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The Master said, “If one can first rectify his own conduct, what difficulty could there be in governing? If he cannot rectify himself, how can he rectify others?”
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The Master spoke of Gongzi Jing of Wei, saying, “He was good at managing his household. When he first had a little, he said, ‘It’s sufficient enough.’ When he had a bit more, he said, ‘It’s complete enough.’ When he became wealthy, he said, ‘It’s beautiful enough.’”
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The Master said, “The governance of Lu and Wei is like that of brothers.”
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The Master said, “If a person can recite all three hundred poems of the Classic of Poetry, yet when entrusted with government affairs cannot manage them effectively, and when sent as an envoy to foreign states cannot respond independently—what use is all that learning, no matter how extensive?”