论语 The Analects chapter 13英2

孙祎卓

"There is a saying, however, which people have -'To be a prince isdifficult; to be a minister is not easy.'

　　"If a ruler knows this,-the difficulty of being a prince,-may there not beexpected from this one sentence the prosperity of his country?"The duke then said, "Is there a single sentence which can ruin a country?"Confucius replied, "Such an effect as that cannot be expected from onesentence. There is, however, the saying which people have-'I have nopleasure in being a prince, but only in that no one can offer anyopposition to what I say!'

　　"If a ruler's words be good, is it not also good that no one oppose them?

　　But if they are not good, and no one opposes them, may there not beexpected from this one sentence the ruin of his country?"The Duke of Sheh asked about government.

　　The Master said, "Good government obtains when those who are near are madehappy, and those who are far off are attracted."Tsze-hsia! being governor of Chu-fu, asked about government. The Mastersaid, "Do not be desirous to have things done quickly; do not look at smalladvantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being donethoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from beingaccomplished."The Duke of Sheh informed Confucius, saying, "Among us here there are thosewho may be styled upright in their conduct. If their father have stolen asheep, they will bear witness to the fact."Confucius said, "Among us, in our part of the country, those who areupright are different from this. The father conceals the misconduct of theson, and the son conceals the misconduct of the father. Uprightness is tobe found in this."Fan Ch'ih asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, inretirement, to be sedately grave; in the management of business, to bereverently attentive; in intercourse with others, to be strictly sincere.

　　Though a man go among rude, uncultivated tribes, these qualities may not beneglected."Tsze-kung asked, saying, "What qualities must a man possess to entitle himto be called an officer? The Master said, "He who in his conduct of himselfmaintains a sense of shame, and when sent to any quarter will not disgracehis prince's commission, deserves to be called an officer."Tsze-kung pursued, "I venture to ask who may be placed in the next lowerrank?" And he was told, "He whom the circle of his relatives pronounce tobe filial, whom his fellow villagers and neighbors pronounce to befraternal."Again the disciple asked, "I venture to ask about the class still next inorder." The Master said, "They are determined to be sincere in what theysay, and to carry out what they do. They are obstinate little men. Yetperhaps they may make the next class."Tsze-kung finally inquired, "Of what sort are those of the present day, whoengage in government?" The Master said "Pooh! they are so many pecks andhampers, not worth being taken into account."The Master said, "Since I cannot get men pursuing the due medium, to whom Imight communicate my instructions, I must find the ardent and thecautiously-decided. The ardent will advance and lay hold of truth; thecautiously-decided will keep themselves from what is wrong."The Master said, "The people of the south have a saying -'A man withoutconstancy cannot be either a wizard or a doctor.' Good!

　　"Inconstant in his virtue, he will be visited with disgrace."The Master said, "This arises simply from not attending to theprognostication."The Master said, "The superior man is affable, but not adulatory; the meanman is adulatory, but not affable."Tsze-kung asked, saying, "What do you say of a man who is loved by all thepeople of his neighborhood?" The Master replied, "We may not for thataccord our approval of him." "And what do you say of him who is hated byall the people of his neighborhood?" The Master said, "We may not for thatconclude that he is bad. It is better than either of these cases that thegood in the neighborhood love him, and the bad hate him."The Master said, "The superior man is easy to serve and difficult toplease. If you try to please him in any way which is not accordant withright, he will not be pleased. But in his employment of men, he uses themaccording to their capacity. The mean man is difficult to serve, and easyto please. If you try to please him, though it be in a way which is notaccordant with right, he may be pleased. But in his employment of men, hewishes them to be equal to everything."The Master said, "The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. Themean man has pride without a dignified ease."The Master said, "The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest arenear to virtue."Tsze-lu asked, saying, "What qualities must a man possess to entitle him tobe called a scholar?" The Master said, "He must be thus,-earnest, urgent,and bland:-among his friends, earnest and urgent; among his brethren,bland."The Master said, "Let a good man teach the people seven years, and they maythen likewise be employed in war."The Master said, "To lead an uninstructed people to war, is to throw themaway."