Dismissal - Confucian Pages

Other Translations:

The Duke of Zhou said to the Duke of Lu, “The gentleman does not neglect his relatives, nor does he cause his great ministers to be angry about not being properly employed. Therefore, he does not dismiss someone who has been long in his service, unless they commit a grave offense, and he does not demand everything from any one person.”

Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The duke of Zhou said to the duke of Lu, The gentleman does not neglect his relatives and does not cause his high officials to be resentful because he does not heed them. He does not dismiss old associates without good reason, and he does not demand perfection from one person.

Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 17.15

Leave a Comment / Analects, Analects - Book Seventeen

Original Text:

子曰鄙夫可与事君也与哉其未得之也患得之既得之患失之苟患失之无所不至矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Is it really possible to work alongside one of these common fellows in serving your lord? Before such a person has obtained an official position, all that concerns him is getting one; once he has gotten one, all that concerns him is hanging onto it. And if he is concerned about hanging onto it, there are no extremes to which he will not go.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Can you serve the ruler with some mean-minded fellow as your companion? Before he has gotten what he wants, he worries he won’t get it. After he has gotten it, he worries he’ll lose it. And when he starts worrying about losing it, there’s nothing he won’t do!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.