Chapter 6 of the Analects of Confucius

子zǐ曰yuē：“雍yōng也yě可kě使shǐ南nán面miàn。”仲zhòng弓gōng问wèn子zǐ桑sāng伯bó。子zǐ曰yuē：“可kě也yě简jiǎn。”仲zhòng弓gōng曰yuē：“居jū敬jìng而ér行xíng简jiǎn，以yǐ临lín其qí民mín，不bù亦yì可kě乎hū？居jū简jiǎn而ér行xíng简jiǎn，无wú乃nǎi太tài简jiǎn乎hū？”子zǐ曰yuē：“雍yōng之zhī言yán然rán.”

VI.1. The Master said:
— Yong can also govern with his face turned to the south.
Zhonggong asked Confucius about Zisang Bo. The Master replied:
— He has good qualities; he is content with ease.
Zhonggong said:
— To be always diligent oneself and not demand too much from the people—is this not praiseworthy? But to be negligent oneself and in administration to demand little from others—is this not being content with ease too easily?
The Master replied:
— Yong, you speak truly.

Notes: If an officer firmly resolves to be diligent, he has determination and governs himself with strictness. Furthermore, if he demands little from the people, the burdens imposed are not numerous, and the people are not harassed. But if he first and foremost proposes to be content with ease, he has no determination and is very indulgent to himself. Furthermore, if in affairs he is content with little, is this not excessive negligence and the abandonment of all laws? In the Family Traditions about Confucius, it is reported that Zisang Bo at home wore neither a tunic nor a cap. Confucius blamed him for wanting men to live like oxen and horses.

哀āi公gōng问wèn：“弟dì子zǐ孰shú为wéi好hào学xué？”孔kǒng子zǐ对duì曰yuē：“有yǒu颜yán回huí者zhě好hào学xué，不bù迁qiān怒nù，不bù贰èr过guò，不bù幸xìng短duǎn命mìng死sǐ矣yǐ！今jīn也yě则zé亡wáng，未wèi闻wén好hào学xué者zhě也yě。”

VI.2. Prince Ai asked Confucius which of his disciples applied themselves zealously to study and practice virtue. Confucius replied:
— Yan Hui applied himself zealously. When he was rightly angered at someone, he did not unjustly extend his anger to another. He never fell twice into the same fault. Unfortunately, he lived only a short time. Now there is no one like him. I have not heard of anyone who truly loved wisdom.

子zǐ华huá使shǐ于yú齐qí，冉rǎn子zǐ为wèi其qí母mǔ请qǐng粟sù。子zǐ曰yuē：“与yǔ之zhī釜fǔ。”请qǐng益yì。曰yuē：“与yǔ之zhī庚gēng。”冉rǎn子zǐ与yǔ之zhī粟sù五wǔ秉bǐng，子zǐ曰yuē：“赤chì之zhī适shì齐qí也yě，乘chéng肥éféi马mǎ，衣yì轻qīng裘qiú。吾wú闻wén之zhī也yě，君jūn子zǐ周zhōu急jí不bù继jì富fù。”

VI.3. Zihua was sent on a mission to the state of Qi. Ran Qiu asked Confucius for grain for Zihua’s mother. The Master said:
— I will give him six boisseaux and four tenths.
Ran Qiu asked for more. The Master said:
— I will give him sixteen boisseaux.
Ran Qiu gave him four hundred boisseaux of his own. The Master reprimanded Ran Qiu, saying:
— Zihua went to Qi in a carriage drawn by fine horses, and wearing a light fur robe. I have heard that the sage helps the needy, but does not add to the riches of the wealthy.

Notes: An officer should not refuse ordinary treatment. If he has more than enough, he will do well to distribute to the poor and needy.

原yuán思sī为wéi之zhī宰zǎi，与yǔ之zhī粟sù九jiǔ百bǎi，辞cí。子zǐ曰yuē：“毋wú以yǐ与yǔ尔ěr邻lín里lǐ乡xiāng党dǎng乎hū？”

Yuan Si was governor of a prefecture. Confucius gave him nine hundred measures of grain. Yuan Si, thinking it too much, refused. The Master said:
— Accept it; you will distribute it to the poor in the villages, towns, and districts of your prefecture.

子zǐ谓wèi仲zhòng弓gōng曰yuē：“犁lí牛niú之zhī子zǐ锜qí且qiě角jiǎo，虽suī欲yù勿wù用yòng，山shān川chuān其qí舍shě诸zhū?”

VI.4. The Master said about Zhonggong:
— A calf, son of a variegated cow, is red and has regular horns. Even if one does not want to offer it as a sacrifice, would not the spirits of the mountains and rivers demand it be sacrificed?

Notes: Under the Zhou dynasty, reddish-colored victims were the most esteemed; oxen of a reddish color were sacrificed. Certainly, a calf or bull that is not of one color cannot serve as a victim, but a calf or bull born of a variegated cow or bull may be sacrificed if its color is reddish or tawny. Zhonggong’s father was a contemptible and vicious man. Confucius uses a comparison taken from the color of victims to show that the father’s vices do not destroy the son’s good qualities; that if Zhonggong has virtues and talents, one must entrust him with a position in the interest of the country.

子zǐ曰yuē：“回huí也yě其qí心xīn三sān月yuè不bù违wéi仁rén，其qí余yú则zé日rì月yuè至zhì焉yān而ér已yǐ矣yǐ。”

VI.5. The Master said:
— Yan Hui’s heart for three months did not stray from goodness. My other disciples attain it once a day or once a month, and that’s all.

季jì康kāng子zǐ问wèn：“仲zhòng由yóu可kě使shǐ从cóng政zhèng也yě与yú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“由yóu也yě果guǒ，于yú从cóng政zhèng乎hū何hé有yǒu！”曰yuē：“赐cì也yě可kě使shǐ从cóng政zhèng也yě与yú？”曰yuē：“赐cì也yě达dá，于yú从cóng政zhèng乎hū何hé有yǒu！”曰yuē：“求qiú也yě可kě使shǐ从cóng政zhèng也yě与yú？”曰yuē：“求qiú也yě艺yì，于yú从cóng政zhèng乎hū何hé有yǒu！”

VI.6. Ji Kangzi asked if Zhongyou was capable of administering public affairs. The Master replied:
— You knows how to make decisions; what difficulty would he have in administering public affairs?
Ji Kangzi said:
— Is Si capable of administering public affairs?
Confucius replied:
— Si is very intelligent; what difficulty would he have in administering public affairs?
Ji Kangzi said:
— Is Qiu capable of administering public affairs?
Confucius replied:
— Qiu has many talents; what difficulty would he have in administering public affairs?

季jì氏shì使shǐ闵mǐn子zǐ骞qiān为wéi费fèi宰zǎi。闵mǐn子zǐ骞qiān曰yuē：“善shàn为wéi我wǒ辞cí焉yān。如rú有yǒu复fù我wǒ者zhě，则zé吾wú必bì在zài汶wèn上shàng矣yǐ。”

VI.7. The head of the Ji family had Min Ziqian invited to be governor of the city of Fei. Min Ziqian replied to the messenger:
— Express my polite refusal to your master. If he sends me another invitation, I will certainly be beyond the Wen.

Notes: Min Ziqian, named Sun, a disciple of Confucius. Wen, a river that flowed south of the state of Qi, north of the state of Lu. The head of the Ji family was a grand prefect; he governed the state of Lu with absolute power. The city of Fei belonged to him and served as a citadel for resisting his prince. When Confucius was minister of justice, he always wanted to demolish it. One day, Ji had Min Ziqian invited to be governor of this city. His only purpose was to attach him to his party. But Min Ziqian was a virtuous and wise disciple of the wisest of philosophers. How could he consent to join the party of a subject who had usurped all power? He replied to the messenger: “The grand prefect wants to use me; but honors and rich appointments do not excite my desires. You speak for me to your master gently and adroitly. Tell him my desire not to hold any office, and divert him from entrusting me with a position. If he sends me a second invitation, I will certainly leave the state of Lu and take refuge beyond the Wen.”

伯bó牛niú有yǒu疾jí，子zǐ问wèn之zhī，自zì牖yǒu执zhí其qí手shǒu，曰yuē：“亡wáng之zhī，命mìng矣yǐ夫fú！斯sī人rén也yě，而ér有yǒu斯sī疾jí也yě！斯sī人rén也yě，而ér有yǒu斯sī疾jí也yě！”

VI.8. Bo Niu being ill, the Master went to visit him. He held his hand through the window and said:
— We will lose him. It is Heaven’s decree. How could such a man be so ill? How could such a man be so ill!

Notes: Bo Niu was one of Confucius’s disciples. His family name was Ran, and his given name Geng. The ancient scholars thought his illness was leprosy. The window mentioned here faced the south. According to custom, the sick person kept to a window facing the north. If a prince was to visit him, he would change his place and sit by a window facing the south so that the prince, on visiting him, would have his face turned to the south. The people of Bo Niu’s house wished to do the same honor to Confucius, but the philosopher dared not accept it. He did not enter the house, but took Bo Niu’s hand through the window and bade him an eternal farewell.

子zǐ曰yuē：“贤xián哉zāi回huí也yě！一yī箪dān食shí，一yī瓢piáo饮yǐn，在zài陋lòu巷xiàng，人rén不bù堪kān其qí忧yōu，回huí也yě不bù改gǎi其qí乐lè。贤xián哉zāi回huí也yě!”

VI.9. The Master said:
— How wise was Yan Hui! One basket of food, one ladle of drink, living in a mean alley, others could not endure his poverty, but Hui never changed his joy. How wise was Yan Hui!

冉rǎn求qiú曰yuē：“非fēi不bù说yuè子zǐ之zhī道dào，力lì不bù足zú也yě。”子zǐ曰yuē：“力lì不bù足zú者zhě，中zhōng道dào而ér废fèi。今jīn汝rǔ画huà.”

VI.10. Ran Qiu said:
— Master, it is not that your doctrine displeases me; it is that I lack the strength to practice it.
The Master replied:
— He who truly lacks strength collapses halfway. But you set limits for yourself.

子zǐ谓wèi子zǐ夏xià曰yuē：“汝rǔ为wéi君jūn子zǐ儒rú，无wú为wéi小xiǎo人rén儒rú。”

VI.11. The Master said to Zixia:
— Be a scholar of virtue and wisdom, not a petty scholar.

子zǐ游yóu为wéi武wǔ城chéng宰zǎi。子zǐ曰yuē：“汝rǔ得dé人rén焉yān尔ěr乎hū？”曰yuē：“有yǒu澹dàn台tái明míng灭miè者zhě，行xíng不bù由yóu径jìng，非fēi公gōng事shì，未wèi尝cháng至zhì于yú偃yǎn之zhī室shì也yě。”

VI.12. When Ziyou was governor of Wucheng, the Master said to him:
— Have you found people who are worthy of your trust?
Ziyou replied:
— There is Dantan Mingmie. He never takes side paths. He never comes to my court except for public business.

子zǐ曰yuē：“孟mèng之zhī反fǎn不bù伐fá。奔bēn而ér殿diàn，将jiāng入rù门mén，策cè其qí马mǎ，曰yuē：‘非fēi敢gǎn后hòu也yě，马mǎ不bù进jìn也yě。’”

VI.13. The Master said:
— Meng Zhifan does not boast of himself. When the army was routed, he was the last to leave. Arriving at the city gate, he whipped his horse, saying:
— It is not that I dared to retreat after others; my horse would not go forward.

Notes: Meng Zhifan, named Zhi, was a grand prefect in the state of Lu. In the eleventh year of Ai, the army of Qi invaded the northern border of Lu. Lu’s troops met Qi’s troops not far from the capital of Lu and were routed. Meng Zhifan remained alone behind all the others, retreated last, and while retreating, still resisted the enemy to save the army. One can say that he greatly deserved his country. Arriving at the gate of the capital of Lu, when all eyes were turned toward him, he whipped his horse and said, “I did not dare to retreat after others; it was my horse that could not advance.” Not only did he not take pride in his great deed, but he even tried to hide it.

子zǐ曰yuē：“不bù有yǒu祝zhù跎tuó之zhī佞nìng，而ér有yǒu宋sòng朝cháo之zhī美měi，难nán乎hū免miǎn于yú今jīn之zhī世shì矣yǐ。”

VI.14. The Master said:
— Without the talent of the orator Tuo and the beauty of Chao of Song, it is difficult to escape hatred in this age.

Notes: The orator Tuo, a grand prefect in the state of Wei, was in charge of praising the ancestors of the prince, addressing prayers to them, and transmitting their responses. He was very skilled in speaking. Chao, son of the prince of Song, was remarkable for his beauty. These two men were in great renown at the time of the events recorded in the Chunqiu. Confucius, sighing, said: “Nowadays, men are not as before. They do not love frankness, but flattery; they do not love virtue, but beauty. Without the skill of the orator Tuo and the beauty of Chao, son of the prince of Song, it is impossible to please the men of our time, and very difficult to escape hatred and envy.”

子zǐ曰yuē：“谁shéi能néng出chū不bù由yóu户hù，何hé莫mò由yóu斯sī道dào也yě！”

VI.15. The Master said:
— Who can leave the house except by the door? Why does no one follow this path of virtue?

Notes: Men know that to leave, one must go through the door, and they do not know that to act well one must go through the path of virtue (follow natural law).

子zǐ曰yuē：“质zhì胜shèng文wén则zé野yě，文wén胜shèng质zhì则zé史shǐ，文wén质zhì彬bīn彬bīn，然rán后hòu君jūn子zǐ。”

VI.16. The Master said:
— He whose natural qualities excel his literary accomplishments is a rustic. He whose literary accomplishments excel his natural qualities is a clerk. He who has both is a sage.

子zǐ曰yuē：“人rén之zhī生shēng也yě直zhí，罔wǎng之zhī生shēng也yě，幸xìng而ér免miǎn.”

VI.17. The Master said:
— At birth, man’s heart is straight. If he loses this and still lives, it is a stroke of fortune that he does not deserve.

子zǐ曰yuē：“知zhī之zhī者zhě不bù如rú好hào之zhī者zhě，好hào之zhī者zhě不bù如rú乐lè之zhī者zhě。”

VI.18. The Master said:
— To love virtue is not as good as knowing it; to know it is not as good as delighting in it.

子zǐ曰yuē：“中zhōng人rén以yǐ上shàng，可kě以yǐ语yǔ上shàng也yě；中zhōng人rén以yǐ下xià，不bù可kě以yǐ语yǔ上shàng也yě.”

VI.19. The Master said:
— A man of more than average virtue can understand high teachings. A man of less than average virtue cannot.

樊fán迟chí问wèn知zhì。子zǐ曰yuē：“务wù民mín之zhī义yì，敬jìng鬼guǐ神shén而ér远yuǎn之zhī，可kě谓wèi知zhì矣yǐ。”问wèn仁rén。子zǐ曰yuē：“先xiān难nán而ér后hòu获huò，可kě谓wèi仁rén矣yǐ。”

VI.20. Fan Chi asked about prudence. The Master said:
— To fulfill the duties of a man, to honor the spirits but keep a distance from them—this can be called prudence.
Fan Chi then asked about perfection in virtue. Confucius replied:
— To put first what is difficult and only later what is advantageous—this can be called perfection in virtue.

Notes: To honor the spirits is to apply one’s heart to showing gratitude to them and to make offerings to them. The spirits spoken of here are those to whom offerings must be made. To keep a distance is not to seek, as it were, to curry favor with the spirits to obtain their favors. Man has constant rules to observe in all his actions every day of his life. If someone, guided by the light of reason, applies his whole mind to the duties he must fulfill and the things he must do; if he honors the spirits with sincere homage, without currying favor with them or seeking their favors; then prosperity and adversity are no longer able to move him; is he not prudent? An accomplished man puts what is most difficult first; he puts what is advantageous to him second; then he deserves to be called accomplished.

子zǐ曰yuē：“知zhì者zhě乐lè水shuǐ，仁rén者zhě乐lè山shān；知zhì者zhě动dòng，仁rén者zhě静jìng；知zhì者zhě乐lè，仁rén者zhě寿shòu。”

VI.21. The Master said:
— The wise man delights in water; the good man delights in mountains. The wise man is active; the good man is at rest. The wise man is joyful; the good man lives long.

Notes: The wise man has his mind free from all prejudice and passion, very perspicacious and untrammeled. He has a resemblance to water; that is why he delights in water. The good man is grave and firm in character; nothing can move him or disturb him. He has a resemblance to mountains, and he delights in them. The wise man penetrates all things by intelligence; his activity reaches almost the highest degree possible. The good man practices all the virtues without any effort; his heart is neither troubled nor tormented by passions. His rest is almost absolute. A man whose heart is attached to external things, as by bonds, meets obstacles to his desires and suffers a thousand cares. The wise man, whose soul is always pure and serene, is not stopped by any obstacle. How can he not be happy? A man who sets no limit to his passions and desires behaves badly and shortens his life. The good man has strong and robust health that no excess alters. How can he not live long?

子zǐ曰yuē：“齐qí一yī变biàn，至zhì于yú鲁lǔ，鲁lǔ一yī变biàn，至zhì于yú道dào。”

VI.22. The Master said:
— If the state of Qi improves by one degree, it will equal the state of Lu in morals. If the state of Lu improves by one degree, it will reach perfection.

子zǐ曰yuē：“觚gū不bù觚gū，觚gū哉zāi觚gū哉zāi!”

VI.23. The Master said:
— A wine vessel called gu (vessel with corners), if it has no corners, can it be called gu?

宰zǎi我wǒ问wèn曰yuē：“仁rén者zhě虽suī告gào之zhī曰yuē，井jǐng有yǒu仁rén焉yān，其qí从cóng之zhī也yě。”子zǐ曰yuē：“何hé为wèi其qí然rán也yě。君jūn子zǐ可kě逝shì也yě，可kě陷xiàn也yě，可kě欺qī也yě，不bù可kě罔wǎng也yě。”

VI.24. Zai Wo said:
— If someone tells a good man that someone has fallen into a well, will he rush to save him?
The Master said:
— Why should he? A good man, hearing this, may decide to go to the edge of the well, but he will not rush in himself. He may be deceived but not blinded.

子zǐ曰yuē：“君jūn子zǐ博bó学xué于yú文wén，约yuē之zhī以yǐ礼lǐ，亦yì可kě以yǐ弗fú畔pàn矣yǐ夫fú。”

VI.25. The Master said:
— The scholar learns extensively and practices the principles of propriety, thus he does not stray from the path of duty.

子zǐ见jiàn南nán子zǐ，子zǐ路lù不bù说yuè。夫fú子zǐ矢shǐ之zhī曰yuē：“予yú所suǒ否fǒu者zhě，天tiān厌yàn之zhī，天tiān厌yàn之zhī!”

VI.26. The Master visited Nanzi. Zilu was displeased. The Master, pronouncing an imprecation, said:
— If I have done wrong, may Heaven reject me, may Heaven reject me!

Notes: Nanzi, wife of Ling, prince of Wei, had an unregulated conduct. Confucius, having arrived at the capital of Wei, Nanzi invited him to see her. Confucius first excused himself; then, forced by necessity, he went to visit the princess. In the past, whoever held an office in a state had to, according to custom, make a visit to the prince’s wife. Zilu, not knowing this custom, thought it shameful to visit this bad woman.

子zǐ曰yuē：“中zhōng庸yōng之zhī为wéi德dé也yě，其qí至zhì矣yǐ乎hū！民mín鲜xiǎn久jiǔ矣yǐ。”

VI.27. The Master said:
— The virtue that remains in the mean is the highest. Few have it, and that for a long time.

子zǐ贡gòng曰yuē：“如rú有yǒu博bó施shī于yú民mín，而ér能néng济jì众zhòng，何hé如rú？可kě谓wèi仁rén乎hū？”子zǐ曰yuē：“何hé事shì于yú仁rén，必bì也yě圣shèng乎hū！尧yáo舜shùn其qí犹yóu病bìng诸zhū！夫fú仁rén者zhě己jǐ欲yù立lì而ér立lì人rén，己jǐ欲yù达dá而ér达dá人rén。能néng近jìn取qǔ比pǐ，可kě谓wèi仁rén之zhī方fāng也yě已yǐ。”

VI.28. Zigong said:
— What do you think of one who would distribute universally his benefits to the people and be able to help all without exception? Could one call him perfect?
The Master replied:
— To help all without exception is it possible? For this, one needs the highest wisdom united with the greatest power. Even Yao and Shun had the sorrow of not being able to do it. A perfect man desires to be firm himself and makes others firm; he desires to understand his duties and teaches others. The perfection of virtue does not lie in helping all without exception, which is impossible, but in judging others by oneself and treating them as one would wish to be treated oneself.