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The Master said, “The noble person is calm and composed but not arrogant; the petty person is arrogant but not calm.”
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The Master said, “The noble person (Confucian gentleman) is easy to work with but hard to please. If you try to please him in ways that violate the Way (Dao), he will not be pleased; yet when he employs others, he uses them according to their abilities. The petty person is hard to work…
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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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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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Zengzi said, “The noble person gathers friends through shared study of cultural texts, and uses friendship to support the cultivation of humaneness.”
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Zi Zhang asked about governance. The Master said, “Be tireless in holding your position, and carry out your duties with loyalty.”