•
4.20 The Master said, “If for the whole three years of mourning a son manages to carry on the household exactly as in his father’s day, then he is a good son indeed.”
•
4.19 The Master said, “While father and mother are alive, a good son does not wander far afield; or if he does so, goes only where he has said he was going.”
•
4.18 The Master said, “In serving his father and mother a man may gently remonstrate with them. But if he sees that he has failed to change their opinion, he should resume an attitude of deference and not thwart them; may feel discouraged, but not resentful.”
•
4.16 The Master said, “A gentleman takes as much trouble to discover what is right as lesser men take to discover what will pay.”
•
4.15 The Master said, “Shen! My Way (Dao) has one (thread) that runs right through it.”
•
4.14 The Master said, “He does not mind not being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.”
•
4.13 The Master said, “If it is really possible to govern countries by ritual and yielding, there is no more to be said. But if it is not really possible, of what use is ritual?”