[14- 1] 宪问耻。子曰：           “邦有道，谷；邦无道，谷，耻也。＂

“克、伐、怨、欲不行焉，可以为仁矣？“子曰：       “可以为难矣， 仁则吾不知也。"

14.1      Yuan Xian asked about what is shameful. The Master replied, "When good government prevails, it is right to serve as an official and receive emol­ ument. When bad government prevails, it is shameful to serve as an official and receive emolument." Yuan Xian further asked, "Can a man be called virtuous and ethical who does not seek superiority over others, who does not brag about himself, who does not bear resentments, and who desires little?" The Master said, "This can only be called'rare.'I am not sure if this could be called virtuous."

[Comment] "原宪 yua n xian" refers to "子思 zT s1," who was a disciple of Confucius. " 谷 g 矿 describes "income, emolument" received by an official for his service. " 克 展 " connotes"aggressive," while " 伐 f6" means "to brag about."

[Reading] Confucius defined " 君 子 Junzi" as a noble man of true virtue who conducts himself in accordance with moral principles and the rites of propriety. Such prominent qualities are in sharp contrast with their opposites such as shame, guilt, stigma, and ignominy. Elsewhere in the Analects, Con­ fucius discussed the issue of shame and disgrace. For example, when Zigong asked, "What kinds of men can be regarded as Shi?" Confucius replied, "Those who have a sense of shame while conducting themselves." (Section 20, Chapter XIII) "If one cannot be consistent in his virtue and benevolence, he would be disgraced." (Section 22, Chapter XIII) Likewise, in this sec­ tion, Confucius regarded it a shameful thing for those who continue to serve as officials for bad government and receive emolument. He urged that even if one had to live in poverty, one should not compromise his integrity and morality by serving a bad government. This is exactly what Yuan Xian did. Though he was poor all his life, he remained a man of fortitude, contented to live a simple life and refusing to trade moral principles for personal gain.

The second part of this section is interesting in that Confucius set a very high standard for "君子Junz i", the noble man of true virtue. This is seen in his answer to Yuan Xian's question of whether a man who is in possession of such qualities as not seeking superiority over others, not bragging about himself, not bearing resentments, and not desiring much could be viewed as virtuous. "I am not sure if this could be called virtuous," said Confucius. The implication is that true virtue comprises a very high moral disposition and ethical conduct rather than these sheer personal traits.

[14- 2] 子曰：  “士而怀居，不足以为士矣。＂

14.2      The Master said, "He who indulges in family comfort is not fit to be called a Shi."

[Com ment] " 怀 hu6 i" means "to miss, to be nostalgic about," while " 居 ju" connotes "family life."

[Reading] In Chapter XIII, Confucius gave a detailed account of what he regarded as "士 Shi". According to him, "士 Shi" should have the following distinct characteristics (in descending order): Having a sense of shame in conducting oneself; Being able to successfully fulfill the mission charged by one's prince when dispatched to any quarters; Being praised for filial piety by one's relatives in the family clan; Being pronounced for fraternity by fellow people in the neighborhood; and Keeping one's promises and accomplishing whatever one does; Added to these is willpower to not indulge himself in family comfort. This is another way of saying that he dedicates himself to a higher cause at the cost of his own interests.

[14- 3] 子曰：  “邦有道，危言危行；邦无道，危行言孙。"

14.3      The Master said, "When there is a good government, one should act upright and speak accordingly; when there is a bad government, one should still act upright and just, but should speak in a humble and cautious man- ner."

[Comment] "危w苛 means "upright," while "孙 xun" is used interchange­ ably with " 逊 xun" to describe one who is "modest, prudent."

[Reading] In this section, Confucius discussed the way of faring in a soci­ ety of sociopolitical chaos. He advised his disciples that if there were en­ lightened rulers, they should serve them with uprightness and offer sincere advice. If the rulers they served were unenlightened, they should still be upright and offer sincere advice, but they must be cautious with their dis­ cerning judgment so that they would not put themselves at risk. This is what Confucius meant by "有勇有谋 yo u yong you m6u." (A wise man would not let his bravery outrun his discretion.)

[14- 4] 子曰：  “有德者必有言，有言者不必有德。仁者必有勇， 勇者不必有仁。"

14.4      The Master said, "The virtuous certainly speaks well, but those who speak well may not necessarily have virtue. Men of moral principles are always brave, but those who are brave may not necessarily be men of moral principles."

[Reading] As mentioned previously, Confucius believed that a truly coura­ geous man is also one of discretion and sound judgment. For example, when Zilu asked him who he might select to assist him in handling military activi­ ties, Confucius said, "I would not select those who like to wrestle with tigers or cross rivers without a boat or die without regret. He whom I select should be able to handle missions with caution and plan carefully before launch­ ing an initiative." (Section 11, Chapter VII) In other words, these so-called warriors may be brave, but they lack principles. What Confucius would have liked to see are men of moral principles who are both virtuous and resolute.

[14- 5] 南宫适问千孔子曰： ＂弈善射，界荡舟，俱不得其死然。禹稷躬稼而有天下。“夫子不答。 南宫适出，子曰：       “君子哉若人！尚德哉若人！”

14.5      Nangong Kuo said to the Master, "Yi was good at archery and Ao was skillful at fighting in water but neither died a natural death. Yu and Ji both toiled in the field and became emperors." To this, the Master did not say anything. After Nangong Kuo left, the Master said, "Indeed, he is a man of true virtue, who truly esteems the virtuous."

[Comment] 喃 宫适 n6 n gong kuo" refers t矿＇南容n6 n r6ng," who was a disciple of Confucius. " 弈 yl" refers to "后弈 ho u yl ," the legendary King of Youqiong of the Xia Dynasty (approximately c. 2070-c. 1600 BC). "稷jl" was an ancestor of the Zhou Dynasty. He was a legendary Chinese culture hero credited with introducing millet to humanity, the original staple grain of northern China. In Chinese mythology he was thus worshipped as Lord of Millet.

[Reading] As a follow-up on the preceding section, here  Confucius  contin­ ued his discussion of "{ 二 Ren" as the core of social values in governance. Sage Emperors Yu and Ji governed with "{ 二 Ren" and moral disposition rather than the physical strength of Yi and the fighting skills of Ao. For Con­ fucius it is the virtuous and the righteous that we should all esteem.

[14- 6] 子曰：  “君子而不仁者有矣夫，未有小人而仁者也。＂

14.6      The Master said, "There may be noble men who are not always virtu­ ous, but there have never been mean men who can be virtuous."

[Reading] This passage has two implications. First, Confucius was fully aware of the challenging nature of one's becoming a noble person of true virtue. To be perfectly virtuous is a daunting task. Second, he warned that even though "君子 Junzi" may not be able to always act out virtuous deeds, they certainly make every effort to cultivate themselves in that direction, as they are supposed to. While "君子Junz i" may be a virtuous man in the making, the inferior man, for sure, never possesses any virtue precisely because he is mean-minded and morally degraded.

[14- 7] 子曰：  “爱之，能勿劳乎？忠焉，能勿诲乎？”

14.7      The Master said, "If you love your country, you will fully exert yourself for it, will you not? If you are loyal to your country, you will offer sincere counseling to the ruler, will you not?"

[14- 8] 子曰：“ 为命， 裨谌草创之， 世叔讨论之， 行人子羽修饰之， 东里子产润色之。"

14.8      The Master said, "The government notifications of the State of Zheng were all drafted by Bi Chen, which were then examined by Shi Shu for revision. Ziyu, the officer in charge of foreign affairs, would polish them. Finally, Zichan of Dongli would add'editorial touches.'"

[Com ment]  "裨谌 pf c  h的 "  was a minister in the State of Zheng. "世叔 shl shO" refers to "子太叔 zT tai            s h□,"whose name was " 游吉 y6 u jf" and who was also a minister in the State of Zheng. " 行人 xf ng  r的 " translates as "an official in charge of foreign affairs," an equivalent of a modem day diplomat. "子羽 zT yu" was the courtesy name of "Gongsun  Hui," who  was a minister in the State of Zheng. " 东 里 do ng IT" was the name of a place where Zichan resided.

[Reading] Obviously, Confucius was familiar with the way government

为 8 functioned in the State of Zheng, and he seemed to be impressed by the teamwork performed by the four capable ministers of the state.

[14- 9]  或问子产。子曰：＂  惠人也。”问     子 西。曰：“  彼哉！彼哉！”问管仲。曰： “人也。 夺伯氏骈邑三百， 饭疏食， 没齿无怨言。＂

14.9      Someone asked about Zichan. The Master said, "He is a kind-hearted man." Then he asked about Zixi. The Master said, "Well, that man! That man!" He then asked about Guan Zhong. The Master said, "He is a man of virtue. It is he who deprived Bo Shi of his fiefdom with three hundred households and Bo Shi ever since lived a simple life, eating only coarse rice. To the end of his life, Bo Shi never uttered a single word of resentment to him."

[Comment] "子西 zT xT''refers to "令尹子西 ll ng yTn zT xT, the chief minis­ ter of the State of Chu." "人 伦n"  was used interchangeably with "仁 伦n" in ancient times. " 伯 氏 b6 shl" was a minister in the State of Qi, while " 骈 邑 pio n yl" is the name of Bo Shi's fiefdom. " 没齿 mo chT" implies "die, to the end of life."

[Reading] The highlight of this section is Confucius'comment on "管仲Guan Zhong", a chief minister in the State of Qi. "管仲 Guan Zhong" was the courtesy name for "管夷吾 Guan Yiwu", who traditionally was also known as "管子 Guanzi". Confucius seemed to have mixed feelings about Guan Zhong. In the Analects, there were three occasions on which he com­ mented on him, varying from negative to positive. For example, in Chapter 3, he had this to say about Guan Zhong: "Guan Zhong's capacity is indeed limited." When someone asked him if Guan Zhong was an economical per­ son, Confucius said, "Guan Zhong has three homes, and his officers do not perform double duties. How can he be called economical?" (Section 22, Chapter III) However, in this chapter, Confucius began to speak highly of Guan Zhong's talents and virtue. (Sections 9, XVI and XVII of this chap­ ter) "He is a man of virtue. It is he who deprived Bo Shi of his fiefdom with three hundred households and Bo Shi ever since lived a simple life, eating only coarse rice. To the end of his life, Bo Shi never uttered a single word of resentment to him." As a capable minister, Guan Zhong assisted Duke Huan of Qi in consolidating his power and implementing a series of reforms that enabled the State of Qi to become one of the most powerful of the vas­ sal states during the Spring and Autumn period. In Guan Zhong, Confucius seemed to have seen an ideal minister. That Confucius used his courtesy name Guan Zhong whenever he referred to him indicates his reverence for this great statesman.

[14-10] 子曰： ＂贫而无怨难，富而无骄易。"

14.10    The Master said, "It is hard to be poor without being resentful, but it is easy to be rich without being haughty."

[Reading] This is an interesting remark because Confucius seemed to argue that it is better to be rich than poor, as impoverishment more likely gives rise to resentment. But this is not Yuan Xian's case. All his life, Yuan Xian lived in miserable poverty; nevertheless, he remained inco订 uptible. With high self-esteem, he diligently followed the Master's teachings and acted them out in his daily life.

[14-11  ]           子曰： “ 孟公绰为赵、魏老则优，不 可以为滕、薛大夫。”

14.11    The Master said, "Meng Gongchuo is more than capable of serving as a governor in the families of Zhao Shi and Wei Shi in the State of Jin. But he is not fit to serve as a minister either in the State of Teng or the State of Xue."

[Comment] "孟公绰 m的 g gong chuo" was a native of Lu. " 老 loo " means "a chief officer in a noble family" and "优 yo u" means "宽绰 kua n chuo" (one who is more than capable).

[Reading] Meng Gongchuo was well-known for being a man free of worldly desires. Because of this, he was respected by Confucius, who often brought his disciples'attention to his virtuous deeds. In the following section, for ex­ ample, Confucius praised Meng Gongchuo by saying, "You will be a perfect man if you have the wisdom of Zang Wuzhong and shun desire like Meng Gongchuo." (Section 12 of this chapter)

[14- 12] 子路问成人。子曰： “若臧武仲之知，公绰之不欲，卞庄子之勇，冉求之艺，文之以礼乐，亦可以为成人矣。＂曰：  “今之成人者何必然？ 见利思义， 见危授命， 久要不忘平生之言，亦 可以为成人矣。"

14.12    Zilu asked what makes "a perfect man." The Master said, "You will be a perfect man if you have the wisdom of Zang Wuzhong, you shun desire like Meng Gongchuo, possess the bravery of Bian Zhuangzi and the talents of Ran Qiu, in addition to cultivation through rites and music." The Master continued, "But a modem-day perfect man does not have to possess all these qualities. One can be a perfect man if he thinks of righteousness when he sees opportunities for personal gain, he dares to assume responsibility when he is at moments of crisis, and he keeps his promises even when he has been put in a difficult situation."

[Com ment] "臧武仲 za ng WU zhong" refers to "藏孙纥 za ng sun he" who was a minister in the State of Lu. Confucius praised him as a man of wisdom.  "公绰go ng  chuo" refers to "孟公绰 咋 ng  gong chuo" who was mentioned in the preceding chapter. "卞庄子 bia n zhuang zT" was an administrator in the land of Bian in Lu and was known for his extraordinary physical strength. " 冉 求 ra n qiu" was a disciple of Confucius, who was known for being multi-talented and for being good at the art of governing. “久要 ji u yao" implies "to be stuck in poverty."

[Reading] In a sense, this section is the highlight of the chapter. According to Confucius, "a perfect man" is one in possession of such exemplary quali­ ties as wisdom, self-restraint, bravery, talent, and self-cultivation through rites and music. Such a man is, of course, what he meant by " 君子 J unzi." More significantly, Confucius also pointed out that a modem-day perfect man may not have to possess all the qualities mentioned above. If one can think of "righteousness when he sees opportunities for personal gain," Con­ fucius argued, "one can be a perfect man," among having other qualities. In other words, if pursuit of personal gain hinders cultivation through right­ eousness, it should be denounced. "见利思义 jia n 11 s1 y]" has since become a moral code enthusiastically promoted in Chinese culture.

[14- 13] 子问公叔文子千公明贾曰： “ 信乎， 夫子不言， 不笑， 不取乎？”公明贾对曰： “以告者过也。夫子时然后言， 人不厌其言； 乐然后笑，人不厌其笑；义然后取，人不厌其取。“子曰：         “其然， 岂其然乎？”

14.13    The Master asked Gongming Gu about  Gongshu  Wenzi, "Is  it  true that your master does not speak or laugh, nor does he accept money and wealth?" Gongming Gu replied, "The person who told you this is mistaken. My master speaks when he deems it appropriate so that others will not grow tired of his words. He laughs when he is truly  happy  so  that others  would not be displeased by his delight. He accepts money and wealth only when it accords with the righteous so that others would not loath his doing so." The Master said, "Is it so? It is really so with him, isn't it?"

[Comment] "公叔文子go ng s h□ w知 zT " refers to "公孙拔 go ng son b6," a minister in the State of Wei, whose posthumous title was "文 w的 ”“公明 贾 Gongming Gu"was a native of Wei."以告者 yT goo   z 啼 " translates as"to tell this to Confucius himself."

[Reading] This section is a follow-up on the idea of " 见利思义 jia n ll SI yl" (One should think of righteousness when he sees opportunities for per­ sonal gain). Gongshu Wenzi was commendable because "he accepts money and wealth only when it accords with the righteous so that others would not loathe his doing so." What Confucius meant was that pursuit of personal gain was not a bad thing, so long as it was in accordance with the rites of propriety and moral principles.

[14- 14] 子曰：＂ 臧武仲以防求为后千鲁 ，虽曰不要君，吾不信也。”

14.14    The Master said, "In the name of his fiefdom, Zang Wuzhong asked the Duke of Lu for appointments to be granted to late generations in his fam­ ily. Although some people claimed that he was not doing this to compel the prince, I believe he was."

[Com ment] "要 ya o" means "to extort."

[14- 15] 子曰： “晋文公谕而不正，齐桓公正而不橘。"

14.15    The Master said, "Duke Wen of Jin was duplicitous and immoral. Duke Huan of Qi was righteous and not devious."

[Com ment] ' 橘 jue" means "deceitful, crafty."

[Reading] Both Duke Wen of Jin and Duke Huan of Qi were well-known statesmen during the Spring and Autumn period. It is traditionally believed that Duke Wen of Jin was a man of exceptional physical strength and out­ standing leadership. When he was in power, he initiated a series of success­ ful reforms that turned Jin into one of the most powerful vassal states. According to Sima Qian' s "《史记》Shiji" (Records of the Grand Historian), he was the second of the five hegemons during the period: Duke Huan of Qi（ 齐桓公 ），Duke Wen of Jin ( 晋文公 ），King Zhuang of Chu (楚庄王）， Duke Mu of Qin (秦穆公） and Duke Xiang of Song (宋襄公）.Confu­ cius was not in favor of Duke Wen of Jin because he was annoyed by what he believed to be Duke Wen's arrogant act of "summoning" King Xiang of Zhou, which he denounced as a gross violation of the rites of propriety. That is why he called Duke Wen of Jin "duplicitous and immoral." On the other hand, Confucius spoke highly of Duke Huan of Qi because of his deferential act of "尊王攘夷 zun w6ng rang yf" (respecting the king and defending against the barbarian), which won him wide popularity among the vassal states, earning him a coveted title as the first of the five hegemons. Because of this, he was enthusiastically praised by Confucius for being "righteous and not devious."

[14- 16] 子路曰： ＂桓公杀公子纠，召忽死之，管仲不死。＂曰： “未仁乎？”子曰：         ＂桓公九合诸侯，不以兵车，管仲之力也。如其仁， 如其仁。"

14.16    Zilu said, "When Duke Huan of Qi killed Gongzi Jiu, Shao Hu com­ mitted suicide for his master, but Guan Zhong did not. Can we still regard Guan Zhong as a man of virtue?" The Master said, "Duke Huan successfully assembled the princes in a united front to stop violent warfare. He did this with the influence of Guan Zhong. This is exactly Guan Zhong's virtue! This is exactly Guan Zhong's virtue!"

[Com ment] "公子纠 go ng zT jiu" was the brother of Duke Huan of Qi. He competed with the Duke for power and was killed. "召忽 zha o hu" and "管仲 g ua n zhong" were both governors in the family of Gongzi Jiu. When Gongzi Jiu was killed after he was defeated in strife struggle for power, Shao Hu committed suicide for his master. At the advice of Bao Shuya, Duke Huan of Qi treated Guan Zhong well, thus having Guan Zhong con­ vinced of his good intention. Afterwards, Bao Shuya gave up his position to Guan Zhong to enable  him to  become  the prime  minister  in Qi. Thanks to Guan Zhong's resourcefulness and  vision, Duke  Huan  managed  to turn Qi into the strongest state of the time, and had himself elected as one of the five hegemons. "九合诸侯 ji u he zhu h6u" refers to the ambitious efforts made by Duke Huan to rally  other  vassal states such as Wei, Xing and Yan in attacking the State of Chu in order  to "defend  the honor of  the king" of the Zhou court. Here, the numerical word " 九 ji u" is used in a metaphori- cal sense to imply "many times." "如其仁 ru qi 伦n" translates as "That is exactly his virtue."

[Reading] In this section, Confucius discussed an important issue: To be vir­ tuous is not necessarily to have to die for one's master like Shao Hu, as Zilu would like to have it. (Because of this, Zilu considered Guan Zhong not as a man of virtue.) On the contrary, Confucius believed that what Guan Zhong had done for Duke Huan and the state of Qi was more than enough to render him a man of great virtue.

[14- 17]  子贡曰：        “管仲非仁者与？桓公杀公子纠，不能死，又   相之。“子曰：          “管仲相桓公，霸诸侯，一匡天下，民到千今受其赐。

微管仲，吾其被发左任矣。岂若匹夫匹妇之为谅也，自经千沟渎而莫之知也。"

14.17    Zigong asked, "Guan Zhong was not a man of virtue, was he? When Duke Huan killed Gongzi Jiu, Guan Zhong did not die for his master (Gongzi Jiu), rather he became Duke Huan's prime minister."The Master said, "Guan Zhong served Duke Huan as his chief minister and made him a hegemon among the states, thus making order out of the chaos in the realm. As of now, the people still benefit from what he did. But for Guan Zhong, we might all have become disheveled barbarians! We should not require Guan Zhong to cling to common folks'sense of loyalty and commit suicide in a dirty ditch, with no one knowing about him!"

[Comment] " 相 xia ng" means "chief minister," while " 微 we i" suggests "if not, but for." " 被 pT'' i s used interchangeably with " 披 pT'' to mean "spread around." "被发 pT fa"   connotes "to wear hair over face" and "任 伦n"  de- scribes "a piece of clothes." " 左 任 zu6 r 的 " implies "fasten clothes on the left," which was the style of the so-called  barbarian  people at that time.  " 谅眙 ng" means "credibility," while " 为 谅 we i liang" suggests "keep one's words." "自经 zl jTng" implies "to commit suicide," while " 沟渎 go u du" is a "ditch."

[Reading] In this section, Confucius continued his discussion of loyalty and virtue. Whereas Shao Hu committed suicide for his master Gongzi Jiu to show his loyalty, Guan Zhong chose to submit himself to Duke Huan of Qi, who defeated Gongzi Jiu, his younger brother, in a power struggle and served as his chief minister. Zilu questioned Guan Zhong's choice, accusing him of being unvirtuous and immoral. Confucius'understanding appeared to be more sensible and realistic. His argument, based on good sense and sound judgment, is that "Guan Zhong served Duke Huan as his chief minister and made him a hegemon among the states, thus making order out of the chaos in the realm." Furthermore, Guan Zhong's exemplary efforts and reforms successfully prevented the people, including Confucius himself, from be­ coming "disheveled barbarians." In other words, the civilizational model as established by the Zhou Dynasty and many of its vassal states were thus protected from invading barbarians. That Shao Hu died out of loyalty to his master was commendable, but only on a personal level. Guan Zhong chose to serve for "All under Heaven", and the accomplishments he made were certainly more significant and meaningful than what Confucius called "com­ mon folks'sense of loyalty," such as committing suicide like Shao Hu-"in a dirty ditch, with no one knowing about him!" (Section 17 of this chapter)

[14-  18]  公叔文子之臣大夫偎与文子同升诸公。子闻之， 曰：        “可以为｀文＇矣。＂

14.18    Zhuan, who was a governor in the family of Gongshu Wenzi, rose to the rank of minister together with Wenzi in the State of Wei. When the Master heard of this, he said, "Precisely because of this, Gongshu Wenzi deserved the posthumous title'Wen.'"

[Com ment] "臣大夫 c h的 do fO" refers to a rank immediately below that of a minister. " 偎 zhua n" is the name of a person.

[Reading] "公叔文子 Gongshu Wenzi" was a capable and honorable min­ ister in the State of Wei and the grandson of Duke Xiang of Wei. His real name was "公叔发 Gongshu Fa." "文 Wen" was his posthumous honorific title. He had under his supervision several talented and knowledgeable gov­ emors whose talents he appreciated. One of them, " 偎 Zhuan," impressed him so much with his capability and excellent mind that "文 Wen" recom­ mended him for the same rank of minister as himself in the state of Wei. That is why Confucius applauded him, saying, "Precisely because of this, Gongshu Wenzi deserved the posthumous title'Wen.'"

[14- 19] 子言卫灵公之无道也， 康子曰：       “夫如是，奚而不丧？” 孔子曰：＂仲叔圉治宾客，祝蛇治宗庙，王孙贾治军旅。夫如是，奚其丧？”

14.19    When the Master was commenting on the devious actions of Duke Ling of Wei, Ji Kangzi asked, "Such as he is, why has he not yet lost his state?" The Master replied, "He has employed Zhongshuyu to handle diplo­ matic affairs and interact with guests, Zhu Tuo to manage ancestral temples and sacrificial ceremonies, and Wang Sunjia to command the military forces. With the assistance from these capable ministers, how could he have lost his state?"

[Comment] "仲叔圉 zho ng s h□ yu,      祝 蛇 zhu tu6, and 王孙贾 w6 ng sun jia" were all ministers in the State of Wei.

[Reading] Good government, of course, consists of enlightened rulers and capable ministers. But sometimes, weak government may also function well if it has talented and capable ministers, as was the case in the State of Wei. A government is indeed hopeless when there are neither good rulers nor capa­ ble ministers.

[14- 20] 子曰： “其言之不怍，则为之也难。＂

14.20    The Master said, "If one speaks big without feeling embarrassed, he will find it difficult to produce anything."

[Com ment] "怍 zuo " means "embarrassed."

[Reading] As Confucius discussed in Section 4 of this chapter, "The virtu­ ous certainly speak well, but those who speak well may not necessarily have virtue." When a virtuous man speaks, he speaks with caution and always ensures that his words match his actions; he will always keep his promise. For Confucius, this is being prudent and faithful.

[14- 21]  陈成子弑简公。 孔子沐浴而朝 ， 告千哀公 曰：     “陈恒弑其君，请讨之。“公曰：         ＂告夫三子。“孔子曰：          “以吾从大夫之后， 不敢不告也。君曰｀告夫三子＇者。” 之三子告， 不可。孔子曰：  “以吾从大夫之后，不敢不告也。"

14.21    Chen Chengzi murdered Duke Jian of Qi. After bathing, the Master went to court, informing Duke Ai, "Chen Heng slayed his prince. I beg that you send an army to punish him." The Duke replied, "Report it to the chief ministers of the three families." The Master said, "Since I was once a minis­ ter myself, I dare not keep my report from you." After the Master retired, he said to others that the Duke instructed him "to report it to the chief ministers of the three families." The Master then went and reported it to three chief ministers. However, the chief ministers refused to do anything. The Master said, "Since I was once a minister myself, I dare not keep my report from you."

[Comment] "陈成子 c h的 c h的 g zT" refers to "田成子 ti6 n c h的 g zT," whose name was Heng. He was a minister of Qi. "三子s on zT" refers to the three influential ministers of Ji Sun, Meng Sun and Shu Sun. "从大夫之后” was Confucius'modest way of addressing himself, meaning  "I  am  below those chief ministers." This is so because  Confucius  was  once  the Minister of Justice in the State of Lu.

[Reading] Greatly upset by Minister Tian Chengzi's killing Duke Jian of Qi, Confucius, out of his strong sense of justice and the rites of propriety, took it upon himself to report the incident to the rulers of Lu in person, although  he had long ago retired from the court. In doing so, he seemed to go against his own principle of " 不在其位， 不谋其政" (If a man does not hold an official position, he should not worry about the administration of duties for that po­ sition). What frustrated him more was the indifference he encountered from Duke Ai of Lu and the three chief ministers regarding this regicide.

[14- 22] 子路问事君。子曰： ＂勿欺也，而犯之。"

14.22    ZiLu asked about how to serve a ruler. The Master said, "Do not cheat him. Tell him the truth straightforwardly."

[Com ment] " 犯 fa n" means "to withstand someone."

[Reading] Here Confucius echoed what he said previously in Section 3: "When there is a good government, one should act upright and just and speak accordingly; when there is a bad government, one should still act upright and just, but should speak in a humble and cautious manner." What matters to Confucius is the loyalty of those who serve a ruler. Now that they are in his employment with emolument, they are supposed to serve with dedication and faithfulness. It is their responsibility to tell him the truth, even if it may be an inconvenient truth.

[14- 23] 子曰： “君子上达，小人下达。＂

14.23    The Master said, "With regard to learning and cultivation, the noble man progresses along a path of morality, whereas the mean man slides down along a path of sheer personal gain."

[14- 24] 子曰： “古之学者为己，今之学者为人。＂

14.24    The Master said, "In ancient times men learned in order to improve themselves. Nowadays, men learn in order to impress others."

[Reading] One of the important concepts of Confucian value is "to restrain oneself and conduct oneself in accordance with the rites of propriety." Ac­ cording to Confucius, the Zhou rites of propriety were of the supreme order. One of its manifestations was that "in ancient times, men learned in order to improve themselves." Moral self-cultivation remained an ultimate objective for learning, which required learners to constantly reflect upon themselves in terms of moral development, ethical conduct, and practice of proprieties. In other words, things were already perfectly established in the past golden age; there was indeed nothing left to improve. That is why Confucius said, "I transmit rather than create knowledge and learning. I believe in and also enjoy the ancient culture." (Section 1, Chapter VII) Therefore, he lamented all the more sadly over the increasing disappearance of the ancient culture. "I am really getting old. I have not dreamed of the Duke of Zhou for quite a long time!"

[14- 25]  速伯玉使人千孔子，孔子与之坐而问焉，曰：“ 夫子何为？”对曰：           “夫子欲寡其过而未能也。“使者出。子曰：   “使乎！使乎！”

14.25    Qu Boyu dispatched a messenger to the Master. After seating the mes­ senger, the Master asked him, saying, "What is your master doing?" The messenger answered, "Everyday my master is trying to reduce his faults but he is unable to do so successfully." When the messenger left, the Master said, "Indeed a good messenger! Indeed a good messenger!"

[Comment] " 速 伯 玉 qu b6 yu" was a minister in the State of Wei. [Reading] "速伯玉 Qu Boyu" was a close friend of Confucius. Out of the fourteen years when Confucius was travelling among the vassal states dis­ seminating his ideas, he spent ten years in the State of Wei, where Qu Boyu served as a minister. Twice, Confucius was invited to stay in Qu's residence for a period of up to nine years! They each appreciated the other's talents and ideas. As a matter of fact, Confucius'idea of running a government with a moral code and ethical conduct was largely inspired by Qu Boyu, who was widely known for moral governance by acting out an ethical role model himself. That is why Confucius said that even though Duke Ling of the State of Wei was sometimes devious, he was fortunate to have such excellent min­ isters as Zhong Shuyu, Zhu Tuo, Wang Sunjia, and Qu Boyu to assist him in government, thus ensuring the survival of Qi among the competing vassal states.

[14- 26] 子曰：“ 不在其位，不谋其政。“曾子曰：“ 君子思不出其位。”

14.26    The Master said, "If you are not in an official position, you should not worry about its administration." Zeng Zi said, "The noble man never thinks about things that go beyond his place in society."

[Reading] Confucius also discussed this topic in Section 14, Chapter VIII.

[14- 27] 子曰： “君子耻其言而过其行。"

14.27    The Master said, "The noble man is ashamed of speaking more but doing less."

[Reading] Throughout the Analects, Confucius repeatedly emphasized the importance of matching one's words with his actions. This is an important aspect of moral force. He urged that "if the noble man of superior moral force is not solemn and grave, he would not be awe-inspiring and would therefore not inspire veneration from others." Furthermore, he valued "loyalty and trust­ worthiness as being most important," and opted for keeping "a distance from those who are beneath his moral position." (Section 8, Chapter I)

[14- 28] 子曰： “ 君子道者三， 我无能焉： 仁者不忧，知 者不惑， 勇者不惧。＂子贡曰：           “夫子自道也。＂

14.28    The Master said, "The noble man is distinguished by three prominent qualities, which I do not possess. A man of true virtue is free from anxieties; a man of wisdom is free from bewilderment; a man of courage is free from fear." Zigong said, "But Master, you are just this person."

[Comment] "知 zh l" is used interchangeably with "智 zhl" to mean "in­ telligence, knowledge, learning."

[Reading] In this section, Confucius highlighted three of the many exem- plary qualities of " 君子Junzi": free from anxieties, free from bewilderment, and free from fear. These qualities were echoed in Chapter IX, when he said, "The wise are free from bewilderment, the virtuous from anxiety, the bold from fear." (quoted from James Legge's translation) A man of humility and modesty, Confucius believed he was not up to these three prominent quali­ ties, although his disciples worshipped him as a noble man of perfect virtue.

[14- 29] 子贡方人。子 曰： ＂赐也贤乎哉？夫我则不暇。＂

14.29    Zigong liked to judge others. The Master said, "Zigong, do you think you are really better than others? I do not have any leisure to judge people."

[Com ment] " 方仁 fa ng r的 " translates as "to judge others."

[Reading] One of the noble qualities of " 君子Junz i", according to Con­ fucius, is moral self-reflection by means of which one identifies his own mistakes in order to rectify them. While Zigong was a major disciple of Confucius, the Master thought this student had a problem: He was fond of judging others. Only when Zigong learned to examine himself rather than being always critical of others could he become a man of virtue, Confucius believed.

[14- 30] 子曰： “不患人之不已知，患其不能也。"

14.30    The Master said, "I do not worry that others do not know me. I worry that I do not possess any ability to make people know me."

[Reading] The same idea is seen in Chapter I, in which Confucius  said,  " 人不知而不温， 不亦君子乎？ 伦n bu zh飞 r bu yun, bu yl jun zT hO?" (If society does not accept my ideas and  no one  understands  me, yet I  do not feel dismayed, isn't it that I am still a man of  virtue?)  (Section  1, Chapter  I) In the same chapter, Confucius urged his disciples, "One should not worry if others do not know and therefore do not understand him. Instead, one should worry if he possesses no learning and ability with which to understand oth­ ers." (Section 16, Chapter I) Obviously, what matters more to Confucius is that one should not blame others for not knowing him. One should rather constantly reflect on himself and check to see if he is in possession of any­ thing worthy of being recognized by others.

[14- 31] 子曰： “不逆诈，不亿不信，抑亦先觉者，是贤乎！”

14.31    The Master said, "Do not first suspect that others conspire against you. Do not assume that others are deceitful, but you should be able to detect be­ forehand others'conspiracy and dishonesty. Indeed, such a man is a sage."

[Comment] "逆 nl" originally meant "to greet, to welcome." Here, it is used metaphorically, implying "to foretell, to anticipate." "f 乙 yl" is used inter- changeably with ' 榄 yl" to mean "guess, speculate."

[Reading] In a sense, this discussion of Confucius'relates to his conversa­ tion with Zigong in the preceding section: "Zigong, do you think you are really better than others? I do not have any leisure to judge people." (Section 19 of this chapter) While Confucius warned that it is not good to suspect that others are not honest and that others are conspiring, he did caution his disciples that they should learn to defend themselves by being able to "de­ tect beforehand others'conspiracy and dishonesty." To be able to do so is regarded by Confucius as even a sagely act.

[14- 32] 微生亩谓孔子曰： ＂丘何为是栖栖者与？无乃为佞乎？” 孔子曰： “非敢为佞也，疾固也。＂

14.32    Weisheng Mu said to the Master, "Qiu, why are you running around like a bird in search of a rest place? Is it because you try to please people with your rhetoric?" The Master said, "I dare not be a lobbyist. I am busy travelling around because I strongly dislike those who are obstinate."

[Comment] "微生亩 we i sheng mu"may also be " 微生高 wei sheng goo."" 佞 nlng " refers to "an articulate lobbyist." " 疾 jf" means "hatred" while " 固 g u" connotes one who is "opinionated."

[Reading] Weisheng Mu, a native of Lu, questioned Confucius'intentions for travelling around and disseminating his ideas. Obviously, he completely misunderstood Confucius'aspirations. That Confucius was not readily un­ derstood and appreciated in his time was not uncommon. For example, Zilu was once asked by a local gatekeeper about his master: "Do you mean that man who knows it's impossible to change the world yet still tries his best to do the impossible?" (Section 38 of this chapter) Yet, Confucius remained undefeated and pursued his cause until his last moment.

[14- 33] 子曰： ＂骥不称其力，称其德也。＂

14.33    The Master said, "A Ji horse (able to run one thousand Ii-distance in one day) is so called not because of its strength of physical constitution, but because of its exceptional inner qualities."

[Comment] "骥 j]" means "a horse believed to be able to run one thousand ii-distance in a single day."

[Reading] Here, Confucius used a metaphor to discuss the importance of the virtuous and the righteous as the core values of everything people should do. According to him, it is such core values that represent our highest moral priorities and fundamental driving forces.

[14- 34] 或曰：“以       德报怨， 何如？“子曰：“ 何以报德？以直报怨， 以德报德。"

14.34    Someone asked, "What do you think of recompensing injury with virtue?" The Master said, "Then how do we recompense others'virtue? It is imperative that injury be recompensed with justice and virtue be recom­ pensed with virtue."

[Reading] In this section, Confucius raised a very important issue, that is, what it means to forgive those who hurt us. All cultures and all religions have their own ways of perceiving and dealing with this issue. Christianity believes that when one is hurt by others, one is under an obligation to God to forgive that person: "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14- 15, NIV) Confucius argued that if we recompense injury with virtue, "Then how do we recompense others'virtue?" He strongly believed "it is imperative that injury be recompensed with justice and virtue be recompensed with virtue." To do so is to uphold the moral principles and exercise the justice that hold society together in accordance with the rites of propriety.

[14- 35] 子曰： “莫我知也夫！”子贡曰：        “何为其莫知子也？” 子曰：   “不怨天，不尤人。下学而上达，知我者，其天乎！”

14.35    The Master said, "Alas, no one understands me at all!" Zigong said, "What do you mean by'No one understands you?"'The Master said, "I do not resent Heaven, nor do I blame others. I started from low through learn­ ing basic skills and rose high to be in tune with the Way of Heaven. Only Heaven understands me!"

[Reading] Confucius was traditionally revered as the "Extremely Sage De­ parted Teacher" ( 至圣先师 zhl s 恼 ng  xian shl) and "Great Sage Teacher for Ten Thousand Ages" ( 万 世 师 表 wa n shl shT biao). However, he was first a human being and would suffer feelings of frustration and disappoint­ ment like any ordinary person. Realizing that his lofty ideas were not readily appreciated and were often ignored by the rulers he tried to help, Confucius said that perhaps "only Heaven understands me!" In that sense, what he was doing was upholding the Way on behalf of Heaven.

[14-  36]  公伯察恕子路千季孙。子服景伯以告， 曰：           “夫子固有惑志千公伯察，吾力犹能肆诸市朝。“子曰：        “道之将行也与，命也； 道之将废也与，命也。公伯察其如命何！”

14.36    Gongbo Liao defamed Zilu to Jisun Shi. Zifu Jingbo revealed this to the Master, saying, "Although Jisun Shi was misled by Gongbo Liao, I still have power to make him die and expose his corpse in the marketplace and in the court." The Master said, "If the Way can be advanced, it is Heaven's will. If the Way fails or is abolished, it is also Heaven's will. What can Gongbo Liao do about it?"

[Comment] "公伯察go ng b6  li6o" and "子服景伯zT fu jTng b6"  were both ministers in the State of Lu. Some believed  Gongbo  Liao was a disciple of Confucius, but others disputed this claim. "恕su" is used interchangeably with " 诉 su" to mean "to slander, to defame."

[Reading] This section may be regarded as a follow-up on the previous one in which Confucius revealed his understanding of "the Way of Heaven." Elsewhere, Confucius argued that "It is men who make the Way great. It is not the Way that makes men great." (Section 29, Chapter XV). But some­ times, he seemed to have entertained some contradictory feelings that point to a sense of frustration, if not entirely disgruntlement. For example, when he said, "If the Way can be advanced, it is Heaven's will. If  the Way fails or is abolished, it is also Heaven's will," he seemed to be leaving things to Heaven's will. It is reminiscent of a familiar saying in the West: "Man pro­ poses, God disposes."

[14- 37] 子曰： “ 贤者辟世， 其次辟地， 其次辟色， 其次辟言。＂ 子曰： ”作者七人矣。"

14.37    The Master said, "Good men escaped from the chaotic world to be­ come hermits. Second to that were men who escaped to other places. Next to that were those who tried to avoid others'disrespectful countenance. Still others tried to escape away from people's harsh words." The Master contin­ ued, "There have already been seven people who did this."

[Com ment] "辟 bl" is used interchangeably with "避 bl" to mean "to evade, to escape from."

[Reading] By giving his disciples an account of those who took refuge by hiding themselves as hermits, Confucius advised them on how to protect themselves in a socio-politically chaotic world.

[14- 38] 子路宿千石门。晨门曰： ＂奚自？”子路曰：           “自孔氏。" 曰：          “是知其不可而为之者与？”

14.38    Zilu was staying overnight close to Shimen. The morning-shift gate­ keeper saw him, asking "Where are you from?" Zilu said, "I came from Confucius'place." The gatekeeper said, "Do you mean that man who knows it's impossible to change the world yet still tries his best to do the impossi­ ble?"

[Com ment] " 石门 s h f m的 " is believed to refer to a city gate in the State of Lu. " 晨门 c h的  m的 " refers to "morning-shift gatekeepers."

[Reading] Confucius realized that what he had engaged himself in was probably "an impossible mission" and therefore, he was leaving himself to the Way of Heaven: "If the Way can be advanced, it is Heaven's will. If the Way fails or is abolished, it is also Heaven's will."

[14- 39] 子击磐千卫。有荷薇而过孔氏之门者， 曰： “有心哉， 击磐乎！”既而曰： ＂鄙哉胫胫乎！莫已知也，斯已而巳矣。深则厉， 浅则揭。“子曰： “果哉！末之难矣。＂

14.39    When in the State of Wei, the Master was, one day, playing on a musi­ cal stone. A man carrying a straw basket passed the door of the house where the Master resided and said: "The man who is playing on the musical stone seems to be full of worries." After a little while, he said again, "How detest­ able is this sound of obstinacy! If no one understands you, why not just work for your own interest! It is like crossing a river. If the water is deep, cross it with clothes on. If it is shallow, hold up your clothes and cross it." The Mas­ ter said, "How decisive this man sounded! Although he does not understand me, I have nothing to blame him for."

[Comment] " 荷 he" means "to carry on one's back." " 薇 ku1" was a kind of straw basket while ' 轻 胫 ke ng keng" describes "the sound made by a kind of jade chimes." " 末 mo " connotes "none" and " 难 na n" means "to criti­ c1ze.

[Reading] This section echoes Confucius'discussion in Section 35 of this chapter: "I do not resent Heaven, nor do I blame others. I started from low through learning basic skills and rose high to be in tune with the Way of

Heaven. Only Heaven understands me!"

[14- 40]  子张曰：        “书云：  ｀ 高宗谅阴， 三年不言。＇何谓也？”子曰： “ 何必高宗？古之人皆然。君薨， 百官总己以听千冢宰三年。＂

14.40    Zizhang said, "The Book of History says:'When Gao Zong was in mourning, he did not issue any administrative orders for three years.'What does this mean?" The Master said, "Not only Gao Zong, but all ancients did this. When the prince died, all officials in court fully attended to their duties and took instructions from the prime minister for three years."

[Com ment] " 总 己 z6 ng jT" translates as "to fully attend to the duties of one's own office." " 宰 za i" describes "a chief officer."

[Reading] According to the traditional funeral rites and ceremonies of sac­ rifice in the Zhou Dynasty, children should serve a three-year mourning rite for their deceased parents. They should diligently execute their filial duties for three years. This is the same case with the royal court and rulers who were not supposed to engage themselves in court affairs for three years upon the death of the prince.

[14- 41] 子曰： “上好礼，则民易使也。＂

14.41    The Master said, "If those in power rule in accord with the rites of propriety, the people will then be easy to manage."

[Reading] According to Confucius, "when a prince is righteous and ethi­ cal, the people will follow him even though no orders have been issued." (Section 6, Chapter XIII) This is another way of saying that the key to good governance is governmental officials'own unfailing promotion and practice of ethical conduct and moral codes. The morality of a ruler is "like the wind and the morality of the people is like the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends accordingly." (Section 2, Chapter XIII)

[14- 42]  子路问君子。子曰：             “修己以敬。＂ 曰：    “如斯而已乎？”曰：   “修己以安人。"

曰：     “如斯而巳乎？”曰：   “修己以安百姓。修己以安百姓，尧  舜其犹病诸？”

14.42    Zilu asked what constitutes a qualified ruler. The Master said, "He cultivates himself so that he has a grave and deferential look." "ls that all?" Zilu asked. The Master said, "He cultivates himself so that oth­ ers will feel comfortable." "ls that enough?" Zilu continued. The Master replied, "He cultivates himself so that all people will feel comfortable. Even Yao and Shun might think that they had not yet been able to reach that level."

[Reading] This section deals with the same issue: a ruler should be a role model when running a country. It reinforces the theme that the morality of a ruler is "like the wind and the morality of the people is like the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends accordingly." (Section 2, Chapter 13)

[14- 43] 原壤夷俟。子曰： ＂幼而不孙弟，长而无述焉，老而不死， 是为贼。“以杖叩其胫。

14.43    Waiting for the Master, Yuan Rang was sitting with legs sprawled-out. The Master said, "When young you did not learn to be humble and respect­ ful. In adulthood, you did not have anything worthy to be proud of. When old now, you do not finish your worthless life and annoy people like a pest." Thus saying, the Master knocked him on the shins with his staff.

[Com ment]  咦  yf"  means "to sit with two legs sprawled-out." " 俟 s1"  con­ notes "to  wait" while 咦 俟 yf s1" refers to a very bad mannerism in ancient times, in which one sits in an impolite way. This suggests frivolity, unman­ nerliness, or haughtiness of an uncivil person. " 孙 弟 xun t1" are used inter­ changeably with " 逊 梯 xun t1" which mean "to be humble, respectful and filial to one's elder brothers."

[Reading] Yuan Rang, a native of Lu, was Confucius'old acquaintance. His unconventional behavior turned him into what Confucius regarded as the opposite of moral self-cultivation, a complete failure in life, which incurred Confucius'dislike and aversion.

[14- 44] 阙党童子将命。或问之曰： ＂益者与？”子曰：       “吾见其居千位也，见其与先生并行也。非求益者也，欲速成者也。＂

14.44    A youth from the village of Queli came to deliver a message to the Master. Someone asked the Master, "Do you think this youth loves to ad­ vance himself?" The Master said, "I noticed that he was occupying the seat reserved for a grown-up and that he was fond of walking shoulder to shoul­ der with his elders. He is certainly not one who desires to develop in learn­ ing. He only wishes to be successful quickly."

[Comment] "阙党童子 que dang t6ng zT" translates as "a boy in a place called Queli where the Master resided." " 将命 jia ng mlng" connotes "will

deliver a message soon" and "居千位 ju vu w创' suggests "a boy sitting in a seat reserved for adults."

[Reading] In this section Confucius censured a youth who was so eager to become successful that he completely disregarded the rites of propriety and neglected his own moral development.