The Master Seldom Spoke (Tsze Han)

The subjects of which the Master seldom spoke were— profitableness, and also the appointments of Heaven, and perfect virtue.

The Master rarely spoke about profit, Heaven’s decrees, or perfect virtue.

A man of the village of Ta-hsiang said, 'Great indeed is the philosopher K'ung! His learning is extensive, and yet he does not render his name famous by any particular thing.'

A man from the village of Ta-hsiang said, 'The philosopher K'ung is truly great! His knowledge is vast, yet he is not famous for any one thing.'

The Master heard the observation, and said to his disciples, 'What shall I practise? Shall I practise charioteering, or shall I practise archery? I will practise charioteering.'

The Master heard the comment and said to his disciples, 'What should I practice? Should I practice driving a chariot, or should I practice archery? I will practice driving a chariot.'

The Master said, 'The linen cap is that prescribed by the rules of ceremony, but now a silk one is worn. It is economical, and I follow the common practice.

The Master said, 'The rules of ceremony call for a linen cap, but people now wear silk caps. Silk caps cost less, and I follow the common practice.

'The rules of ceremony prescribe the bowing below the hall, but now the practice is to bow only after ascending it. That is arrogant. I continue to bow below the hall, though I oppose the common practice.'

'Ceremonial rules call for bowing below the hall, but people now bow only after entering the hall. Bowing only after entering is arrogant. I still bow below the hall, though I go against common practice.'

There were four things from which the Master was entirely free. He had no foregone conclusions, no arbitrary predeterminations, no obstinacy, and no egoism.

The Master was completely free of four things: jumping to conclusions, making arbitrary decisions in advance, stubbornness, and self-centeredness.

The Master was put in fear in K'wang.

The Master was frightened in K'wang.

He said, 'After the death of King Wan, was not the cause of truth lodged here in me?

He said, 'After King Wan's death, didn't the cause of truth live on in me?

'If Heaven had wished to let this cause of truth perish, then I, a future mortal, should not have got such a relation to that cause. While Heaven does not let the cause of truth perish, what can the people of K'wang do to me?'

'If Heaven had wanted the cause of truth to die, I would not have become part of that cause. I am a mortal of a later generation. As long as Heaven keeps the cause of truth alive, what can the people of K'wang do to me?'

A high officer asked Tsze-kung, saying, 'May we not say that your Master is a sage? How various is his ability!'

A senior official asked Tsze-kung, 'Can we not say that your Master is a sage? He has so many different talents!'

Tsze-kung said, 'Certainly Heaven has endowed him unlimitedly. He is about a sage. And, moreover, his ability is various.'

Tsze-kung said, 'Heaven has certainly given him gifts without limit. He is nearly a sage. And he has many different abilities.'

The Master heard of the conversation and said, 'Does the high officer know me? When I was young, my condition was low, and therefore I acquired my ability in many things, but they were mean matters. Must the superior man have such variety of ability? He does not need variety of ability.'

The Master heard about the conversation and said, 'Does the high official know me? When I was young, my status was low, so I learned many skills, but these were humble tasks. Does a person of noble character need so many skills? He does not need so many skills.'

Lao said, 'The Master said, "Having no official employment, I acquired many arts."'

Lao said, 'The Master said, "Without an official position, I learned many skills."'

The Master said, 'Am I indeed possessed of knowledge? I am not knowing. But if a mean person, who appears quite empty-like, ask anything of me, I set it forth from one end to the other, and exhaust it.'

The Master said, 'Do I really possess knowledge? I do not. But if an ordinary person who seems to know nothing asks me a question, I explain the subject from beginning to end, leaving nothing out.'

The Master said, 'The Fang bird does not come; the river sends forth no map:— it is all over with me!'

The Master said, 'The Fang bird does not come. The river brings forth no map. It is all over for me!'

When the Master saw a person in a mourning dress, or any one with the cap and upper and lower garments of full dress, or a blind person, on observing them approaching, though they were younger than himself, he would rise up, and if he had to pass by them, he would do so hastily.

The Master would rise when he saw someone approaching in mourning clothes or in full ceremonial dress, with cap, upper garment, and lower garment. He would also rise for a blind person approaching, even if the person was younger than him. He showed the same respect to younger people in mourning clothes or full ceremonial dress. If he had to pass any of these people, he would do so quickly.

Yen Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines, sighed and said, 'I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind.

Yen Yuan admired the Master's teachings. He sighed and said, 'I looked up to them, and they seemed to rise even higher. I tried to understand them more deeply, and they seemed even more solid. I saw the teachings in front of me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind me.

'The Master, by orderly method, skilfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety.

'The Master skillfully guides people step by step. He broadened my mind through learning and taught me the limits set by proper conduct.

'When I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so.'

'When I want to stop studying his teachings, I cannot. And after I have used all my ability, something seems to stand right before me. But though I want to follow and grasp it, I can find no way to do so.'

The Master being very ill, Tsze-lu wished the disciples to act as ministers to him.

The Master was very ill. Tsze-lu wanted the disciples to serve as the Master’s ministers.

During a remission of his illness, he said, 'Long has the conduct of Yu been deceitful! By pretending to have ministers when I have them not, whom should I impose upon? Should I impose upon Heaven?

During a break in his illness, he said, 'Yu has been deceitful for so long! By pretending I have ministers when I have none, who would I be fooling? Would I be fooling Heaven?

'Moreover, than that I should die in the hands of ministers, is it not better that I should die in the hands of you, my disciples? And though I may not get a great burial, shall I die upon the road?'

'Besides, isn't it better to die in your care, my disciples, than in the care of ministers? And though I may not have a grand burial, will I die by the roadside?'

Tsze-kung said, 'There is a beautiful gem here. Should I lay it up in a case and keep it? or should I seek for a good price and sell it?' The Master said, 'Sell it! Sell it! But I would wait for one to offer the price.'

Tsze-kung said, 'There is a beautiful gem here. Should I put it in a case and keep it? Or should I look for a good price and sell it?' The Master said, 'Sell it! Sell it! But I would wait for someone to offer that price.'

The Master was wishing to go and live among the nine wild tribes of the east.

The Master wanted to go and live among the nine wild tribes of the east.

Some one said, 'They are rude. How can you do such a thing?' The Master said, 'If a superior man dwelt among them, what rudeness would there be?'

Someone said, 'They are rude. How can you do such a thing?' The Master said, 'If a person of good character lived among them, what rudeness would there be?'

The Master said, 'I returned from Wei to Lu, and then the music was reformed, and the pieces in the Royal songs and Praise songs all found their proper places.'

The Master said, 'I returned from Wei to Lu, and then the music was reformed. And all the pieces in the Royal songs and Praise songs found their proper places.'

The Master said, 'Abroad, to serve the high ministers and nobles; at home, to serve one's father and elder brothers; in all duties to the dead, not to dare not to exert one's self; and not to be overcome of wine:— which one of these things do I attain to?'

The Master said, 'Away from home, serve the high ministers and nobles. At home, serve your father and elder brothers. In all duties to the dead, never dare to give less than your full effort. And do not let wine overcome you. Which of these things have I achieved?'

The Master standing by a stream, said, 'It passes on just like this, not ceasing day or night!'

Standing by a stream, the Master said, 'It flows on just like this, never stopping, day or night!'

The Master said, 'I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty.'

The Master said, 'I have never seen anyone who loves virtue as much as he loves beauty.'

The Master said, 'The prosecution of learning may be compared to what may happen in raising a mound. If there want but one basket of earth to complete the work, and I stop, the stopping is my own work. It may be compared to throwing down the earth on the level ground. Though but one basketful is thrown at a time, the advancing with it is my own going forward.'

The Master said, 'Learning may be compared to building a mound of earth. If I stop when only one basket of earth is needed to finish, stopping is my own choice. Learning may also be compared to piling earth on level ground. Though I add only one basketful at a time, each step forward comes from my own effort.'

The Master said, 'Never flagging when I set forth anything to him;— ah! that is Hui.'

The Master said, 'He never tires when I explain anything to him. Ah, that is Hui.'

The Master said of Yen Yuan, 'Alas! I saw his constant advance. I never saw him stop in his progress.'

The Master said of Yen Yuan, 'Sadly, I saw him make steady progress. I never saw him stop improving.'

The Master said, 'There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower! There are cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced!'

The Master said, 'Some plants sprout but never flower! Some plants flower but never bear fruit!'

The Master said, 'A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present? If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made himself heard of, then indeed he will not be worth being regarded with respect.'

The Master said, 'A young person deserves respect. How do we know his future will not equal what we have achieved today? If he reaches forty or fifty without making a name for himself, then he truly will not deserve respect.'

The Master said, 'Can men refuse to assent to the words of strict admonition? But it is reforming the conduct because of them which is valuable. Can men refuse to be pleased with words of gentle advice? But it is unfolding their aim which is valuable. If a man be pleased with these words, but does not unfold their aim, and assents to those, but does not reform his conduct, I can really do nothing with him.'

The Master said, 'Can people refuse to agree with stern warnings? But what matters is changing their behavior because of those warnings. Can people refuse to be pleased by gentle advice? But what matters is understanding the purpose of that advice. If a man enjoys gentle advice but does not understand its purpose, and agrees with stern warnings but does not change his behavior, I really can do nothing with him.'

The Master said, '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 Master said, 'Make faithfulness and sincerity your guiding principles. Do not have friends who are not your equals. When you have faults, do not be afraid to correct them.'

The Master said, 'The commander of the forces of a large state may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him.'

The Master said, 'The commander of a large state's army may be captured. But even an ordinary man cannot have his will taken from him.'

The Master said, 'Dressed himself in a tattered robe quilted with hemp, yet standing by the side of men dressed in furs, and not ashamed;— ah! it is Yu who is equal to this!

The Master said, 'Wearing a tattered robe padded with hemp, yet standing beside men in furs without feeling ashamed. Ah! Yu can do that!'

'"He dislikes none, he covets nothing;— what can he do but what is good!"'

'"He dislikes no one and wants nothing. How could he do anything but good!"'

Tsze-lu kept continually repeating these words of the ode, when the Master said, 'Those things are by no means sufficient to constitute (perfect) excellence.'

Tsze-lu kept repeating these words from the ode. Then the Master said, 'Those things are by no means enough to achieve (perfect) excellence.'

The Master said, 'When the year becomes cold, then we know how the pine and the cypress are the last to lose their leaves.'

The Master said, 'When the weather turns cold, we see that pines and cypresses are the last to lose their leaves.'

The Master said, 'The wise are free from perplexities; the virtuous from anxiety; and the bold from fear.'

The Master said, 'The wise are free from confusion. The virtuous are free from anxiety. The brave are free from fear.'

The Master said, 'There are some with whom we may study in common, but we shall find them unable to go along with us to principles. Perhaps we may go on with them to principles, but we shall find them unable to get established in those along with us. Or if we may get so established along with them, we shall find them unable to weigh occurring events along with us.'

The Master said, 'There are some people we may study with, but we will find them unable to reach principles with us. Perhaps we may reach principles with them, but we will find them unable to stand firm in those principles with us. Or if we can stand firm together, we will find them unable to judge events with us as they arise.'

How the flowers of the aspen-plum flutter and turn! Do I not think of you? But your house is distant.

How the aspen-plum flowers flutter and turn! Don’t I think of you? But your house is far away.

The Master said, 'It is the want of thought about it. How is it distant?'

The Master said, 'The problem is a lack of thought about it. How is it far away?'