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The Sayings of Confucius.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
VI
[1] THE MASTER said: “Yung 1 might fill the seat of a prince.”
“And might Tzu-sang Po-tzu?” asked Chung-kung.
“Yes,” said the Master: “but he is lax.”
“To be lax in his claims on the people might be right,” said Chung-kung, “were he stern to self; but
to be lax to self and lax to others must surely be over-lax.”
The Master said: “What Yung says is true.”
[2] Duke Ai asked which disciples were fond of learning.
Confucius answered: “Yen Hui 2 loved learning. His anger fell not astray; he made no mistake
twice. By ill-luck his life was cut short. Now that he is gone, I hear of no one who is fond of
learning.”
[3] Tzu-hua 3 having been sent to Chґi, the disciple Jan asked for grain to give to his mother.
The Master said: “Give her a bushel.”
He asked for more.
The Master said: “Give her half a quarter.”
Jan gave her twenty-five quarters.
The Master said: “On his way to Chґi, Chґih 4 was drawn by sleek horses, clad in fine furs. A
gentleman, I have heard, helps the needy: he does not swell riches.”
When Yьan Ssu 5 was governor his pay was nine hundred measures of grain. On his refusing it,
the Master said: “Not so. Why not take it and give it to thy neighbours and country-folk.”
[4] Of Chung-kung the Master said: “If the calf of a brindled cow be red and horned, though men be
shy to offer him, will the hills and streams disdain him?”
[5] The Master said: “For three months together Hui’s 6 heart never sinned against love. The others
may hold out for a day, or a month; but no more.”
[6] Chi Kґang 7 asked whether Chung-yu 8 were fit for power.
The Master said: “Yu 8 has character; what would governing be to him?”
“And Tzґu, 9 is he fit for power?”
“Tzґu is intelligent; what would governing be to him?
“And Chґiu, 10 is he fit for power?”
“Chґiu has ability; what would governing be to him?”
[7] The Chi sent to make Min Tzu-chґien 11 governor of Pi.
Min Tzu-chґien said: “Make some good excuse for me. If he send again, I must be across the
Wen.”
[8] When Po-niu 12 was ill the Master went to ask after him. Grasping his hand through the window,
he said: “He is dying. It is our lot. But why this man of such an illness? why this man of such an
illness?”
[9] The Master said: “What a man was Hui! 13 A dish of rice, a gourd of water, in a low alleyway; no
man can bear such misery! Yet Hui never fell from mirth. What a man he was!”
[10] Jan Chґiu 14 said: “Pleasure in the Master’s path I do not lack: I lack strength.”
The Master said: “Who lacks strength faints by the way; thou puttest a curb upon thee.”
[11] The Master said to Tzu-hsia: “Read to become a gentleman; do not read as the vulgar do.”
[12] When Tzu-yu was governor of Wu-chґeng, 15 the Master said: “Hast thou gotten any men?”
He answered: “I have Tan-tґai Mieh-ming. When walking he will not take a short-cut; he has never
come to my house except on business.”
[13] The Master said: “Meng Chih-fan never bragged. He was covering the rear in a rout; but when the
gate was reached, he whipped up his horse and cried; ‘Not courage kept me behind; my horse won’t