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The Master said, “People of the south have a saying: ‘A person without constancy cannot even become a shaman or physician.’ How excellent this saying is!”He then quoted the Book of Changes: “If one does not maintain his virtue consistently, he will surely bring shame upon himself.”The Master added, “Such a person need not…
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The Master said, “If I cannot find someone who follows the middle way to associate with, I would surely choose the bold or the principled! The bold are eager to advance; the principled refuse to do certain things.”
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Zi Gong asked, “What must one be like to be called a ‘shi’ (a morally responsible scholar-official)?”The Master said, “One who acts with a sense of shame and, when sent on missions abroad, fulfills his ruler’s charge without disgracing it—such a person may be called a shi.”Zi Gong asked, “May I ask about the…
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Duke Ye said to Confucius, “In my region, there is a man known for his uprightness: when his father stole a sheep, the son testified against him.”Confucius replied, “The kind of uprightness we value is different. A father conceals for his son, and a son conceals for his father—uprightness lies precisely within this mutual…
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Zixia, serving as magistrate of Jufu, asked Confucius about governance. The Master said, “Do not seek speed; do not pursue small gains. If you rush, you will not succeed; if you focus on petty profits, you will never accomplish great things.”
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Ran You returned late from court. The Master asked, “Why so late?” He replied, “There was government business.” The Master corrected him, “That was merely administrative affairs. If there were truly matters of state policy, even if I were not employed, I would surely have heard about them.”