Yen Yuan

Yen Yuan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, 'To subdue one's self and return to propriety, is perfect virtue. If a man can for one day subdue himself and return to propriety, all under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him. Is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself, or is it from others?'

Yen Yuan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, 'Perfect virtue means mastering yourself and returning to proper conduct. If a man can do this for just one day, everyone under heaven will consider him perfectly virtuous. Does practicing perfect virtue depend on the person himself, or does it depend on others?'

Yen 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.' Yen Yuan then said, 'Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigour, I will make it my business to practise this lesson.'

Yen Yuan said, 'May I ask what steps this process involves?' The Master replied, 'Do not look at anything that goes against proper conduct. Do not listen to anything that goes against proper conduct. Do not say anything that goes against proper conduct. Do not make any movement that goes against proper conduct.' Yen Yuan then said, 'Though I lack intelligence and energy, I will make a point of putting this lesson into practice.'

Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, 'It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one 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.' Chung-kung said, 'Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigour, I will make it my business to practise this lesson.'

Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, 'When you go out, treat everyone as if you were welcoming an honored guest. When directing the people, act as if you were helping at a great sacrifice. Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself. Live so that no one in the country or your family complains about you.' Chung-kung said, 'Though I lack intelligence and energy, I will make every effort to put this lesson into practice.'

Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue.

Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue.

The Master said, 'The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech.'

The Master said, 'A man of perfect virtue speaks carefully and slowly.'

'Cautious and slow in his speech!' said Niu;— 'is this what is meant by perfect virtue?' The Master said, 'When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?'

'Cautious and slow to speak!' said Niu. 'Is that what perfect virtue means?' The Master said, 'When a man knows how hard it is to act, how can he not speak cautiously and slowly?'

Sze-ma Niu asked about the superior man. The Master said, 'The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear.'

Sze-ma Niu asked about the noble man. The Master said, 'The noble man has no anxiety or fear.'

'Being without anxiety or fear!' said Nui;— 'does this constitute what we call the superior man?'

'Free from anxiety or fear!' said Nui. 'Is being free from anxiety or fear what makes someone a superior man?'

The Master said, 'When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?'

The Master said, 'When you look within and find nothing wrong, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?'

Sze-ma Niu, full of anxiety, said, 'Other men all have their brothers, I only have not.'

Sze-ma Niu, full of anxiety, said, 'All other men have brothers. I alone have none.'

Tsze-hsia said to him, 'There is the following saying which I have heard:—

Tsze-hsia said to him, 'I have heard the following saying:

'"Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honours depend upon Heaven."

'"Death and life are determined by fate. Wealth and honor depend on Heaven."

'Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety:— then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?'

'Let the noble man always guide his conduct with care and reverence. Let him treat others respectfully and follow proper customs. Then all within the four seas will be his brothers. Why should the noble man be distressed because he has no brothers?'

Tsze-chang asked what constituted intelligence. The Master said, 'He 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, he with whom neither soaking slander, nor startling statements, are successful, may be called farseeing.'

Tsze-chang asked what it meant to be intelligent. The Master said, 'Slander can slowly seep into the mind, and shocking statements can hurt like a wound in the flesh. A person who is swayed by neither may truly be called intelligent. Yes, someone swayed by neither creeping slander nor shocking statements may be called farseeing.'

Tsze-kung 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.'

Tsze-kung asked about government. The Master said, 'Government needs enough food, enough military equipment, and the people's trust in their ruler.'

Tsze-kung 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.

Tsze-kung said, 'If we have no choice but to give up one of the three, which should we give up first?' 'The military equipment,' said the Master.

Tsze-kung 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 men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state.'

Tsze-kung asked again, 'If there is no choice and one of the remaining two must go, which should we give up?' The Master answered, 'Give up the food. Since ancient times, all people have faced death. But if the people have no faith in their rulers, the state cannot stand.'

Chi Tsze-ch'ang said, 'In a superior man it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted;— why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?'

Chi Tsze-ch'ang said, 'A superior man needs only solid character. Why should we look for polished accomplishments?'

Tsze-kung said, 'Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue.

Tsze-kung said, 'What a pity! Your words, sir, show that you are a man of high character. But four horses cannot catch up with spoken words.

Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair.'

Outward refinement is as important as inner substance. Inner substance is as important as outward refinement. A tiger's or leopard's hide without hair is like a dog's or goat's hide without hair.'

The Duke Ai inquired of Yu Zo, saying, 'The year is one of scarcity, and the returns for expenditure are not sufficient;— what is to be done?'

Duke Ai asked Yu Zo, 'This is a year of shortages, and our revenue is not enough to cover expenses. What should we do?'

Yu Zo replied to him, 'Why not simply tithe the people?'

Yu Zo replied to him, 'Why not simply tax the people at ten percent?'

'With two tenths,' said the duke, 'I find it not enough;— how could I do with that system of one tenth?'

'With two tenths, I still don’t have enough,' said the duke. 'How could I manage with a system of one tenth?'

Yu Zo 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.'

Yu Zo answered, 'If the people have plenty, their prince will not be the only one left without enough. If the people do not have enough, their prince cannot be the only one enjoying plenty.'

Tsze-chang 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.

Tsze-chang asked how to strengthen virtue and recognize delusions. The Master said, 'Make faithfulness and sincerity your guiding principles, and keep moving toward what is right. This is how to strengthen your virtue.

'You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion.

'You love a man and want him to live. You hate him and want him to die. After wanting him to live, you also want him to die. These conflicting wishes are a sign of delusion.

'"It may not be on account of her being rich, yet you come to make a difference."'

'"It may not be because she is rich, yet you still treat her differently."'

The Duke Ching, of Ch'i, asked Confucius about government.

Duke Ching of Ch'i 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.'

Confucius replied, 'Government works when the prince fulfills his role as prince and the minister as minister. Government also requires the father to fulfill his role as father and the son as 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?'

'Good!' said the duke. 'If the prince does not act as a prince, the minister as a minister, the father as a father, and the son as a son, then even though I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?'

The Master said, 'Ah! it is Yu, who could with half a word settle litigations!'

The Master said, 'Ah! Yu could settle legal disputes with just half a word!'

Tsze-lu never slept over a promise.

Tsze-lu never waited until the next day to keep a promise.

The Master said, 'In hearing litigations, I am like any other body. What is necessary, however, is to cause the people to have no litigations.'

The Master said, 'When hearing legal disputes, I am like anyone else. What is necessary, however, is to ensure that people have no legal disputes.'

Tsze-chang asked about government. The Master said, 'The art of governing is to keep its affairs before the mind without weariness, and to practise them with undeviating consistency.'

Tsze-chang asked about government. The Master said, 'The art of governing is to focus tirelessly on government affairs and handle them with unwavering consistency.'

The Master said, 'By extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, one may thus likewise not err from what is right.'

The Master said, 'By studying all areas of learning widely and following the rules of proper conduct, a person may likewise avoid straying from what is right.'

The Master said, 'The superior man seeks to perfect the admirable qualities of men, and does not seek to perfect their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposite of this.'

The Master said, 'A noble person seeks to bring out the best in others, not to encourage their bad qualities. A petty person does the opposite.'

Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, 'To govern means to rectify. If you lead on the people with correctness, who will dare not to be correct?'

Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, 'To govern means to set things right. If you lead the people by doing what is right, who will dare to do wrong?'

Chi K'ang, distressed about the number of thieves in the state, inquired of Confucius how to do away with them. Confucius said, 'If you, sir, were not covetous, although you should reward them to do it, they would not steal.'

Chi K'ang was troubled by the number of thieves in the state. He asked Confucius how to stop them. Confucius said, 'Sir, if you were not greedy, the thieves would not steal, even if you rewarded them for stealing.'

Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government, saying, 'What do you say to killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled?' Confucius replied, 'Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors, is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it.'

Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government, saying, 'What do you think of killing those without principles for the good of those with principles?' Confucius replied, 'Sir, why should you use killing at all when governing? Show your desire for what is good, and the people will be good. The relationship between rulers and those they govern is like the relationship between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows across it.'

Tsze-chang asked, 'What must the officer be, who may be said to be distinguished?'

Tsze-chang asked, 'What qualities must an official have to be considered distinguished?'

The Master said, 'What is it you call being distinguished?'

The Master said, 'What do you mean by being distinguished?'

Tsze-chang replied, 'It is to be heard of through the State, to be heard of throughout his clan.'

Tsze-chang replied, 'It means being well known throughout the State and throughout his clan.'

The Master said, 'That is notoriety, not distinction.

The Master said, 'That is fame, not true distinction.

'Now the man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves righteousness. He examines people's words, and looks at their countenances. He is anxious to humble himself to others. Such a man will be distinguished in the country; he will be distinguished in his clan.

'Now a distinguished man is steady and honest, and loves what is right. He considers people's words and watches their facial expressions. He is eager to be humble toward others. Such a man will be distinguished in his country. He will be distinguished in his clan.

'As to the man of notoriety, he assumes the appearance of virtue, but his actions are opposed to it, and he rests in this character without any doubts about himself. Such a man will be heard of in the country; he will be heard of in the clan.'

'As for the man known by reputation, he appears virtuous, but his actions go against virtue. He is content to live this way, without any doubts about himself. Such a man will be known throughout the country. He will be known within his clan.'

Fan Ch'ih rambling with the Master under the trees about the rain altars, said, 'I venture to ask how to exalt virtue, to correct cherished evil, and to discover delusions.'

Fan Ch'ih was strolling with the Master under the trees near the rain altars. He said, 'May I ask how to strengthen virtue, correct deeply held faults, and recognize delusions?'

The Master said, 'Truly a good question!

The Master said, 'That's a really good question!

'If doing what is to be done be made the first business, and success a secondary consideration;— is not this the way to exalt virtue? To assail one's own wickedness and not assail that of others;— is not this the way to correct cherished evil? For a morning's anger to disregard one's own life, and involve that of his parents;— is not this a case of delusion?'

'If you put doing what is right first and success second, isn't that the way to strengthen your virtue? If you confront your own faults instead of others' faults, isn't that the way to correct deep-rooted evil? If a moment's anger makes you risk your own life and endanger your parents' lives, isn't that delusion?'

Fan Ch'ih asked about benevolence. The Master said, 'It is to love all men.' He asked about knowledge. The Master said, 'It is to know all men.'

Fan Ch'ih asked about kindness. The Master said, 'Kindness means loving all people.' Fan Ch'ih asked about knowledge. The Master said, 'Knowledge means understanding all people.'

Fan Ch'ih did not immediately understand these answers.

Fan Ch'ih did not understand these answers right away.

The Master said, 'Employ the upright and put aside all the crooked;— in this way the crooked can be made to be upright.'

The Master said, 'Employ honest people and set aside all dishonest people. By doing so, you can make dishonest people honest.'

Fan Ch'ih retired, and, seeing Tsze-hsia, he said to him, 'A little while ago, I had an interview with our Master, and asked him about knowledge. He said, "Employ the upright, and put aside all the crooked;— in this way, the crooked will be made to be upright." What did he mean?'

Fan Ch'ih left and saw Tsze-hsia. He said to him, 'A little while ago, I met with our Master and asked him about knowledge. He said, "Employ upright people and set aside all crooked people. In this way, crooked people will be made upright." What did he mean?'

Tsze-hsia said, 'Truly rich is his saying!

Tsze-hsia said, 'His words are truly rich in meaning!

'Shun, being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed Kao-yao, on which all who were devoid of virtue disappeared. T'ang, being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed I Yin, and all who were devoid of virtue disappeared.'

'When Shun ruled the kingdom, he chose Kao-yao from among all the people and put him to work. As a result, all who lacked virtue disappeared. When T'ang ruled the kingdom, he chose I Yin from among all the people and put him to work. As a result, all who lacked virtue disappeared.'

Tsze-kung asked about friendship. The Master said, 'Faithfully admonish your friend, and skillfully lead him on. If you find him impracticable, stop. Do not disgrace yourself.'

Tsze-kung asked about friendship. The Master said, 'Honestly point out your friend's faults, and guide him with care and skill. If your friend will not listen, stop. Do not disgrace yourself.'

The philosopher Tsang said, 'The superior man on grounds of culture meets with his friends, and by their friendship helps his virtue.'

The philosopher Tsang said, 'A person of good character meets with friends through shared learning. Through their friendship, he strengthens his virtue.'