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the master said； 〃it is on this account that i hate your glib…tonguedpeople。〃
tsze…lu； tsang hsi； zan yu； and kunghsi hwa were sitting by the master。
he said to them； 〃though i am a day or so older than you； do not think ofthat。
〃from day to day you are saying； 'we are not known。' if some ruler were toknow you； what would you like to do？〃
tsze…lu hastily and lightly replied； 〃suppose the case of a state of tenthousand chariots； let it be straitened between other large cities； let it besuffering from invading armies； and to this let there be added a famine in cornand in all vegetables：…if i were intrusted with the government of it； in threeyears' time i could make the people to be bold； and to recognize the rules ofrighteous conduct。〃 the master smiled at him。
turning to yen yu； he said； 〃ch'iu； what are your wishes？〃 ch'iu replied；〃suppose a state of sixty or seventy li square； or one of fifty or sixty； andlet me have the government of it；…in three years' time； i could make plenty toabound among the people。 as to teaching them the principles of propriety； andmusic； i must wait for the rise of a superior man to do that。〃
〃what are your wishes； ch'ih；〃 said the master next to kung…hsi hwa。 ch'ihreplied； 〃i do not say that my ability extends to these things； but i shouldwish to learn them。 at the services of the ancestral temple； and at theaudiences of the princes with the sovereign； i should like； dressed in the darksquare…made robe and the black linen cap； to act as a small assistant。〃
last of all； the master asked tsang hsi； 〃tien； what are your wishes？〃 tien；pausing as he was playing on his lute； while it was yet twanging； laid theinstrument aside； and 〃my wishes；〃 he said； 〃are different from the cherishedpurposes of these three gentlemen。〃 〃what harm is there in that？〃 said themaster； 〃do you also； as well as they； speak out your wishes。〃 tien then said；〃in this； the last month of spring； with the dress of the season all plete；along with five or six young men who have assumed the cap； and six or seven boys；i would wash in the i； enjoy the breeze among the rain altars； and return homesinging。〃 the master heaved a sigh and said； 〃i give my approval to tien。〃
the three others having gone out； tsang hsi remained behind； and said； 〃whatdo you think of the words of these three friends？〃 the master replied； 〃theysimply told each one his wishes。〃
hsi pursued； 〃master； why did you smile at yu？〃
he was answered； 〃the management of a state demands the rules of propriety。his words were not humble； therefore i smiled at him。〃
hsi again said； 〃but was it not a state which ch'iu proposed for himself？〃the reply was； 〃yes； did you ever see a territory of sixty or seventy li or oneof fifty or sixty； which was not a state？〃
once more； hsi inquired； 〃and was it not a state which ch'ih proposed forhimself？〃 the master again replied； 〃yes； who but princes have to do withancestral temples； and with audiences but the sovereign？ if ch'ih were to be asmall assistant in these services； who could be a great one？
12
yen yuan asked about perfect virtue。 the master said； 〃to subdue one's selfand return to propriety； is perfect virtue。 if a man can for one day subduehimself and return to propriety； an under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue tohim。 is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself； or is it fromothers？〃
yen yuan said； 〃i beg to ask the steps of that process。〃 the master replied；〃look not at what is contrary to propriety； listen not to what is contrary topropriety； speak not what is contrary to propriety； make no movement which iscontrary to propriety。〃 yen yuan then said； 〃though i am deficient inintelligence and vigor； i will make it my business to practice this lesson。〃
chung…kung asked about perfect virtue。 the master said； 〃it is； when you goabroad； to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest； to employthe people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice； not to do to others asyou would not wish done to yourself； to have no murmuring against you in thecountry； and none in the family。〃 chung…kung said； 〃though i am deficient inintelligence and vigor； i will make it my business to practice this lesson。〃
sze…ma niu asked about perfect virtue。
the master said； 〃the man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in hisspeech。〃
〃cautious and slow in his speech！〃 said niu；…〃is this what is meant byperfect virtue？〃 the master said； 〃when a man feels the difficulty of doing； canhe be other than cautious and slow in speaking？〃
sze…ma niu asked about the superior man。 the master said； 〃the superior manhas neither anxiety nor fear。〃
〃being without anxiety or fear！〃 said nui；〃does this constitute what we callthe superior man？〃
the master said； 〃when internal examination discovers nothing wrong； what isthere to be anxious about； what is there to fear？〃
sze…ma niu； full of anxiety； said； 〃other men all have their brothers； ionly have not。〃
tsze…hsia said to him； 〃there is the following saying which i have heard…'death and life have their determined appointment； riches and honors depend uponheaven。'
〃let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct； andlet him be respectful to others and observant of propriety：…then all within thefour seas will be his brothers。 what has the superior man to do with beingdistressed because he has no brothers？〃
tsze…chang asked what constituted intelligence。 the master said； 〃he withwhom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind； nor statements thatstartle like a wound in the flesh； are successful may be called intelligentindeed。 yea； he with whom neither soaking slander； nor startling statements； aresuccessful； may be called farseeing。〃
tsze…kung asked about government。 the master said； 〃the requisites ofgovernment are that there be sufficiency of food； sufficiency of militaryequipment； and the confidence of the people in their ruler。〃
tsze…kung said； 〃if it cannot be helped； and one of these must be dispensedwith； which of the three should be foregone first？〃 〃the military equipment；〃said the master。
tsze…kung again aske