Kung-ye Ch'ang

The Master said of Kung-ye Ch'ang that he might be wived; although he was put in bonds, he had not been guilty of any crime. Accordingly, he gave him his own daughter to wife.

The Master said Kung-ye Ch'ang was suitable for marriage. Although Kung-ye Ch'ang had been imprisoned, he had committed no crime. So the Master gave his own daughter to Kung-ye Ch'ang in marriage.

Of Nan Yung he said that if the country were well governed he would not be out of office, and if it were ill-governed, he would escape punishment and disgrace. He gave him the daughter of his own elder brother to wife.

He said that Nan Yung would hold office if the country were well governed. If the country were poorly governed, Nan Yung would escape punishment and disgrace. He gave Nan Yung his own older brother’s daughter in marriage.

The Master said of Tsze-chien, 'Of superior virtue indeed is such a man! If there were not virtuous men in Lu, how could this man have acquired this character?'

The Master said of Tsze-chien, 'He is truly a man of outstanding virtue! If there were no virtuous men in Lu, how could he have developed such character?'

Tsze-kung asked, 'What do you say of me, Ts'ze?' The Master said, 'You are a utensil.' 'What utensil?' 'A gemmed sacrificial utensil.'

Tsze-kung asked, 'What do you think of me, Ts'ze?' The Master said, 'You are a vessel.' 'What kind of vessel?' 'A jewel-decorated vessel used in sacrifices.'

Some one said, 'Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue.'

Someone said, 'Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not quick with words.'

The Master said, 'What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartnesses of speech for the most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue?'

The Master said, 'What good is a quick tongue? People who use clever words when dealing with others usually make themselves hated. I do not know whether he is truly virtuous, but why should he need a quick tongue?'

The Master was wishing Ch'i-tiao K'ai to enter on official employment. He replied, 'I am not yet able to rest in the assurance of this.' The Master was pleased.

The Master wanted Ch'i-tiao K'ai to take a government position. He replied, 'I am not yet able to feel confident about this.' The Master was pleased.

The Master said, 'My doctrines make no way. I will get upon a raft, and float about on the sea. He that will accompany me will be Yu, I dare say.' Tsze-lu hearing this was glad, upon which the Master said, 'Yu is fonder of daring than I am. He does not exercise his judgment upon matters.'

The Master said, 'My teachings are getting nowhere. I will get on a raft and drift about on the sea. I dare say Yu will come with me.' Tsze-lu was glad to hear this, so the Master said, 'Yu is fonder of taking risks than I am. He does not use good judgment in these matters.'

Mang Wu asked about Tsze-lu, whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, 'I do not know.'

Mang Wu asked whether Tsze-lu was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, 'I do not know.'

He asked again, when the Master replied, 'In a kingdom of a thousand chariots, Yu might be employed to manage the military levies, but I do not know whether he be perfectly virtuous.'

He asked again, and the Master replied, 'In a kingdom of a thousand chariots, Yu could manage the military levies. But I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.'

'And what do you say of Ch'iu?' The Master replied, 'In a city of a thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots, Ch'iu might be employed as governor, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.'

'And what do you say about Ch'iu?' The Master replied, 'Ch'iu could serve as governor of a city of a thousand families or a clan with a hundred chariots. But I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.'

'What do you say of Ch'ih?' The Master replied, 'With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch'ih might be employed to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.'

'What do you think of Ch'ih?' The Master replied, 'With his sash tied and standing at court, Ch'ih could be assigned to speak with visitors and guests. But I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.'

The Master said to Tsze-kung, 'Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hui?'

The Master asked Tsze-kung, 'Who do you think is better, you or Hui?'

Tsze-kung replied, 'How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and knows all about a subject; I hear one point, and know a second.'

Tsze-kung replied, 'How could I dare compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and understands the whole subject. I hear one point and understand just one more.'

The Master said, 'You are not equal to him. I grant you, you are not equal to him.'

The Master said, 'You are not his equal. I agree with you, you are not his equal.'

Tsai Yu being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, 'Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. This Yu!— what is the use of my reproving him?'

Tsai Yu was sleeping during the day. The Master said, 'Rotten wood cannot be carved. A wall of dirty earth cannot be smoothed with a trowel. This Yu! What is the point of scolding him?'

The Master said, 'At first, my way with men was to hear their words, and give them credit for their conduct. Now my way is to hear their words, and look at their conduct. It is from Yu that I have learned to make this change.'

The Master said, 'At first, I listened to people's words and trusted them to act accordingly. Now I listen to their words and watch their actions. I learned from Yu to make this change.'

The Master said, 'I have not seen a firm and unbending man.' Some one replied, 'There is Shan Ch'ang.' 'Ch'ang,' said the Master, 'is under the influence of his passions; how can he be pronounced firm and unbending?'

The Master said, 'I have not seen a firm and unshakable man.' Someone replied, 'There is Shan Ch'ang.' 'Ch'ang,' said the Master, 'is ruled by his passions. How can he be called firm and unshakable?'

Tsze-kung said, 'What I do not wish men to do to me, I also wish not to do to men.' The Master said, 'Ts'ze, you have not attained to that.'

Tsze-kung said, 'I don't want to do to others what I don't want them to do to me.' The Master said, 'Ts'ze, you have not yet reached that goal.'

Tsze-kung said, 'The Master's personal displays of his principles and ordinary descriptions of them may be heard. His discourses about man's nature, and the way of Heaven, cannot be heard.'

Tsze-kung said, 'We may hear about the Master's practice of his principles and his everyday explanations of them. We cannot hear his discussions of human nature and the way of Heaven.'

When Tsze-lu heard anything, if he had not yet succeeded in carrying it into practice, he was only afraid lest he should hear something else.

When Tsze-lu heard something, he feared only hearing something else before he had put it into practice.

Tsze-kung asked, saying, 'On what ground did Kung-wan get that title of Wan?' The Master said, 'He was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors!— On these grounds he has been styled Wan.'

Tsze-kung asked, 'Why was Kung-wan given the title of Wan?' The Master said, 'He was energetic yet loved learning. He was not ashamed to ask questions and learn from those below him! For these reasons, he was given the title of Wan.'

The Master said of Tsze-ch'an that he had four of the characteristics of a superior man:— in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving his superiors, he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was kind; in ordering the people, he was just.

The Master said Tsze-ch'an had four qualities of an exemplary person: He was humble in his own conduct. He was respectful when serving his superiors. He was kind in caring for the people. He was just in governing them.

The Master said, 'Yen P'ing knew well how to maintain friendly intercourse. The acquaintance might be long, but he showed the same respect as at first.'

The Master said, 'Yen P'ing knew how to maintain friendships well. Even after knowing someone a long time, he showed the same respect as at first.'

The Master said, 'Tsang Wan kept a large tortoise in a house, on the capitals of the pillars of which he had hills made, and with representations of duckweed on the small pillars above the beams supporting the rafters.— Of what sort was his wisdom?'

The Master said, 'Tsang Wan kept a large tortoise in a house. He had hills shaped on the tops of the house’s pillars. He also had duckweed designs made on the small pillars above the beams supporting the rafters. What kind of wisdom was that?'

Tsze-chang asked, saying, 'The minister Tsze-wan thrice took office, and manifested no joy in his countenance. Thrice he retired from office, and manifested no displeasure. He made it a point to inform the new minister of the way in which he had conducted the government;— what do you say of him?' The Master replied. 'He was loyal.' 'Was he perfectly virtuous?' 'I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?'

Tsze-chang asked, 'The minister Tsze-wan took office three times and showed no joy on his face. Three times he left office and showed no displeasure. He always made sure to tell the new minister how he had run the government. What do you think of him?' The Master replied, 'He was loyal.' 'Was he perfectly virtuous?' 'I do not know. How can he be called perfectly virtuous?'

Tsze-chang proceeded, 'When the officer Ch'ui killed the prince of Ch'i, Ch'an Wan, though he was the owner of forty horses, abandoned them and left the country. Coming to another State, he said, "They are here like our great officer, Ch'ui," and left it. He came to a second State, and with the same observation left it also;— what do you say of him?' The Master replied, 'He was pure.' 'Was he perfectly virtuous?' 'I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?'

Tsze-chang continued, 'When the officer Ch'ui killed the prince of Ch'i, Ch'an Wan left the country. Though he owned forty horses, he abandoned them. He went to another State and said, "They are like our high official, Ch'ui, here," and left. He went to a second State, made the same remark, and left that State too. What do you think of him?' The Master replied, 'He was pure.' 'Was he perfectly virtuous?' 'I do not know. How can he be called perfectly virtuous?'

Chi Wan thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, 'Twice may do.'

Chi Wan thought three times before acting. When the Master heard about this habit, he said, 'Twice may be enough.'

The Master said, 'When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Wu acted the part of a wise man. When his country was in disorder, he acted the part of a stupid man. Others may equal his wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity.'

The Master said, 'When his country was well governed, Ning Wu acted like a wise man. When his country was in disorder, he acted like a fool. Others may match his wisdom, but they cannot match his foolishness.'

When the Master was in Ch'an, he said, 'Let me return! Let me return! The little children of my school are ambitious and too hasty. They are accomplished and complete so far, but they do not know how to restrict and shape themselves.'

When the Master was in Ch'an, he said, 'Let me return! Let me return! The young students at my school are ambitious and too hasty. They are accomplished and well-rounded so far, but they do not know how to restrain and guide themselves.'

The Master said, 'Po-i and Shu-ch'i did not keep the former wickednesses of men in mind, and hence the resentments directed towards them were few.'

The Master said, 'Po-i and Shu-ch'i did not dwell on people's past wrongdoings. So few people resented them.'

The Master said, 'Who says of Wei-shang Kao that he is upright? One begged some vinegar of him, and he begged it of a neighbor and gave it to the man.'

The Master said, 'Who says Wei-shang Kao is honest? Someone asked him for some vinegar. He asked a neighbor for some and gave the vinegar to the man.'

The Master said, 'Fine words, an insinuating appearance, and excessive respect;— Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of them. I also am ashamed of them. To conceal resentment against a person, and appear friendly with him;— Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of such conduct. I also am ashamed of it.'

The Master said, 'Flattering words, a look meant to win favor, and excessive respect made Tso Ch'iu-ming feel ashamed. I am also ashamed of such behavior. Hiding resentment toward someone while acting friendly toward them made Tso Ch'iu-ming feel ashamed. I am also ashamed of such behavior.'

Yen Yuan and Chi Lu being by his side, the Master said to them, 'Come, let each of you tell his wishes.'

Yen Yuan and Chi Lu were by his side. The Master said to them, 'Come, each of you, tell me what you wish for.'

Tsze-lu said, 'I should like, having chariots and horses, and light fur dresses, to share them with my friends, and though they should spoil them, I would not be displeased.'

Tsze-lu said, 'If I had chariots, horses, and light fur robes, I would like to share them with my friends. Even if my friends ruined them, I would not be upset.'

Yen Yuan said, 'I should like not to boast of my excellence, nor to make a display of my meritorious deeds.'

Yen Yuan said, 'I would like to avoid boasting about my strengths or showing off my good deeds.'

Tsze-lu then said, 'I should like, sir, to hear your wishes.' The Master said, 'They are, in regard to the aged, to give them rest; in regard to friends, to show them sincerity; in regard to the young, to treat them tenderly.'

Tsze-lu then said, 'Sir, I would like to hear your wishes.' The Master said, 'I wish to give older people rest, show sincerity to friends, and treat the young with tenderness.'

The Master said, 'It is all over! I have not yet seen one who could perceive his faults, and inwardly accuse himself.'

The Master said, 'It is all over! I have yet to see anyone who can recognize his faults and blame himself in his heart.'

The Master said, 'In a hamlet of ten families, there may be found one honourable and sincere as I am, but not so fond of learning.'

The Master said, 'In a village of ten families, someone may be as honorable and sincere as I am, but not as fond of learning.'