BOOK 5

Chapter I.

Confucius in marriage-making was guided by character and not by fortune.

1. The Master said of Kung-Yê 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.

2. 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.

Chapter 2.

The Chün-tsze formed by intercourse with other Chün-tsze.

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

Chapter 3.

Whereto Tsze-kung had attained.

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

Chapter 4.

Of Zan Yung:— readiness with the tongue no part of virtue.

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

2. The Master said, “What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartness 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?”

Chapter 5.

Ch’î-tiâo K’âi’s opinion of the qualifications necessary to taking office.

The Master was wishing Ch’î-tiâo K’âi to enter an official employment. He replied, “I am not yet able to rest in the assurance of THIS.” The Master was pleased.

Chapter 6.

Confucius proposing to withdraw from the world:— a lesson to Tsze-lû.

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 Yû, I dare to say.” Tsze-lû hearing this was glad, upon which the Master said, “Yû is fonder of daring than I am. He does not exercise his judgment upon matters.”

Chapter 7.

Of Tsze-Lû, Tsze-yû, and Tsze-hwâ.

1. Mang Wû asked about Tsze-lû, whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, “I do not know.”

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

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

4. “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.”

Chapter 8.

Superiority of Yen Hûi to Tsze-kung.

1. The Master said to Tsze-kung, “Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hûi?”

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

3. The Master said, “You are not equal to him. I grant you, you are not equal to him.”

Chapter 9.

The idleness of Tsâi Yü and its reproof.

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

2. 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 Yü that I have learned to make this change.”

Chapter 10.

Unbending virtue cannot co-exist with indulgence of the passions.

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?”

Chapter 11.

The difficulty of attaining to the not wishing to do to others as we wish them not to do to us.

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.”

Chapter 12.

The gradual way in which Confucius communicated his doctrines.

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.”

Chapter 13.

The ardour of Tsze-lû in practising the master’s instructions.

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

Chapter 14.

An example of the principle on which honorary posthumous titles were conferred.

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.”

Chapter 15.

The excellent qualities of Tsze-ch’an.

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 superior, he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was kind; in ordering the people, he was just.

Chapter 16.

How to maintain friendship.

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.”

Chapter 17.

The superstition of Tsang Wan.

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?”

Chapter 18.

The praise of perfect virtue is not to be lightly accorded.

1. 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?”

2. Tsze-chang proceeded, “When the officer Ch’ûi killed the prince of Ch’î, 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’ûi,’ 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?”

Chapter 19.

Prompt decision good.

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

Chapter 20.

The uncommon but admirable stupidity of Ning Wû.

The Master said, “When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Wû 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.”

Chapter 21.

The anxiety of Confucius about the training of his disciples.

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.”

Chapter 22.

The generosity of Po-î and Shû-ch’î.

The Master said, “Po-î and Shû-ch’î did not keep the former wickednesses of men in mind, and hence the resentments directed towards them were few.”

Chapter 23.