Tsze-chang said, "The scholar, trained for public duty, seeing threateningdanger, is prepared to sacrifice his life. When the opportunity of gain ispresented to him, he thinks of righteousness. In sacrificing, his thoughtsare reverential. In mourning, his thoughts are about the grief which heshould feel. Such a man commands our approbation indeedTsze-chang said, "When a man holds fast to virtue, but without seeking toenlarge it, and believes in right principles, but without firm sincerity,what account can be made of his existence or non-existence?"The disciples of Tsze-hsia asked Tsze-chang about the principles thatshould characterize mutual intercourse. Tsze-chang asked, "What doesTsze-hsia say on the subject?" They replied, "Tsze-hsia says: 'Associatewith those who can advantage you. Put away from you those who cannot doso.'" Tsze-chang observed, "This is different from what I have learned. Thesuperior man honors the talented and virtuous, and bears with all. Hepraises the good, and pities the incompetent. Am I possessed of greattalents and virtue?-who is there among men whom I will not bear with? Am Idevoid of talents and virtue?-men will put me away from them. What have weto do with the putting away of others?"Tsze-hsia said, "Even in inferior studies and employments there issomething worth being looked at; but if it be attempted to carry them outto what is remote, there is a danger of their proving inapplicable.
Therefore, the superior man does not practice them."Tsze-hsia said, "He, who from day to day recognizes what he has not yet,and from month to month does not forget what he has attained to, may besaid indeed to love to learn."Tsze-hsia said, "There are learning extensively, and having a firm andsincere aim; inquiring with earnestness, and reflecting withself-application:-virtue is in such a course."Tsze-hsia said, "Mechanics have their shops to dwell in, in order toaccomplish their works. The superior man learns, in order to reach to theutmost of his principles."Tsze-hsia said, "The mean man is sure to gloss his faults."Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man undergoes three changes. Looked at from adistance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heardto speak, his language is firm and decided."Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man, having obtained their confidence, maythen impose labors on his people. If he have not gained their confidence,they will think that he is oppressing them. Having obtained the confidenceof his prince, one may then remonstrate with him. If he have not gained hisconfidence, the prince will think that he is vilifying him."Tsze-hsia said, "When a person does not transgress the boundary line in thegreat virtues, he may pass and repass it in the small virtues."Tsze-yu said, "The disciples and followers of Tsze-hsia, in sprinkling andsweeping the ground, in answering and replying, in advancing and receding,are sufficiently accomplished. But these are only the branches of learning,and they are left ignorant of what is essential.-How can they beacknowledged as sufficiently taught?"Tsze-hsia heard of the remark and said, "Alas! Yen Yu is wrong. Accordingto the way of the superior man in teaching, what departments are therewhich he considers of prime importance, and delivers? what are there whichhe considers of secondary importance, and allows himself to be idle about
But as in the case of plants, which are assorted according to theirclasses, so he deals with his disciples. How can the way of a superior manbe such as to make fools of any of them? Is it not the sage alone, who canunite in one the beginning and the consummation of learning?"Tsze-hsia said, "The officer, having discharged all his duties, shoulddevote his leisure to learning. The student, having completed his learning,should apply himself to be an officer."Tsze-hsia said, "Mourning, having been carried to the utmost degree ofgrief, should stop with that."Tsze-hsia said, "My friend Chang can do things which are hard to be done,but yet he is not perfectly virtuous."The philosopher Tsang said, "How imposing is the manner of Chang! It isdifficult along with him to practice virtue."The philosopher Tsang said, "I heard this from our Master: 'Men may nothave shown what is in them to the full extent, and yet they will be foundto do so, on the occasion of mourning for their parents."The philosopher Tsang said, "I have heard this from our Master:-'The filialpiety of Mang Chwang, in other matters, was what other men are competentto, but, as seen in his not changing the ministers of his father, nor hisfather's mode of government, it is difficult to be attained to.'"The chief of the Mang family having appointed Yang Fu to be chief criminaljudge, the latter consulted the philosopher Tsang. Tsang said, "The rulershave failed in their duties, and the people consequently have beendisorganized for a long time. When you have found out the truth of anyaccusation, be grieved for and pity them, and do not feel joy at your ownability."Tsze-kung said, "Chau's wickedness was not so great as that name implies.
Therefore, the superior man hates to dwell in a low-lying situation, whereall the evil of the world will flow in upon him."Tsze-kung said, "The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses ofthe sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he changesagain, and all men look up to him."Kung-sun Ch'ao of Wei asked Tszekung, saying. "From whom did Chung-ni gethis learning?"Tsze-kung replied, "The doctrines of Wan and Wu have not yet fallen to theground. They are to be found among men. Men of talents and virtue rememberthe greater principles of them, and others, not possessing such talents andvirtue, remember the smaller. Thus, all possess the doctrines of Wan andWu. Where could our Master go that he should not have an opportunity oflearning them? And yet what necessity was there for his having a regularmaster?"Shu-sun Wu-shu observed to the great officers in the court, saying,"Tsze-kung is superior to Chung-ni."Tsze-fu Ching-po reported the observation to Tsze-kung, who said, "Let meuse the comparison of a house and its encompassing wall. My wall onlyreaches to the shoulders. One may peep over it, and see whatever isvaluable in the apartments.
The wall of my Master is several fathoms high. If one do not find the doorand enter by it, he cannot see the ancestral temple with its beauties, norall the officers in their rich array.
But I may assume that they are few who find the door. Was not theobservation of the chief only what might have been expected?"Shu-sun Wu-shu having spoken revilingly of Chung-ni, Tsze-kung said, "It isof no use doing so. Chung-ni cannot be reviled. The talents and virtue ofother men are hillocks and mounds which may be stepped over. Chung-ni isthe sun or moon, which it is not possible to step over. Although a man maywish to cut himself off from the sage, what harm can he do to the sun ormoon? He only shows that he does not know his own capacity.
Ch'an Tsze-ch' in, addressing Tsze-kung, said, "You are too modest. How canChung-ni be said to be superior to you?"Tsze-kung said to him, "For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, andfor one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We ought to be carefulindeed in what we say.
Our Master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as the heavenscannot be gone up by the steps of a stair.
Were our Master in the position of the ruler of a state or the chief of afamily, we should find verified the description which has been given of asage's rule:-he would plant the people, and forthwith they would beestablished; he would lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; hewould make them happy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to hisdominions; he would stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious.
While he lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterlylamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to