is not anxious to explain oneself. When I have presented one corner of a subject to anyone, and one cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson." When the Master was eating by the side of a mourner, he never ate to the full. He did not sing on the same day in which he had been weeping. The Master said to Yan Yuan, "When called to office to undertake its duties; when not so called, to lie retired—it is only I and you who have attained to this." Zilu said, "If you had the conduct of the armies of a great state, whom would you have to act with you?" The Master said, "I would not have one to act with me, who will unarmed attack a tiger, or cross a river without a boat, dying without any regret. My associate must be the person who proceeds to action full of solicitude, who is fond of adjusting one's plans, and then carries them into execution." The Master said, "If the search for riches is sure to be successful, though I should become a groom with whip in hand to get them, I will do so. As the search may not be successful, I will follow after that which I love." The things in reference to which the Master exercised the greatest caution were—fasting, war, and sickness. When the Master was in Qi, he heard the Shao, and for three months did not know the taste of flesh. "I did not think," he said, "that music could have been made so excellent as this." Ran You said, "Is our Master for the prince of Wei?" Zigong said, "Oh! I will ask him." He went in accordingly, and said, "What sort of people were Boyi and Shuqi?" "They were ancient worthies," said the Master. "Did they have any repinings because of their course?" The Master again replied, "They sought to act virtuously, and they did so; what was there for them to repine about?" On this, Zigong went out and said, "Our Master is not for him." The Master said, "With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow—I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honours acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud." The Master said, "If some years were added to my life, I would give fifty to the study of the Yi, and then I might come to be without great faults." The Master's frequent themes of discourse were—the Odes, the History, and the maintenance of the Rules of propriety. On all these he frequently discoursed. The duke of She asked Zilu about Confucius, and Zilu did not answer him. The Master said, "Why did you not say to him—He is simply a person, who in his eager pursuit of knowledge forgets his food, who in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on?" The Master said, "I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there." The subjects on which the Master did not talk, were—extraordinary things, feats of strength, disorder, and spiritual beings. The Master said, "When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them." The Master said, "Heaven produced the virtue that is in me. Huan Tui—what can he do to me?" The Master said, "Do you think, my disciples, that I have any concealments? I conceal nothing from you. There is nothing which I do that is not shown to you, my disciples—that is my way." There were four things which the Master taught—letters, ethics, devotion of soul, and truthfulness. The Master said, "A sage it is not mine to see; could I see a person of real talent and virtue, that would satisfy me." The Master said, "A good person it is not mine to see; could I see a person possessed of constancy, that would satisfy me. Having not and yet affecting to have, empty and yet affecting to be full, straitened and yet affecting to be at ease—it is difficult with such characteristics to have constancy." The Master angled—but did not use a net. He shot—but not at birds perching. The Master said, "There may be those who act without knowing why. I do not do so. Hearing much and selecting what is good and following it, seeing much and keeping it in memory—this is the second style of knowledge." It was difficult to talk with the people of Huxiang, and a lad of that place having had an interview with the Master, the disciples doubted. The Master said, "I admit people's approach to me without committing myself as to what they may do when they have retired. Why must one be so severe? If a person purify oneself to wait upon me, I receive one so purified, without guaranteeing one's past conduct." ...

[Chapter 12: Yan Yuan] Yan Yuan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "To subdue oneself and return to propriety, is perfect virtue. If one can for one day subdue oneself and return to propriety, all under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to one. Is the practice of perfect virtue from oneself, or is it from others?" Yan Yuan said, "I beg to ask the steps of that process." The Master replied, "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety." Yan Yuan then said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigour, I will make it my business to practise this lesson." Zhonggong asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, when you go abroad, to behave to everyone as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family." Zhonggong said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigour, I will make it my business to practise this lesson." Sima Niu asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "The person of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in one's speech." "Cautious and slow in one's speech!" said Niu; "is this what is meant by perfect virtue?" The Master said, "When one feels the difficulty of doing, can one be other than cautious and slow in speaking?" Sima Niu asked about the superior person. The Master said, "The superior person has neither anxiety nor fear." "Being without anxiety or fear!" said Niu; "does this constitute what we call the superior person?" The Master said, "When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?" Sima Niu, full of anxiety, said, "Other people all have their brothers, I only have not." Zixia said to him, "There is the following saying which I have heard:— 'Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honours depend upon Heaven.' Let the superior person never fail reverentially to order one's own conduct, and let one be respectful to others and observant of propriety—then all within the four seas will be one's brothers. What has the superior person to do with being distressed because one has no brothers?" Zizhang asked what constituted intelligence. The Master said, "One with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful, may be called intelligent indeed. Yea, one with whom neither soaking slander, nor startling statements, are successful, may be called far-seeing." Zigong asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler." Zigong said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master. Zigong again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of all people; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state." Ji Zicheng said, "In a superior person it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted—why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?" Zigong said, "Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior person, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue. Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or leopard stript of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or goat stript of its hair." Duke Ai inquired of You Ruo, saying, "The year is one of scarcity, and the returns for expenditure are not sufficient—what is to be done?" You Ruo replied to him, "Why not simply tithe the people?" "With two tenths," said the duke, "I find them not enough—how could I do with that system of one tenth?" You Ruo answered, "If the people have plenty, their prince will not be left to want alone. If the people are in want, their prince cannot enjoy plenty alone." Zizhang having asked how virtue was to be exalted, and delusions to be discovered, the Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles, and be moving continually to what is right—this is the way to exalt one's virtue. You love a person and wish one to live; you hate one and wish one to die. Having wished one to live, you also wish one to die. This is a case of delusion. 'It may not be on account of her being rich, yet you come to make a difference.'" Duke Jing of Qi asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, "There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son." "Good!" said the duke; "if, indeed, the prince be not prince, the minister not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?" The Master said, "Ah! it is You, who could with half a word settle litigations!" Zilu never slept over a promise. The Master said, "In hearing litigations, I am like any other body. What is necessary, is to cause the people to have no litigations." ...