Service

Analects 18.10

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Original Text:

周公谓鲁公曰君子不施其亲不使大臣怨乎不以故旧无大故则不弃也无求备于一人

Translation:

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 14.18

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Original Text:

公叔文子之臣大夫僎与文子同升诸公子闻之曰可以为文矣

Translation:

Other Translations:

Gongshu Wenzi had his household minister Zhuan promoted along with him to the ducal court. When Confucius heard of this, he remarked, “Surely he deserves to be considered ‘cultured’.”

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

Zhuan had been a retainer to Gongshu Wenzi, but later he became a high official, taking a place beside Wenzi in the service of the ruler. When the Master heard of this, he said, Gongshu Wenzi deserves the posthumous name Cultured (Wen).

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

Analects 12.21

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Original Text:

樊迟从游于舞雩之下曰敢问崇德修慝辨惑子曰善哉问先事后得非崇德与攻其恶无攻人之恶非修慝与一朝之忿忘其身以及其亲非惑与

Translation:

Other Translations:

Fan Chi was on an excursion with the Master, wandering below the Rain Dance Altar, when he asked, “May I ask what it means to, ‘Accumulate Virtue, reform vice, and resolve confusion’?”

The Master replied, “A noble question indeed! Put service first and reward last—is this not the way to accumulate Virtue? Attack the bad qualities in yourself rather than the badness in others—is this not the way to remedy vice? To forget yourself in a moment of anger and thereby bring ruin upon both you and your family—is this not an example of confusion?”

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

Fan Chi was accompanying the Master in an outing to the rain altars. He said, If I may, I would like to ask how to uphold virtue, remedy badness, and detect faulty thinking.

The Master said, An excellent question! Think of the work first and the gains afterward—this is how to uphold virtue, isn’t it? Attack the evils in yourself, not the evils in others—this is how to remedy badness, isn’t it? Because of one morning’s anger, to forget your own safety and even endanger those close to you—this is faulty thinking, isn’t it?

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