The Analects of Confucius by Roger T. Ames

Author:Roger T. Ames [Ames, Roger T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-77571-9
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2010-11-10T00:00:00+00:00

BOOK 14

14.1

Yuansi219 inquired about shameful conduct, and the Master replied, “To receive a stipend of grain when the way (dao ) prevails in the state and to be still receiving this stipend when it does not, is shameful conduct.”220

He again inquired, “If in one’s conduct one refrains from intimidation, from self-importance, from ill will, and from greed, can one be considered authoritative (ren )?”

“I would say that this is hard to do,” replied the Master, “but I don’t know that it makes one’s conduct authoritative.”

14.2

The Master said, “The scholar-apprentice (shi ) who cherishes worldly comforts is not worthy of the name.”221

14.3

The Master said, “When the way prevails be perilously high-minded222 in your speech and conduct; when it does not prevail, be perilously high-minded in your conduct, but be prudent in what you say.”

14.4

The Master said, “The person of excellence (de ) is certain to have something to say, but someone who has something to say is not necessarily an excellent person. The authoritative person (ren ) is certain to be bold, but someone who is bold223 is not necessarily authoritative.”

14.5

Nangong Kuo asked Confucius, “How is it that Yi was a master (shan ) at archery and Ao was strong enough to push a boat on dry land, and yet both met an unnatural end, while Yu and Ji personally farmed the land, and yet came to rule the world?”224

At the time, the Master did not reply, but after Nangong Kuo’s departure, he remarked, “There is an exemplary person (junzi )! There is someone who really esteems excellence (de )!”225

14.6

The Master said, “There have been occasions on which an exemplary person (junzi ) fails to act in an authoritative manner (ren ), but there has never been an instance of a petty person being able to act authoritatively.”226

14.7

The Master said, “Can you really love the people without urging them on? Can you do your utmost (zhong ) for your lord without instructing him?”227

14.8

The Master said, “In the drawing up of a diplomatic treaty, Pi Chen would make a first draft of it, Shi Shu would comment on it and discuss it, the diplomat Ziyu would revise and polish it, and Zichan of Dongli would then add the final touches.”228

14.9

Someone asked about Zichan. The Master replied, “He was kind and good.”

“Zixi?” he asked.

“That man! That man!”229

“And Guanzhong?” he asked.

“His conduct was authoritative (ren ).230 He seized three hundred households from the Bo clan in the town of Pian, and although the Bo clan was left with only coarse rice to eat, they lived out their days without ever speaking ill of Guanzhong.”

14.10

The Master said, “To be poor without feeling ill will is much more difficult than to be wealthy without being arrogant.”

14.11

The Master said, “Were Meng Gongchuo to serve the Zhao or Wei families as household steward, he would be well within his reach, but he could not serve as a minister even to the likes of Teng or Xue.”

14.12

Zilu inquired about consummate persons (chengren ). The Master replied, “Persons who are

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