The Master said, “In serving a ruler, attend to your duties with reverence first, and place your salary second.”
Note
This saying from the Analects of Confucius expresses a core Confucian principle for officials and scholars: prioritize responsibility over reward; value righteousness above profit, and fulfill one’s duties conscientiously.
“Attend to your duties with reverence” means approaching one’s responsibilities with awe, diligence, focus, and full commitment – never with negligence or perfunctoriness. This “reverence”is not merely an attitude but a respect for moral principle itself.
“Place your salary second” does not deny the legitimacy of fair compensation, but insists that one should not make salary, status, or personal gain the primary motive for action. If one fixates on pay or rewards, it becomes easy to compromise principles, cut corners, or even harm the public good.
This idea aligns closely with Analects 4.16: “The noble person understands righteousness; the petty person understands profit.” It draws a clear line between the value orientations of the junzi (noble person) and the xiaoren (petty person): true scholars act from duty and moral purpose, not self-interest.
In political ethics, it demands that officials prioritize the public interest – first asking, “Have I fulfilled my duty?” before asking, “What have I received?” This spirit fosters a governance system marked by integrity, efficiency, and accountability.
Today, this teaching remains highly relevant to workplace ethics: regardless of profession, one should focus first on doing the work well, not on haggling over pay. True professional dignity comes from expertise and responsibility, not salary level.
Confucius does not oppose reasonable material reward; he warns against the utilitarian mindset of “putting salary first.” Once means and ends are reversed, service becomes transactional, and loyalty turns into calculation.
In short, Confucius teaches: When serving a ruler – or the public – duty comes first; salary, though necessary, must never be the priority.
Further Reading
The Master said, “The noble person understands righteousness; the petty person understands profit.” Analects 4.16 (Li Ren)
Both contrast moral motivation with profit-seeking, affirming that virtuous action must be principle-driven, not reward-driven.
The Master said, “Be steadfast in faith, love learning, and hold fast to the good Way unto death. Do not enter a state in peril; do not reside in a state in chaos. When the world is governed by the Way, appear; when not, withdraw. In a well-governed state, to be poor and lowly is shameful; in a corrupt state, to be rich and honored is shameful.” Analects 8.13 (Tai Bo)
Reinforces that a scholar’s conduct – and sense of shame – must be guided by moral context and duty, not personal gain or status.
子曰：「事君，敬其事而後其食。」
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