Confucius（孔子）1themaster"isitnotpleasanttolearnwithaconstantperseveranceandapplication?"isitnotdelightfultohavefriendscomingfromdistantquarters?"ishenotamanofcompletevirtue,whofeelsnodiscomposurethoughmenmaytakenonoteofhim?"thephilosopheryusaid,"theyarefewwho,beingfilialandfraternal,arefondofoffendingagainsttheirsuperiors.therehavebeennone,who,notlikingtooffendagainsttheirsuperiors,havebeenfondofstirringupconfusion."thesuperiormanbendshisattentiontowhatisradical.thatbeingestablished,allpracticalcoursesnaturallygrowup.filialpietyandfraternalsubmission,-aretheynottherootofallbenevolentactions?"themastersaid,"finewordsandaninsinuatingappearanceareseldomassociatedwithtruevirtue."thephilosophertsangsaid,"idailyexaminemyselfonthreepoints:-whether,intransactingbusinessforothers,imayhavebeennotfaithful;-whether,inintercoursewithfriends,imayhavebeennotsincere;-whetherimayhavenotmasteredandpracticedtheinstructionsofmyteacher."themastersaid,"toruleacountryofathousandchariots,theremustbereverentattentiontobusiness,andsincerity;economyinexpenditure,andloveformen;andtheemploymentofthepeopleattheproperseasons."themastersaid,"ayouth,whenathome,shouldbefilial,and,abroad,respectfultohiselders.heshouldbeearnestandtruthful.heshouldoverflowinglovetoall,andcultivatethefriendshipofthegood.whenhehastimeandopportunity,aftertheperformanceofthesethings,heshouldemploythemimpolitestudies."tsze-hsiasaid,"ifamanwithdrawshismindfromtheloveofbeauty,andappliesitassincerelytotheloveofthevirtuous;if,inservinghisparents,hecanexerthisutmoststrength;if,inservinghisprince,hecandevotehislife;if,inhisintercoursewithhisfriends,hiswordsaresincere:-althoughmensaythathehasnotlearned,iwillcertainlysaythathehas.themastersaid,"ifthescholarbenotgrave,hewillnotcallforthanyveneration,andhislearningwillnotbesolid."holdfaithfulnessandsincerityasfirstprinciples."havenofriendsnotequaltoyourself."whenyouhavefaults,donotfeartoabandonthem."thephilosophertsangsaid,"lettherebeacarefulattentiontoperformthefuneralritestoparents,andletthembefollowedwhenlonggonewiththeceremoniesofsacrifice;-thenthevirtueofthepeoplewillresumeitsproperexcellence."tsze-ch'inaskedtsze-kungsaying,"whenourmastercomestoanycountry,hedoesnotfailtolearnallaboutitsgovernment.doesheaskhisinformation?Orisitgiventohim?"tsze-kungsaid,"ourmasterisbenign,upright,courteous,temperate,andcomplaisantandthushegetshisinformation.themaster'smodeofaskinginformation,isitnotdifferentfromthatofothermen?"themastersaid,"whileaman'sfatherisalive,lookatthebentofhiswill;whenhisfatherisdead,lookathisconduct.ifforthreeyearshedoesnotalterfromthewayofhisfather,hemaybecalledfilial."thephilosopheryusaid,"inpracticingtherulesofpropriety,anaturaleaseistobeprized.inthewaysprescribedbytheancientkings,thisistheexcellentquality,andinthingssmallandgreatwefollowthem."yetitisnottobeobservedinallcases.ifone,knowinghowsucheaseshouldbeprized,manifestsit,withoutregulatingitbytherulesofpropriety,thislikewiseisnottobedone."thephilosopheryusaid,"whenagreementsaremadeaccordingtowhatisright,whatisspokencanbemadegood.whenrespectisshownaccordingtowhatisproper,onekeepsfarfromshameanddisgrace.whenthepartiesuponwhomamanleansareproperpersonstobeintimatewith,hecanmakethemhisguideandmasters."themastersaid,"hewhoaimstobeamanofcompletevirtueinhisfooddoesnotseektogratifyhisappetite,norinhisdwellingplacedoesheseekh...
