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The Master said, “How upright was Shi Yu! When the state was well governed, he was as straight as an arrow; when the state was poorly governed, he was still as straight as an arrow.What a noble person was Qu Boyu! When the state was well governed, he served in office; when the state…
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The Master said, “A thoroughbred horse is praised not for its strength, but for its virtue.”
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The Master said, “The noble person is ashamed when his words exceed his actions.”
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Zilu asked how to serve a ruler. The Master said, “Do not deceive him, but dare to remonstrate with him openly – even if it offends him.”
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The Master said, “If a person speaks without any sense of shame, it will be difficult for him to carry out what he says.”
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The Master said, “A person of virtue will surely have meaningful words; but one who has words is not necessarily virtuous. A humane (benevolent) person will surely possess courage; but a courageous person is not necessarily humane.”
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The Master said, “Firmness, resoluteness, simplicity, and cautious speech—these qualities bring one close to benevolence/humaneness.”
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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…