The Sayings of Confucius.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
XIII
The Master said: “Lead the way: take pains.”
Asked to add more, he said: “Never flag.”
The Master said: “Let officers act first: overlook small faults: raise worth and talent.”
Chung-kung said: “How shall I learn to know the worth and talent I have to raise?”
“Raise those thou dost know,” said the Master; “and those unknown to thee, will other men pass by?”
“If need were,” said the Master, “by putting names right.”
“Indeed,” said Tzu-lu, “that is far fetched, Sir! Why put them right?”
“Yu,” said the Master, “thou art ill-bred. On matters beyond his ken a gentleman speaks with caution. If names are not right, words are misused. When words are misused, affairs go wrong. When affairs go wrong, courtesy and music droop. When courtesy and music droop, law and justice fail. And when law and justice fail them, a people can move neither hand nor foot. So a gentleman must be ready to put names into speech, to put words into deed. A gentleman is nowise careless of words.”
The Master said: “I cannot rank with an old husbandman.”
He asked to be taught gardening.
The Master said: “I cannot rank with an old gardener.”
After Fan Ch´ih had left, the Master said: “How small a man! If those above love courtesy, none will dare to slight them: if those above love right, none will dare to disobey: if those above love truth, none will dare to hide the heart. Then, from the four corners of the earth, folk will gather, their children on their backs; what need will there be for husbandry?”
Jan Yu said: “Since numbers are here, what next is needed?”
“Wealth,” said the Master.
“And after wealth, what next were needed?”
“Teaching,” said the Master.
“Business of state kept me,” he answered.
“Household business,” said the Master. “Though I am out of office, I had heard were there business of state.”
Confucius answered: “That is more than words can do. But a proverb says ‘Hard it is to be king, nor yet light to be minister.’ And did one know how hard it is to be king, might not this saying all but prosper a kingdom?”
“And is there any one saying that can wreck a kingdom?”
“That is more than words can do,” Confucius answered. “But a proverb says ‘My one joy as king is that none withstand what I say.’ Now if none withstand him when right, will it not be well? But if none withstand him when wrong, might not this saying all but wreck a kingdom?”
The Master said: “To gladden those around us and draw men from afar.”
The Master said: “Never be in a hurry: shut thine eyes to small gains. Nought done in a hurry is thorough, and an eye for small gain means big things undone.”
Confucius answered: “Our people’s uprightness is unlike that. The father screens his son, the son screens his father. There is uprightness in this.”
The Master said: “To be respectful at home, painstaking at work, faithful to all. Even among savages none of this may be dropped.”
The Master said: “In private life he wants a sense of shame: if sent to the four corners of the earth he must not disgrace the king’s commands.”
“May I ask who would rank second?”
“A man who his clansmen call dutiful, and his neighbours call modest.”
“May I ask who would rank next?”
“A man who clings to his word and sticks to his course, a flinty little fellow, would perhaps come next.”
“And how are the crown servants of to-day?”
“What! The weights and measures men!” said the Master. “Are they worth reckoning?”
The Master said: “Neglect of the omens, that is all.”
“No,” said the Master.
“And would it be right if a man were hated by all his neighbours?”
“No,” said the Master. “It would be better if the good men of the neighbourhood liked him, and the bad men of the neighbourhood hated him.”
The Master said: “A man who is earnest, encouraging, and kind may be called educated. Earnest with friends and encouraging; kind towards his brothers.”