The Old Fisherman

[Spurious.]

[Not authentic.]

Confucius, travelling in the Black Forest, rested awhile at Apricot Altar. His disciples sat down to their books, and he himself played upon the lute and sang.

While traveling through the Black Forest, Confucius rested for a while at Apricot Altar. His disciples sat down to study their books, while he played the lute and sang.

Half way through the song, an old fisherman stepped out of a boat and advanced towards them. His beard and eyebrows were snowy white. His hair hung loose, and he flapped his long sleeves as he walked over the foreshore. Reaching firm ground, he stood still, and with left hand on his knee and right hand to his ear, listened.

Halfway through the song, an old fisherman stepped out of a boat and walked toward them. His beard and eyebrows were snow-white. His hair hung loose, and he flapped his long sleeves as he walked across the shore. When he reached firm ground, he stopped. With his left hand on his knee and his right hand cupped to his ear, he listened.

When the song was finished, he beckoned to Tzŭ Kung and Tzŭ Lu, both of whom went to him. Then pointing with his finger, he enquired, saying, "What is that man doing here?"

When the song ended, he called Tzŭ Kung and Tzŭ Lu over, and both came to him. Then he pointed and asked, "What is that man doing here?"

"He is the Sage of Lu," replied Tzŭ Lu.

"He is the Sage of Lu," Tzŭ Lu replied.

"Of what clan?" asked the old man.

"Which clan?" asked the old man.

"Of the K'ung family," replied Tzŭ Lu.

"From the K'ung family," replied Tzŭ Lu.

"And what is his occupation?" said the old man.

“And what does he do?” said the old man.

"He devotes himself," replied Tzŭ Lu, "to loyalty and truth. He practises charity and duty towards his neighbour. He regulates ceremonies and music. He distinguishes the relationships of man. He is loyal to his prince above, a reformer of the masses below. Thus he will be of great service to the whole empire. Such is his occupation."

"He devotes himself to loyalty and truth," replied Tzŭ Lu. "He practices charity and fulfills his duties to his neighbors. He oversees ceremonies and music. He distinguishes the different relationships between people. He is loyal to the prince above him and reforms the people below him. In this way, he will be of great service to the whole empire. That is his work."

"Is he a ruler of a State?" asked the old man.

"Is he the ruler of a state?" asked the old man.

"He is not," said Tzŭ Kung.

“He isn't,” said Tzŭ Kung.

"A minister?" said the old man.

"A minister?" said the old man.

"No," said Tzŭ Kung.

"No," said Tzŭ Kung.

Then the old man laughed and walked away, saying, "Charity is charity, yet I fear he will not escape the wear of mind and tear of body which imperil the original purity of man. How far, alas, has he wandered from the true path!"¹

Then the old man laughed and walked away, saying, "Charity is charity, but I fear he will not escape mental and physical strain. Such strain threatens the original purity of human beings. Alas, how far he has wandered from the true path!"¹

Tzŭ Kung went back and told Confucius, who, laying aside his lute, arose and said, "This man is a Sage!"

Tzŭ Kung went back and told Confucius. Confucius put down his lute, stood up, and said, "This man is a sage!"

Thereupon he followed the old man down the shore, catching him up just as he was drawing in his boat with his staff. Perceiving Confucius, the old man turned round to receive him, at which Confucius stepped back and prostrated himself twice before advancing.

Then Confucius followed the old man along the shore. He caught up with him just as the old man was pulling in his boat with his staff. When the old man saw Confucius, he turned to greet him. Confucius stepped back and bowed to the ground twice before approaching.

"What do you want, Sir?" asked the fisherman.

"What do you want, sir?" asked the fisherman.

"Just now, venerable Sir," replied Confucius, "you left without finishing your remarks. In my stupidity I cannot make out what you mean. Therefore I have come in the humble hope of hearing any words with which you may deign to help me."

"Sir," Confucius replied, "you just left without finishing what you were saying. I am too foolish to understand what you meant. So I have come in the humble hope that you might say something to help me."

"Well," said the old man, "you are certainly anxious to learn."

"Well," said the old man, "you certainly want to learn."

At this Confucius prostrated himself twice, and when he got up said, "Yes, I have been a student from my youth upwards until now, the sixty-ninth year of my age. Yet I have never heard the true doctrine, which I am now ready to receive without bias."

At this, Confucius bowed to the ground twice. When he stood up, he said, "Yes, I have studied since my youth, and I am now sixty-nine. Yet I have never heard the true doctrine. I am now ready to receive it without bias."

"Like species follow like," answered the old man. "Like sounds respond to like.²

"Creatures of the same kind follow one another," the old man answered. "Similar sounds respond to each other.²

This is a law of nature. I will now with your leave apply what I know to what you occupy yourself with,—the affairs of men.

This is a law of nature. With your permission, I will now apply what I know to your concern: human affairs.

"The Son of Heaven, the princes, the ministers, and the people,—if these four fulfil their proper functions, the result is good government. If they quit their proper places, the result is unutterable confusion. When the officials mind their duties and the people their business, neither is injured by the other.

"The Son of Heaven, the princes, the ministers, and the people all have proper roles. If all four fulfill those roles, the result is good government. If they abandon their proper places, the result is unspeakable chaos. When officials attend to their duties and the people attend to their business, neither harms the other.

"Barren land, leaky roofs, want of food and clothing, inability to meet taxation, quarrels of wives and concubines, no precedence between young and old,—such are the sorrows of the people.

"Barren land, leaky roofs, a lack of food and clothing, and an inability to pay taxes are among the people's sorrows. So are quarrels between wives and concubines, and a lack of respect for age.

"Capacity unequal to one's duties, and inability to carry on routine work, absence of clean-handedness, and carelessness among subordinates, lack of distinction and want of preferment,—such are the sorrows of ministers.

"Ministers have many sorrows: lacking the ability to fulfill their duties, being unable to handle routine work, dishonesty, and carelessness among subordinates. They also suffer from a lack of distinction and promotion."

"The Court without loyal ministers and the State in rebellion, the artisan unskilful and the tribute unsatisfactory, the periodical levées unattended and the Son of Heaven displeased,—such are the sorrows of the princes.

"The princes have many sorrows. Their courts lack loyal ministers, and their states are in rebellion. Their artisans are unskilled, and the tribute they pay is unsatisfactory. Their regular court audiences go unattended, and the Son of Heaven is displeased.

"The two great principles of nature working inharmoniously, heat and cold coming at irregular seasons so that men and things suffer, the princes rebellious and fighting among themselves so that the people perish, music and ceremonies ill regulated, wealth dissipated, the relationships of man disregarded, the masses sunk in immorality,—such are the sorrows which fall to the share of the Son of Heaven.

"The two great principles of nature work against each other. Heat and cold come in the wrong seasons, causing people and living things to suffer. Princes rebel and fight among themselves, so that the people perish. Music and ceremonies are poorly regulated. Wealth is squandered, and human relationships are neglected. The masses sink into immorality. These are the sorrows that fall to the Son of Heaven.

"But now you, Sir, occupying neither the more exalted position of ruler nor performing the subordinate functions of minister, nevertheless take upon yourself to regulate music and ceremonies and to distinguish the relationships of man, in order to reform the masses. Are you not travelling out of your own sphere?

"But now, Sir, you are neither a ruler in a higher position nor a minister serving under one. Yet you take it upon yourself to regulate music and ceremonies and define relationships between people, in order to reform the masses. Are you not overstepping your bounds?

"Further, men have eight blemishes, and there are four things which obstruct business. These should be investigated.

"Also, people have eight flaws, and four things hinder their affairs. These should be examined.

"Meddling with matters which do not matter to you, is prying.

"Getting involved in matters that don't concern you is prying.

"To push one's way in, regardless of neglect, is to be forward.

"To push your way in even when ignored is to be pushy.

"To adapt one's thoughts and arrange one's words, is sycophancy.

"Adjusting your thoughts and arranging your words is flattery.

"To applaud a person, right or wrong, is flattery.

"Praising someone whether they are right or wrong is flattery.

"To love speaking evil of others, is slander.

"To love speaking badly of others is slander.

"To sever friendships and break ties, is mischievousness.

"Ending friendships and breaking ties is mischief.

"To praise people falsely with a view to injure them, is malice.

"Falsely praising people in order to harm them is malice.

"To give ready assent with a view to worm out the wishes of others, good and bad alike, is to be a hypocrite.

"To agree readily in order to draw out others' wishes, whether good or bad, is to be a hypocrite.

"These eight blemishes cause a man to throw others into confusion and bring injury upon himself. The superior man will not have him for a friend; the enlightened prince will not employ him as his minister.

"These eight flaws cause a man to confuse others and harm himself. A noble person will not befriend him. An enlightened ruler will not employ him as a minister.

"To love the conduct of great affairs, and to introduce change into established order with a view to gain reputation,—this is ambition.

"To love managing great affairs and changing the established order to gain a reputation is ambition.

"To strive to get all into one's own hands, and to usurp what should be at the disposal of others,—this is greed.

"Trying to get everything into your own hands and seize what should be at others' disposal is greed."

"To know one's faults but not to correct them, to receive admonition but only to plunge deeper,—this is obstinacy.

"Knowing your faults but not correcting them, and hearing warnings but only sinking deeper into those faults, is stubbornness."

"To suffer those who are like oneself, but as for those unlike not to credit them with the virtues they really possess,—this is bigotry.

"Tolerating people who are like you, but refusing to recognize the virtues of those who are different, is bigotry.

"Such are the four things which obstruct business. And only he who can put aside the above eight and abstain from the above four is fit for instruction."

"These are the four things that obstruct business. Only someone who can put aside the eight things mentioned above and avoid these four is fit to be taught."

At this Confucius heaved a sigh of distress. Then having twice prostrated himself, he arose and said, "Twice was I driven from Lu. I was tabooed in Wei. My tree was cut down in Sung. I was surrounded by the Ch'êns and the Ts'ais. I know not what my fault is that I should have suffered these four persecutions."

At this, Confucius sighed in distress. He bowed to the ground twice, then stood up and said, "I was driven out of Lu twice. I was shunned in Wei. My tree was cut down in Sung. I was surrounded by the Ch'êns and the Ts'ais. I don't know what I did wrong to deserve these four persecutions."

"Dear me!" said the old man in a vexed tone, "How slow of perception you are.

"Good grief!" said the old man, annoyed. "How slow you are to understand.

"There was once a man who was so afraid of his shadow and so disliked his own footsteps that he determined to run away from them. But the oftener he raised his feet the more footsteps he made, and though he ran very hard his shadow never left him. From this he inferred that he went too slowly, and ran as hard as he could without resting, the consequence being that his strength broke down and he died. He was not aware that by going into the shade he would have got rid of his shadow, and that by keeping still he would have put an end to his footsteps. Fool that he was!

"There was once a man who was so afraid of his shadow and so disliked his own footsteps that he decided to run away from them. But the more he moved his feet, the more footsteps he made. And though he ran very hard, his shadow never left him. He concluded that he was going too slowly, so he ran as hard as he could without resting. As a result, his strength gave out, and he died. He did not realize that going into the shade would have freed him from his shadow. Keeping still would have put an end to his footsteps. What a fool!

"Now you occupy yourself with charity and duty to one's neighbour. You examine into the distinction of like and unlike, the changes of motion and rest, the canons of giving and receiving, the emotions of love and hate, and the restraint of joy and anger. Yet you cannot avoid the calamities you speak of.

"Now you occupy yourself with charity and your duty to others. You examine the differences between what is alike and what is not, and the changes between motion and rest. You study the rules of giving and receiving, the feelings of love and hate, and how to restrain joy and anger. Yet you cannot avoid the disasters you speak of.

"Reverently care for your body. Carefully preserve your natural purity. Leave externals to others. Then you will not be involved. But as it is, instead of improving yourself you are trying to improve other people. Surely this is dealing with the external."

"Treat your body with respect. Take care to preserve your natural purity. Leave external matters to others. Then you will not become involved. But instead of improving yourself, you are trying to improve other people. Surely that is a concern with external matters."

"Then may I enquire," said Confucius in a tone of distress, "what is the original purity?"

"Then may I ask," Confucius said, sounding distressed, "what is original purity?"

"Our original purity," replied the fisherman, "is the perfection of truth unalloyed. Without this, we cannot influence others. Hence, those who weep to order, though they mourn, do not grieve. Those who assume anger, though violent, do not inspire awe. Those who affect friendship, though they smile, are not in unison."

"Our original purity," the fisherman replied, "is perfect, unmixed truth. Without it, we cannot influence others. So those who weep on command may mourn, but they do not feel grief. Those who pretend to be angry may act violently, but they do not inspire awe. Those who pretend to be friendly may smile, but they are not truly in harmony."

"Real mourning grieves in silence. Real anger awes without expression. Real friendship is unison without the aid of smiles. Our emotions are dependent upon the original purity within; and accordingly we hold the latter in esteem.

"True mourning grieves in silence. True anger inspires awe without showing itself. True friendship is a bond that needs no smiles. Our emotions depend on the original purity within us, so we value that purity.

"If applied to human affairs, then in serving our parents we are filial, in serving our prince we are loyal, in the banquet hour we are merry, in the hour of mourning we are sad.

"If applied to human affairs, we are devoted to our parents and loyal to our ruler. We are cheerful at banquets and sad in times of mourning.

"The object of loyalty is successful service; of a banquet, mirth; of mourning, grief; of serving parents, gratifying their wishes. If the service is accomplished, it matters not that no trace remain.³

"The purpose of loyalty is to serve successfully. The purpose of a banquet is enjoyment. The purpose of mourning is grief. The purpose of serving parents is to fulfill their wishes. If the service is accomplished, it does not matter if no trace remains.³

If parents be gratified, it matters not how. If a banquet results in mirth, the accessories are of no importance. If there be real grief in mourning, it matters not what ceremonies may be employed.

If parents are pleased, it does not matter how. If a banquet brings joy, the details do not matter. If grief is real, it does not matter what mourning ceremonies are used.

"Ceremonial is the invention of man. Our original purity is given to us from God. It is as it is, and cannot be changed. Wherefore the true Sage models himself upon God, and holds his original purity in esteem. He is independent of human exigencies. Fools, however, reverse this. They cannot model themselves upon God, and have to fall back on man. They do not hold original purity in esteem. Consequently they are ever suffering the vicissitudes of mortality, and never reaching the goal. Alas! you, Sir, were early steeped in deceit, and are late in hearing the great doctrine."

"Ceremony is a human invention. God gives us our original purity. It is what it is and cannot be changed. Therefore, the true sage models himself on God and values his original purity. He is free from human demands. Fools, however, do the opposite. They cannot model themselves on God, so they must turn to other people instead. They do not value their original purity. As a result, they are always suffering the ups and downs of mortal life and never reach the goal. Alas, sir, you were steeped in deceit early in life and have come late to hear the great teaching."

Confucius, having again prostrated himself twice, arose and said,

Confucius again bowed to the ground twice. Then he stood up and said,

"It has been a godsend to meet you, Sir, to-day. Pray allow me to follow you as your servant, that I may benefit by your teaching. I venture to ask where you live that I may enter upon my duties and learn the great doctrine."

"It is a godsend to meet you today, sir. Please let me follow you as your servant so I can learn from your teaching. May I ask where you live? I would like to begin my duties and learn the great doctrine."

"I have heard," replied the old man, "that if a man is a fit companion, one may travel with him into the uttermost depths of Tao. But that if he is not a fit companion, and does not know Tao, one must avoid his company, that no harm may befall. Excuse me, I must leave you." Thereupon he pushed off his boat, and disappeared among the reeds.

"I have heard," the old man replied, "that if a man is a suitable companion, you can travel with him into the deepest reaches of Tao. But if he is not a suitable companion and does not know Tao, you must avoid his company so that no harm comes to you. Excuse me, I must leave you." He pushed off in his boat and disappeared among the reeds.

"Yen Yüan then brought up the chariot, and Tzŭ Lu offered the hand-cord to Confucius. But the latter paid no attention. He waited until the ripples on the water had smoothed down and the sound of the punt-pole had died away, before he ventured to get up.

"Yen Yüan brought the chariot forward, and Tzŭ Lu offered Confucius the hand-cord. But Confucius paid no attention. He waited until the ripples on the water had settled and the sound of the punt-pole had faded. Only then did he dare to get up.

Tzŭ Lu, who was at the side of the chariot, enquired saying, "Master, I have been in your service now for a long time, yet never did I see you treat any man like this. In the presence of a ruler of ten thousand or a thousand chariots, I have never seen you treated other than with great respect, while you yourself would wear a haughty air. Yet before this old fisherman, leaning on his punt-pole, you cringe and bow and prostrate yourself twice before answering. Is not this too much? The disciples do not know what to make of it. Why this behaviour to an old fisherman?"

Tzŭ Lu, standing beside the chariot, asked, "Master, I have served you for a long time. Yet I have never seen you treat anyone like this. I have seen you in the presence of rulers with ten thousand or a thousand chariots. They have always treated you with great respect, while you yourself acted proudly. Yet before this old fisherman, leaning on his punt-pole, you cringe, bow, and prostrate yourself twice before answering. Isn't that too much? The disciples don't know what to make of it. Why do you behave this way toward an old fisherman?"

"Yu!" cried Confucius, resting on the bar of the chariot; "it is difficult to make anything of you. You have long studied ceremonies and duty to your neighbour, yet you have not succeeded in getting rid of the old evil nature. Come here, and I will tell you.

"Yu!" cried Confucius, leaning on the bar of the chariot. "It is hard to know what to do with you. You have studied ceremonies and duties to others for a long time, yet you have not rid yourself of your old evil nature. Come here, and I will tell you.

"To meet an elder without respect is want of ceremony. To see a Sage and not to honour him, is not to be in charity with man. Unless you are in charity with man, you cannot humble yourself before a fellow-creature. And unless you can honestly do this, you can never attain to that state of original purity; but the body will constantly suffer. Alas! there is no greater evil than not to be in charity with man. Yet in such a plight, O Yu, are you.

"Meeting an elder without respect is a breach of courtesy. Seeing a Sage without honoring him shows a lack of love for others. Without love for others, you cannot humble yourself before another person. Unless you can do so sincerely, you can never reach your original state of purity. Instead, your body will constantly suffer. Alas! There is no greater evil than a lack of love for others. Yet, Yu, this is the state you are in.

"Further. Tao is the source of all creation. Men have it, and live. They lose it, and die. Affairs in antagonism thereto, fail; in accordance therewith, succeed. Therefore, wherever Tao abides, there is the reverence of the true Sage. And as this old fisherman may be said to possess Tao, could I venture not to respect him?"

"Furthermore, Tao is the source of all creation. People live when they have Tao. They die when they lose it. Affairs that go against Tao fail. Those that follow Tao succeed. Therefore, wherever Tao is found, the true Sage reveres it. And since this old fisherman may be said to possess Tao, how could I dare not respect him?"