The Master said, “Not anticipating betrayal, nor expecting untrustworthiness, yet still being the first to perceive it—this is a worthy person indeed.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Do not be overly wary of deception; do not suspect others of bad faith. But he who is first to perceive the true situation is the wise one!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master was gravely ill, and Zilu instructed his fellow disciples to attend Confucius as if the disciples were his ministers.
During a remission in his illness, the Master [became aware of what was happening and] rebuked Zilu, saying, “It has been quite some time now, has it not, that you have been carrying out this charade! If I have no ministers and yet you act as if I have, who do you think I am going to fool? Am I going to fool Heaven? Moreover, would I not rather die in the arms of a few of my disciples than in the arms of ministers? Even if I do not merit a grand funeral, it is not as if I would be left to die by the side of the road!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master was gravely ill. Zilu directed the disciples to attend him in the manner of retainers.
When the Master had recovered somewhat, he said, How long you go on, You, practicing these deceptions! To pretend that I have retainers when I have no retainers—who would I be deceiving? Would I be deceiving Heaven? Moreover, rather than dying in the hands of retainers, isn’t it better that I die in the hands of you, my disciples? And although I may not be entitled to a grand funeral, it’s not as though I were dying by the roadside, is it?
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.
