The Viscount of Wei withdrew from the court. The Viscount of Chi became a slave to Chau. Pi-kan remonstrated with him and died. Confucius said the Yin dynasty possessed these three men of virtue. Hui of Liu-hsia, being chief criminal judge, was thrice dismissed from his office. Some one said, is it not yet time for you, sir, to leave this. Serving men in an upright way, where shall I go to, and not experience such a thrice-repeated dismissal. If I choose to serve men in a crooked way, what necessity is there for me to leave the country of my parents. The duke Ching of Ch'i said he could not treat Confucius as he would the chief of the Chi family. He would treat him in a manner between that accorded to the chief of the Chi and that given to the chief of the Mang family. He also said, I am old; I cannot use his doctrines. Confucius took his departure. The people of Ch'i sent to Lu a present of female musicians, which Chi Hwan received, and for three days no court was held. Confucius took his departure.
The madman of Ch'u, Chieh-yu, passed by Confucius, singing. O Fang, O Fang, how is your virtue degenerated. As to the past, reproof is useless, but the future may still be provided against. Give up your vain pursuit. Peril awaits those who now engage in affairs of government. Confucius alighted and wished to converse with him, but Chieh-yu hastened away. Ch'ang-tsu and Chieh-ni were at work in the field together when Confucius passed by them and sent Tsze-lu to inquire for the ford. Who is he that holds the reins. It is K'ung Ch'iu of Lu. He knows the ford. Chieh-ni said disorder, like a swelling flood, spreads over the whole empire, and who is he that will change its state for you. Than follow one who merely withdraws from this one and that one, had you not better follow those who have withdrawn from the world altogether. With this he fell to covering up the seed, and proceeded with his work, without stopping. Tsze-lu reported their remarks. The Master observed with a sigh, it is impossible to associate with birds and beasts as if they were the same with us. If I associate not with these people, with mankind, with whom shall I associate. If right principles prevailed through the empire, there would be no use for me to change its state. Tsze-lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, and met an old man carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds. Have you seen my master. Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain: who is your master. With this he planted his staff in the ground and proceeded to weed. Tsze-lu joined his hands across his breast and stood before him. The old man kept him to pass the night, killed a fowl, prepared millet, and introduced his two sons. Next day the old man was gone. Tsze-lu said to the family, not to take office is not righteous. If the relations between old and young may not be neglected, how is it that he sets aside the duties that should be observed between sovereign and minister. Wishing to maintain his personal purity, he allows that great relation to come to confusion. A superior man takes office, and performs the righteous duties belonging to it. As to the failure of right principles to make progress, he is aware of that.
The men who have retired to privacy from the world have been Po-i, Shu-ch'i, Yu-chung, I-yi, Chu-chang, Hui of Liu-hsia, and Shao-lien. Refusing to surrender their wills, or to submit to any taint in their persons: such, I think, were Po-i and Shu-ch'i. It may be said of Hui of Liu-hsia and of Shao-lien that they surrendered their wills and submitted to taint in their persons, but their words corresponded with reason, and their actions were such as men are anxious to see. It may be said of Yu-chung and I-yi that, while they hid themselves in their seclusion, they gave a licence to their words, but in their persons they succeeded in preserving their purity, and in their retirement they acted according to the exigency of the times. I am different from all these. I have no course for which I am predetermined, and no course against which I am predetermined. The grand music master Chih went to Ch'i. Kan, Liao, and Chueh, the band masters at the second, third, and fourth meals, went to Ch'u, Ts'ai, and Ch'in. Fang-shu the drum master withdrew to the north of the river. Wu, the master of the hand drum, withdrew to the Han. Yang, the assistant music master, and Hsiang, master of the musical stone, withdrew to an island in the sea. The duke of Chau addressed his son, the duke of Lu. The virtuous prince does not neglect his relations. He does not cause the great ministers to repine at his not employing them. Without some great cause, he does not dismiss from their offices the members of old families. He does not seek in one man talents for every employment.
