Trustworthiness - Confucian Pages

Analects 17.8

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Original Text:

子曰由也女闻六言六蔽矣乎对曰未也居吾语女好仁不好学其蔽也愚好知不好学其蔽也荡好信不好学其蔽也贼好直不好学其蔽也绞好勇不好学其蔽也乱好刚不好学其蔽也狂

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The Master said, “Zilu! Have you heard about the six [virtuous] words and their six corresponding vices?”
Zilu replied, “I have not.”
“Sit! I will tell you about them.
“Loving Goodness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of foolishness. Loving wisdom without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of deviance. Loving trustworthiness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of harmful rigidity. Loving uprightness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of intolerance. Loving courage without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of unruliness. Loving resoluteness without balancing it with a love for learning will result in the vice of willfulness.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, You (Zilu), have you heard of the six terms and the six flaws attending them?
Zilu replied, No, not yet.
Sit down, said the Master, and I will tell you. Love of humaneness without love of study invites the flaw of foolishness. Love of understanding without love of study invites the flaw of recklessness. Love of trustworthiness without love of study invites the flaw of injurious behavior. Love of uprightness without love of study invites the flaw of bluntness. Love of bravery without love of study invites the flaw of riotousness. Love of firmness without love of study invites the flaw of irrational action.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 17.6

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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

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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 15.18

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Original Text:

子曰君子义以为质礼以行之孙以出之信以成之君子哉

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “The gentleman takes rightness as his substance, puts it into practice by means of ritual, gives it expression through modesty, and perfects it by being trustworthy. Now that is a gentleman!”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, The gentleman makes rightness the substance, practices it through ritual, displays it with humility, brings it to completion with trustworthiness. That’s the gentleman.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.20

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Original Text:

子贡问曰何如斯可谓之士矣子曰行己有耻使于四方不辱君命可谓士矣曰敢问其次曰宗族称孝焉乡党称弟焉曰敢问其次曰言必信行必果踁踁然小人哉抑亦可以为次矣曰今之从政者何如子曰噫斗筲之人何足算也

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Zigong asked, “What does a person have to be like before he could be called a true scholar-official?”
The Master said, “Conducting himself with a sense of shame, and not dishonoring his ruler’s mandate when sent abroad as a diplomat—such a person could be called a scholar-official.”
“May I ask what the next best type of person is like?”
“His lineage and clan consider him filial, and his fellow villagers consider him respectful to his elders.”
“And the next best?”
“In his speech, he insists on being trustworthy, and with regard to his actions, he insists that they bear fruit. What a narrow, rigid little man he is! And yet he might still be considered the next best.”
“How about those who today are involved in government?”
The Master exclaimed, “Oh! Those petty functionaries are not even worth considering.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Zigong asked, How should one conduct himself in order to be called a man of station?
The Master said, Be mindful of anything shameful in your actions. When sent on a mission to other regions in the four directions, do nothing to disgrace your ruler’s commands. Then you can be called a man of station.
And may I ask about a person on the next level?
The Master said, Among the members of his clan, he is praised for his filial conduct. In his village or community, he is praised for his brotherliness.
And may I ask about the next level?
The Master said, Their words are certain to be trustworthy; their actions, certain to be decisive. But petty men just plodding along can reach this level.
And how would you rate those who handle government affairs these days?
The Master said, Ah—peck and bushel people! Not even worth sizing up!
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 13.4

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Original Text:

樊迟请学稼子曰吾不如老农请学为圃曰吾不如老圃樊迟出子曰小人哉樊须也上好礼则民莫敢不敬上好义则民莫敢不服上好信则民莫敢不用情夫如是则四方之民襁负其子而至矣焉用稼

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Fan Chi asked to learn about plowing and growing grain [from Confucius].
The Master said, “When it comes to that, any old farmer would be a better teacher than I.”
He asked to learn about growing fruits and vegetables.
The Master said, “When it comes to that, any old gardener would be a better teacher than I.”
Fan Chi then left. The Master remarked, “What a common fellow that Fan Chi is! When a ruler loves ritual propriety, then none among his people will dare to be disrespectful. When a ruler loves rightness, then none among his people will dare not to obey. When a ruler loves trustworthiness, then none of his people will dare to not be honest. The mere existence of such a ruler would cause the common people throughout the world to bundle their children on their backs and seek him out. Of what use, then, is the study of agriculture?”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

Fan Chi wanted to study how to grow grain. The Master said, In that line, I’d be less use to you than an old farmer. Fan Chi then wanted to study how to grow vegetables. The Master said, In that line, I’d be less use to you than an old vegetable grower.
After Fan Chi had left, the Master said, What a petty man, Fan Xu (Fan Chi)! If those in higher positions love ritual, then none of the common people will venture to be disrespectful. If those in higher positions love rightness, then none of the common people will venture to be disobedient. If those in higher positions love trustworthiness, then none of the common people will venture to act insincerely. And if such a condition prevails, then the people from the four lands adjacent, bearing their little children strapped to their backs, will gather around. What need to study grain growing?
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.

Analects 9.25

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Original Text:

子曰主忠信毋友不如己者过则勿惮改

Translation:

Other Translations:

The Master said, “Let your actions be governed by dutifulness and trustworthiness, and do not accept as a friend one who is not your equal. If you have committed a transgression, do not be afraid to change your ways.”
Confucius, & Slingerland, E. (2003). Analects: With selections from traditional commentaries. Hackett Publishing.

The Master said, Put prime value on loyalty and trustworthiness, have no friends who are not your equal, and, if you make mistakes, don’t be afraid to correct them.
Confucius, & Watson, B. (2007). The Analects of Confucius. Columbia University Press.