Yen Yuan asked about perfect virtue. To subdue one's self and return to propriety is perfect virtue. If a man can for one day subdue himself and return to propriety, all under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him. Is the practice from a man himself, or is it from others. Look not at what is contrary to propriety. Listen not. Speak not. Make no movement contrary to it. Chung-kung asked the same. When you go abroad, behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest. Employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice. Do not do to others as you would not wish done to yourself. Sze-ma Niu asked. The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech. When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking. The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear. When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear. Sze-ma Niu said other men all have their brothers, I only have not. Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and be respectful to others and observant of propriety. Then all within the four seas will be his brothers. He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful, may be called intelligent. Yea, he may be called farseeing.
Tsze-kung asked about government. The requisites are sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler. If one must be dispensed with first, the military equipment. If one of the remaining two must go, part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of all men. If the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state. Chi Tsze-ch'ang said that in a superior man only the substantial qualities are wanted. Ornament is as substance. Substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair. Duke Ai said the year was one of scarcity. Yu Zo asked why he did not simply tithe the people. With two tenths the duke found it not enough. If the people have plenty, their prince will not be left to want alone. If the people are in want, their prince cannot enjoy plenty alone. You love a man and wish him to live. You hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion. Duke Ching of Ch'i asked about government. There is government when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister, when the father is father, and the son is son.
It is Yu who could with half a word settle litigations. Tsze-lu never slept over a promise. In hearing litigations, I am like any other body. What is necessary is to cause the people to have no litigations. To govern means to rectify. If you lead on the people with correctness, who will dare not to be correct. Chi K'ang, distressed about thieves, asked how to do away with them. If you, sir, were not covetous, although you should reward them to do it, they would not steal. What do you say to killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled. Why should you use killing at all. Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it. Tsze-chang asked what officer may be said to be distinguished. To be heard of through the State, to be heard of throughout his clan. That is notoriety, not distinction. The man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves righteousness. He examines people's words and looks at their countenances. He is anxious to humble himself to others. The man of notoriety assumes the appearance of virtue, but his actions are opposed to it, and he rests in this character without any doubts about himself. Fan Ch'ih asked how to exalt virtue, correct cherished evil, and discover delusions. If doing what is to be done be made the first business, and success a secondary consideration, is not this the way to exalt virtue. To assail one's own wickedness and not assail that of others is the way to correct cherished evil. Tsze-kung asked about friendship. Faithfully admonish your friend, and skilfully lead him on. If you find him impracticable, stop. Do not disgrace yourself. The philosopher Tsang said, the superior man on grounds of culture meets with his friends, and by their friendship helps his virtue.
