Learning (Hsio R)

The Master said, 'Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application?

The Master said, 'Isn't it pleasant to learn through steady effort and practice?

'Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?'

'Isn’t it delightful to have friends visit from far away?'

'Is he not a man of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though men may take no note of him?'

'Isn’t a man completely virtuous if he remains untroubled even though others may pay him no attention?'

The philosopher Yu said, 'They are few who, being filial and fraternal, 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 philosopher Yu said, 'Few people who respect their parents and older siblings like to defy their superiors. No one who dislikes defying their superiors has ever liked stirring up disorder.

'The superior man bends his attention to what is radical. That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up. Filial piety and fraternal submission!— are they not the root of all benevolent actions?'

'A person of noble character focuses on the roots of good conduct. Once those roots are established, all practical ways of acting naturally grow from them. Devotion to parents and obedience to older brothers! Are these not the root of all acts of kindness?'

The Master said, 'Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.'

The Master said, 'Smooth talk and a flattering manner rarely go with true virtue.'

The philosopher Tsang 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 philosopher Tsang said, 'Every day I examine myself on three points. Might I have been unfaithful in handling business for others? Might I have been insincere in dealing with friends? Might I have failed to master and practice my teacher’s instructions?'

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 men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons.'

The Master said, 'To govern a country of a thousand chariots, you must give public affairs careful, respectful attention and act sincerely. You must spend wisely and care for the people. You must put the people to work at the proper seasons.'

The Master said, 'A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies.'

The Master said, 'A young man should honor his parents at home and respect his elders outside the home. He should be sincere and truthful. He should be full of love for all and build friendships with good people. After fulfilling these duties, if he has time and opportunity, he should devote them to literature and the arts.'

Tsze-hsia said, 'If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if, in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere:— although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.'

Tsze-hsia said, 'If a man turns his mind from loving beauty to loving virtuous people just as sincerely, if he gives his full strength to serving his parents, if he is willing to give his life in serving his prince, and if he speaks honestly with his friends, then although others say he has not learned, I will certainly say he has.'

The Master said, 'If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid.

The Master said, 'If a scholar is not serious, he will not inspire respect, and his learning will lack a firm foundation.

'Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.

'Make faithfulness and sincerity your guiding principles.

'Have no friends not equal to yourself.

'Do not have friends who are not your equals.

'When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.'

'When you have faults, don't be afraid to give them up.'

The philosopher Tsang 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.'

The philosopher Tsang said, 'Take great care in performing funeral rites for your parents. Continue honoring them with sacrificial ceremonies long after their deaths. Then the people's virtue will return to its proper excellence.'

Tsze-ch'in asked Tsze-kung, 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?'

Tsze-ch'in asked Tsze-kung, 'Whenever our master visits a country, he always learns all about its government. Does he ask for this information, or do people give it to him?'

Tsze-kung 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 men?'

Tsze-kung said, 'Our master is kind, honest, polite, self-controlled, and accommodating, and so he gets his information. Isn't the master's way of seeking information different from other people's?'

The Master said, 'While a man's father is alive, look at the bent of his will; when his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years he does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial.'

The Master said, 'While a man's father is alive, look at his intentions. After his father dies, look at his actions. If for three years he does not depart from his father's ways, he may be called a devoted son.'

The philosopher Yu 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.

The philosopher Yu said, 'When following the rules of proper conduct, natural ease is to be valued. This ease is the finest quality in the ways laid down by the ancient kings. We follow those ways in matters both small and great.

'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.'

'Yet it should not be practiced in every case. If someone values such ease but displays it without following the rules of proper conduct, that too should not be done.'

The philosopher Yu 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 a man leans are proper persons to be intimate with, he can make them his guides and masters.'

The philosopher Yu said, 'When agreements are based on what is right, the promises made can be kept. When respect is shown in the proper way, a person avoids shame and disgrace. When those a man relies on are worthy of close friendship, he can make them his guides and teachers.'

The Master said, 'He who aims to be a man of complete virtue in his food does not seek to gratify his appetite, nor in his dwelling place does he seek the appliances of ease; he is earnest in what he is doing, and careful in his speech; he frequents the company of men of principle that he may be rectified:— such a person may be said indeed to love to learn.'

The Master said, 'A man who aims for complete virtue does not seek to satisfy his appetite with food. Nor does he seek comfort in his home. He is diligent in his work and careful in his speech. He spends time with people of principle so that he may correct his faults. Such a person may indeed be said to love learning.'

Tsze-kung said, 'What do you pronounce concerning the poor man who yet does not flatter, and the rich man who is not proud?' The Master replied, 'They will do; but they are not equal to him, who, though poor, is yet cheerful, and to him, who, though rich, loves the rules of propriety.'

Tsze-kung said, 'What do you think of a poor man who does not flatter and a rich man who is not proud?' The Master replied, 'Such men are good enough. But they are not as good as a man who, though poor, is cheerful. Nor are they as good as a man who, though rich, loves the rules of proper conduct.'

Tsze-kung 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.'

Tsze-kung replied, 'The Book of Poetry says, "As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish." I think these words mean the same as what you have just said.'

The Master said, 'With one like Ts'ze, I can begin to talk about the odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence.'

The Master said, 'With someone like Ts'ze, I can begin to discuss the odes. I explained one point to him, and he knew what followed from that point.'

The Master said, 'I will not be afflicted at men's not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men.'

The Master said, 'I will not worry that others do not understand me. I will worry that I do not understand others.'