Zigong was fond of criticizing others. The Master said, “Ci (Zigong), are you already so virtuous? As for me, I have no time for that.”
The Master said, “There are three qualities of the noble person’s Way, none of which I have been able to attain: the benevolent are free from anxiety, the wise are free from perplexity, and the courageous are free from fear.”Zigong replied, “This is precisely a description of yourself, Master!”
Qu Boyu sent an envoy to Confucius. Confucius invited him to sit and asked, “What is your master doing these days?”The envoy replied, “My master wishes to reduce his faults, but feels he has not yet succeeded.”After the envoy left, Confucius exclaimed, “What an excellent envoy! What an excellent envoy!”
The Master said, “Firmness, resoluteness, simplicity, and cautious speech—these qualities bring one close to benevolence/humaneness.”
The Master said, “The noble person is calm and composed but not arrogant; the petty person is arrogant but not calm.”
Zilu, Zeng Xi (named Dian), Ran You, and Gongxi Hua were sitting with Confucius. The Master said, “I am a few years older than you – don’t let that hold you back. You often say, ‘No one understands me!’ If someone did understand and employ you, what would you do?”
When Confucius entered the Grand Temple (the ancestral temple of the ruler), he asked about every detail of the rites.