The Viscount of Wei (Wei Tsze)

The Viscount of Wei withdrew from the court. The Viscount of Chi became a slave to Chau. Pi-kan remonstrated with him and died.

The Viscount of Wei left the court. The Viscount of Chi became Chau's slave. Pi-kan spoke out against Chau and died.

Confucius said, 'The Yin dynasty possessed these three men of virtue.'

Confucius said, 'The Yin dynasty had these three virtuous men.'

Hui of Liu-hsia being chief criminal judge, was thrice dismissed from his office. Some one said to him, 'Is it not yet time for you, sir, to leave this?' He replied, 'Serving men in an upright way, where shall I go to, and not experience such a thrice-repeated dismissal? If I choose to serve men in a crooked way, what necessity is there for me to leave the country of my parents?'

Hui of Liu-hsia was dismissed three times from his position as chief criminal judge. Someone said to him, 'Sir, isn't it time for you to leave?' He replied, 'If I serve others honestly, where could I go without being dismissed three times like this? If I choose to serve others dishonestly, why would I need to leave my parents' country?'

The duke Ching of Ch'i, with reference to the manner in which he should treat Confucius, said, 'I cannot treat him as I would the chief of the Chi family. I will treat him in a manner between that accorded to the chief of the Chi, and that given to the chief of the Mang family.' He also said, 'I am old; I cannot use his doctrines.' Confucius took his departure.

Duke Ching of Ch'i said of how he should treat Confucius, 'I cannot treat him as I would the head of the Chi family. I will treat him somewhere between how I treat the heads of the Chi and Mang families.' He also said, 'I am old. I cannot put his teachings into practice.' Confucius left.

The people of Ch'i sent to Lu a present of female musicians, which Chi Hwan received, and for three days no court was held. Confucius took his departure.

The people of Ch'i sent female musicians as a gift to Lu. Chi Hwan accepted the gift, and no court sessions were held for three days. Confucius left.

The madman of Ch'u, Chieh-yu, passed by Confucius, singing and saying, 'O Fang! O Fang! How is your virtue degenerated! As to the past, reproof is useless; but the future may still be provided against. Give up your vain pursuit. Give up your vain pursuit. Peril awaits those who now engage in affairs of government.'

The madman of Ch'u, Chieh-yu, passed by Confucius, singing, 'O Fang! O Fang! How your virtue has declined! Blaming you for the past is useless, but you may still guard against future mistakes. Give up your pointless pursuit. Give up your pointless pursuit. Danger awaits those who now take part in government.'

Confucius alighted and wished to converse with him, but Chieh-yu hastened away, so that he could not talk with him.

Confucius got down and wanted to talk with Chieh-yu. But Chieh-yu hurried away, so Confucius could not speak with him.

Ch'ang-tsu and Chieh-ni were at work in the field together, when Confucius passed by them, and sent Tsze-lu to inquire for the ford.

Ch'ang-tsu and Chieh-ni were working together in the field when Confucius passed by. Confucius sent Tsze-lu to ask where to find a shallow place to cross the river.

Ch'ang-tsu said, 'Who is he that holds the reins in the carriage there?' Tsze-lu told him, 'It is K'ung Ch'iu.' 'Is it not K'ung Ch'iu of Lu?' asked he. 'Yes,' was the reply, to which the other rejoined, 'He knows the ford.'

Ch'ang-tsu asked, 'Who is holding the reins in that carriage?' Tsze-lu told him, 'It is K'ung Ch'iu.' 'Isn't that K'ung Ch'iu of Lu?' Ch'ang-tsu asked. 'Yes,' Tsze-lu replied, and Ch'ang-tsu said, 'He knows where the ford is.'

Tsze-lu then inquired of Chieh-ni, who said to him, 'Who are you, sir?' He answered, 'I am Chung Yu.' 'Are you not the disciple of K'ung Ch'iu of Lu?' asked the other. 'I am,' replied he, and then Chieh-ni said to him, 'Disorder, like a swelling flood, spreads over the whole empire, and who is he that will change its state for you? Than follow one who merely withdraws from this one and that one, had you not better follow those who have withdrawn from the world altogether?' With this he fell to covering up the seed, and proceeded with his work, without stopping.

Tsze-lu then asked Chieh-ni, who said to him, 'Who are you, sir?' Tsze-lu answered, 'I am Chung Yu.' 'Aren’t you the disciple of K'ung Ch'iu of Lu?' Chieh-ni asked. 'I am,' Tsze-lu replied. Then Chieh-ni said to him, 'Disorder spreads like a rising flood across the whole empire. Who will change things for you? You follow someone who merely withdraws from one person or another. Wouldn’t you do better to follow those who have withdrawn from the world altogether?' With these words, he began covering the seeds with soil and continued his work without stopping.

Tsze-lu went and reported their remarks, when the Master observed with a sigh, 'It is impossible to associate with birds and beasts, as if they were the same with us. If I associate not with these people,— with mankind,— with whom shall I associate? If right principles prevailed through the empire, there would be no use for me to change its state.'

Tsze-lu went and reported their remarks. The Master sighed and said, 'We cannot live among birds and beasts as if they were the same as us. If I do not associate with these people, with humanity, who else can I associate with? If right principles prevailed throughout the empire, there would be no need for me to change its condition.'

Tsze-lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, when he met an old man, carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds. Tsze-lu said to him, 'Have you seen my master, sir!' The old man replied, 'Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain:— who is your master?' With this, he planted his staff in the ground, and proceeded to weed.

Tsze-lu was following the Master but happened to fall behind. He met an old man carrying a basket for weeds on a staff across his shoulder. Tsze-lu asked him, 'Have you seen my master, sir?' The old man replied, 'Your arms and legs are unused to hard work. You cannot tell the five kinds of grain apart. Who is your master?' Then he planted his staff in the ground and began weeding.

Tsze-lu joined his hands across his breast, and stood before him.

Tsze-lu clasped his hands across his chest and stood before him.

The old man kept Tsze-lu to pass the night in his house, killed a fowl, prepared millet, and feasted him. He also introduced to him his two sons.

The old man had Tsze-lu stay overnight at his house. He killed a chicken, prepared millet, and treated Tsze-lu to a feast. He also introduced Tsze-lu to his two sons.

Next day, Tsze-lu went on his way, and reported his adventure. The Master said, 'He is a recluse,' and sent Tsze-lu back to see him again, but when he got to the place, the old man was gone.

The next day, Tsze-lu continued on his way and reported what had happened. The Master said, 'He is a recluse,' and sent Tsze-lu back to see the old man again. But when Tsze-lu arrived, the old man was gone.

Tsze-lu then said to the family, 'Not to take office is not righteous. If the relations between old and young may not be neglected, how is it that he sets aside the duties that should be observed between sovereign and minister? Wishing to maintain his personal purity, he allows that great relation to come to confusion. A superior man takes office, and performs the righteous duties belonging to it. As to the failure of right principles to make progress, he is aware of that.'

Tsze-lu then said to the family, 'Refusing to take public office is wrong. If duties between old and young cannot be neglected, how can he ignore the duties between ruler and minister? In trying to keep himself morally pure, he lets that important relationship fall into disorder. An honorable man takes public office and carries out the duties of the office rightly. He knows that right principles are failing to gain ground.'

The men who have retired to privacy from the world have been Po-i, Shu-ch'i, Yu-chung, I-yi, Chu-chang, Hui of Liu-hsia, and Shao-lien.

The men who withdrew from the world to live in seclusion were Po-i, Shu-ch'i, Yu-chung, I-yi, Chu-chang, Hui of Liu-hsia, and Shao-lien.

The Master said, 'Refusing to surrender their wills, or to submit to any taint in their persons;— such, I think, were Po-i and Shu-ch'i.

The Master said, 'Those who refused to abandon their convictions or compromise their integrity were, I think, Po-i and Shu-ch'i.'

'It may be said of Hui of Liu-hsia, and of Shao-lien, that they surrendered their wills, and submitted to taint in their persons, but their words corresponded with reason, and their actions were such as men are anxious to see. This is all that is to be remarked in them.

'It may be said that Hui of Liu-hsia and Shao-lien gave up their own will and accepted personal disgrace. But their words were reasonable, and their actions were what people hoped to see. That is all there is to say about them.

'It may be said of Yu-chung and I-yi, that, while they hid themselves in their seclusion, they gave a license to their words; but, in their persons, they succeeded in preserving their purity, and, in their retirement, they acted according to the exigency of the times.

'It may be said of Yu-chung and I-yi: While hiding away in seclusion, they allowed themselves to speak freely. But they managed to preserve their personal purity. And in withdrawing from public life, they acted as the times required.

'I am different from all these. I have no course for which I am predetermined, and no course against which I am predetermined.'

'I am different from all these. I have not decided in advance to follow any course or to reject any course.'

The grand music master, Chih, went to Ch'i.

The chief music master, Chih, went to Ch'i.

Kan, the master of the band at the second meal, went to Ch'u. Liao, the band master at the third meal, went to Ts'ai. Chueh, the band master at the fourth meal, went to Ch'in.

Kan, who led the band at the second meal, went to Ch'u. Liao, who led the band at the third meal, went to Ts'ai. Chueh, who led the band at the fourth meal, went to Ch'in.

Fang-shu, the drum master, withdrew to the north of the river.

Fang-shu, the drum master, retreated to the north of the river.

Wu, the master of the hand drum, withdrew to the Han.

Wu, the master hand drummer, withdrew to the Han.

Yang, the assistant music master, and Hsiang, master of the musical stone, withdrew to an island in the sea.

Yang was the assistant music master, and Hsiang was the master of the musical stone. Both withdrew to an island in the sea.

The duke of Chau addressed his son, the duke of Lu, saying, 'The virtuous prince does not neglect his relations. He does not cause the great ministers to repine at his not employing them. Without some great cause, he does not dismiss from their offices the members of old families. He does not seek in one man talents for every employment.'

The duke of Chau said to his son, the duke of Lu, 'A virtuous ruler does not neglect his relatives. He does not leave his senior ministers resentful by failing to give them work. Without a serious reason, he does not remove members of old families from office. He does not expect one man to have the skills for every job.'

To Chau belonged the eight officers, Po-ta, Po-kwo, Chung-tu, Chung-hwu, Shu-ya, Shu-hsia, Chi-sui, and Chi-kwa.

Chau had eight officers: Po-ta, Po-kwo, Chung-tu, Chung-hwu, Shu-ya, Shu-hsia, Chi-sui, and Chi-kwa.