The Analects – Chapter 81 (4.16). Righteousness or Gain: the moral divide

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.”

子曰：「君子喻於義，小人喻於利。」

Notes

Confucius said: “The noble-minded are guided by righteousness; the petty-minded are driven by personal gain.”

• The noble: Individuals of virtue who adhere to benevolence and righteousness as their moral compass, pursuing spiritual refinement.
• The petty: Those lacking virtue, guided solely by self-interest, prioritizing material gains.

Confucius also said elsewhere:

“Where gentlemen set their hearts upon virtue, the petty men set theirs upon the soil. Where gentlemen think only of punishments, the petty men think only of exemptions.” (Analects 4.11)

It clearly delineates the core value opposition between gentlemen and petty men – the former prioritize moral righteousness, whereas the latter focus solely on self-serving interests. It stands as a classic expression of the Confucian debate on righteousness versus profit.