The Master said, “People who can spend an entire day together indulging their predilection for petty cleverness, without their conversation ever once touching upon rightness—these are hard cases indeed!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, Groups gathered together all day, not a word touching what is right, happy in carrying out their petty schemes—don’t look for much from them!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master asked Gongming Jia about Gongshu Wenzi, saying, “Is it really true that your master did not speak, did not laugh, and did not take?”
Gongming Jia answered, “Whoever told you that was exaggerating. My master only spoke when the time was right, and so people never grew impatient listening to him. He only laughed when he was genuinely full of joy, and so people never tired of hearing him laugh. He only took what was rightfully his, and so people never resented his taking of things.”
The Master said, “Was he really that good? Could he really have been that good?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master questioned Gongming Jia about Gongshu Wenzi, saying, Is it true that your master never spoke, never laughed, and never accepted things?
Gongming Jia replied, Whoever told you that was exaggerating. My master spoke only when it was time to do so—thus others did not object to his speaking. He laughed only when he was happy—so others did not object to his laughter. He accepted things only when it was right to do so—thus others did not object to his accepting.
The Master said, Is that so? Could that really be so?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
The Master said, “The gentleman is easy to serve, but hard to please. If you attempt to please him in a manner not in accordance with the Way, he will not be pleased, but when he employs others, he does so in consideration of their particular capacities. The petty person is hard to serve, but easy to please. If you attempt to please him, he will be pleased, even if it is in a manner not in accordance with the Way, but when it comes to his employment of others, he demands everything from them.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
The Master said, The gentleman is easy to serve but hard to please. Try to please him with what does not accord with the Way, and he will not be pleased. But when he employs others, he thinks of their particular capabilities.
The petty man is hard to serve but easy to please. Try pleasing him with what does not accord with the Way, and he will be pleased. But when he employs others, he expects them to be able to do anything.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.
Min Ziqian was attending the Master, standing at his side in a straight and correct manner; [also attending were] Zilu, looking bold and uncompromising, and Ran Qiu and Zigong, both of whom appeared happy and at ease.
The Master was pleased, but remarked, “Someone like Zilu will not get to live out his years.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.
When Min Ziqian attended the Master, his manner was highly respectful. Zilu was bold and resolute, while Ran You and Zigong were relaxed and genial. The Master was pleased, but he said, A man like You (Zilu) will not die a natural death.
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.
