Kindness

Analects 17.6

Original Text:

子张问仁于孔子孔子曰能行五者于天下为仁矣请问之曰恭宽信敏惠恭则不侮宽则得众信则人任焉敏则有功惠则足以使人

Translation:

Other Translations:

Zizhang asked Confucius about Goodness.

Confucius replied, “Someone could be considered Good who is able to, everywhere in the world, put five virtues into practice.”

“May I ask what these virtues are?”

“Reverence, magnanimity, trustworthiness, diligence, and kindness. If you are reverent, you will avoid disgrace; if you are magnanimous, you will win the populace; if you are trustworthy, others will put their trust in you; if you are diligent, you will achieve results; and if you are kind, you will have the wherewithal to employ the people.”

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

Zizhang asked Confucius about humaneness. Confucius said, A person who can exercise these five in his dealings with the world is acting humanely.

When Zizhang asked what “these five” were, Confucius said, Courtesy, tolerance, trustworthiness, diligence, and kindness. Be courteous, and you avoid disrespect. Be tolerant, and you win over the multitude. Be trustworthy, and you are trusted by others. Be diligent, and your work will go well. Be kind, and you will be able to employ others.

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

Analects 14.34

Original Text:

或曰以德报怨何如子曰何以报德以直报怨以德报德

Translation:

Other Translations:

Someone asked, “What do you think of the saying, ‘Requite injury with kindness’?”

The Master replied, “With what, then, would one requite kindness? Requite injury with uprightness, and kindness with kindness.”

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

Someone said, Repay hatred with virtue—how would that do?

The Master said, Then how would you repay virtue? Repay hatred with uprightness. Repay virtue with virtue.

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

Analects 2.20

Original Text:

季康子问使民敬忠以劝如之何子曰临之以庄则敬孝慈则忠举善而教不能则劝

Translation:

Other Translations:

Ji Kangzi asked, “How can I cause the common people to be respectful, dutiful, and industrious?”

The Master said, “Oversee them with dignity, and the people will be respectful; oversee them with filiality and kindness, and the people will be dutiful; oversee them by raising up the accomplished and instructing those who are unable, and the people will be industrious.”

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

Ji Kangzi asked, How can I make the common people respectful, loyal, and diligent in their work?

The Master said, If you are strict in overseeing them, they will be respectful. If you are filial and compassionate, they will be loyal. If you promote persons of goodness and teach those who are incompetent, then the people will be diligent.

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