The Master said, “Remaining silent and yet comprehending, learning and yet never becoming tired, encouraging others and never growing weary—these are tasks that present me with no difficulty.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, To be silent and understand, to learn without tiring, never to weary of teaching others—this much I can do.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zigong said, “If there were one able to broadly extend his benevolence to the common people and bring succor to the multitudes, what would you make of him? Could such a person be called Good?”
The Master said, “Why stop at Good? Such a person should surely be called a sage! Even someone like Yao or Shun would find such a task daunting. Desiring to take his stand, one who is Good helps others to take their stand; wanting to realize himself, he helps others to realize themselves. Being able to take what is near at hand as an analogy could perhaps be called the method of Goodness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zigong said, If someone could spread bounty abroad among the people and rescue the populace, how would that be? Could that be called humaneness?
The Master said, Why bring humaneness into the discussion? If you must have a label, call the man a sage. Even Yao and Shun had trouble doing that much.
The humane person wants standing, and so he helps others to gain standing. He wants achievement, and so he helps others to achieve. To know how to proceed on the analogy of what is close at hand—this can be called the humane approach.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Acquiring Virtue by applying the mean—is this not best? And yet among the common people few are able to practice this virtue for long.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The virtue embodied in the doctrine of the Mean11 is of the highest order. But it has long been rare among people.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master had an audience with Nanzi, and Zilu was not pleased. The Master swore an oath, saying, “If I have done anything wrong, may Heaven punish me! May Heaven punish me!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master had an audience with Nanzi. Zilu was not pleased. Confucius swore an oath, saying, If I have done anything wrong, may Heaven cast me aside! May Heaven cast me aside!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “Someone who is broadly learned with regard to culture, and whose conduct is restrained by the rites, can be counted upon to not go astray.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, If the gentleman acquires broad learning in cultural matters and focuses it through ritual, he is hardly likely to go far astray, is he?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Zai Wo asked, “If someone lied to a Good person, saying ‘a man has just fallen into the well!’, would he go ahead and jump in after him [to save the supposed man]?”
The Master replied, “Why would he do that? The gentleman can be enticed, but not trapped; he can be tricked, but not duped.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
Zai Wo asked, If you were to tell a humane person that there was a humane person in a well, would he go to the rescue?
The Master said, Why would he do that? The gentleman can be made to go somewhere but not to fall into a trap. He can be deceived but not completely hoodwinked.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “The wise take joy in rivers, while the Good take joy in mountains. The wise are active, while the Good are still. The wise are joyful, while the Good are long-lived.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The wise delight in water; the humane delight in mountains. The wise move; the humane are still. The wise are happy; the humane live long.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
