Book V · Gongye Chang
5.1–28
5.1
The Master said of Gongye Chang: "He is fit to be given a wife. Though he was once in bonds, it was not through any fault of his." And he gave him his own daughter in marriage.
5.2
The Master said of Nan Rong: "When the state has the Way, he will not be passed over; when the state is without the Way, he will escape punishment and death." And he gave him his elder brother's daughter in marriage.
5.3
The Master said of Zijian: "A gentleman indeed is such a man! If there were no gentlemen in Lu, where could he have acquired this?"
5.4
Zigong asked: "What do you think of me?" The Master said: "You are a vessel." "What vessel?" "A sacrificial vessel of jade."1
5.5
Someone said: "Yong is humane but not glib." The Master said: "What use is glibness? Those who parry others with a ready tongue often make themselves disliked. I do not know whether he is humane, but what use is glibness?"
5.6
The Master urged Qidiao Kai to take office. He replied: "I am not yet confident in this." The Master was pleased.
5.7
The Master said: "The Way does not prevail. I shall board a raft and float out to sea. The one who would follow me would be You, I suppose!" Zilu, hearing this, was delighted. The Master said: "You loves daring more than I do, but he has no sense of where to find the timber."
5.8
Meng Wubo asked: "Is Zilu humane?" The Master said: "I do not know." He asked again. The Master said: "You could be put in charge of the military levies of a state of a thousand chariots; but I do not know whether he is humane." "What about Qiu?" The Master said: "Qiu could be made steward of a town of a thousand households or of a noble house of a hundred chariots; but I do not know whether he is humane." "What about Chi?" The Master said: "Chi, girded with his sash and standing at court, could be employed to converse with visitors and guests; but I do not know whether he is humane."
5.9
The Master said to Zigong: "Which is the better, you or Hui?" He replied: "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one thing and from it knows ten. I hear one thing and from it know two." The Master said: "You are not his equal. Neither of us is his equal."
5.10
Zai Yu slept during the day. The Master said: "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dung cannot be plastered. What is the use of reproving Yu?" The Master said: "At first, my way with people was to hear their words and trust their conduct. Now my way with people is to hear their words and watch their conduct. It is Yu who has made me change."
5.11
The Master said: "I have never seen a man who is truly firm." Someone replied: "Shen Cheng." The Master said: "Cheng is full of desires. How can he be firm?"
5.12
Zigong said: "What I do not wish others to do to me, I also wish not to do to others." The Master said: "Ci, that is beyond what you have attained."
5.13
Zigong said: "The Master's cultivated words can be heard; but his words on human nature and the Way of Heaven cannot be heard."
5.14
When Zilu had heard something and had not yet been able to put it into practice, his only fear was that he might hear something more.
5.15
Zigong asked: "Why was Kong Wenzi given the name 'Wen', the cultured?" The Master said: "He was quick and fond of learning, and not ashamed to ask those below him. That is why he was called 'Wen'."
5.16
The Master said of Zichan: "He had four qualities of the way of the gentleman: in his own conduct he was courteous; in serving his superiors he was reverent; in nurturing the people he was generous; in employing the people he was just."
5.17
The Master said: "Yan Pingzhong was good at keeping friendships: however long he knew someone, he still treated him with respect."
5.18
The Master said: "Zang Wenzhong housed a great tortoise in a hall with hills carved on the capitals and water-weeds painted on the rafters.2 How can he be called wise?"
5.19
Zizhang asked: "Ziwen, the chief minister of Chu, was three times appointed chief minister and showed no sign of joy; three times he was dismissed and showed no sign of resentment. He always informed the new chief minister of the affairs of the old. What do you think of him?" The Master said: "He was loyal." "Was he humane?" "I do not know. How can he be called humane?" "When Master Cui assassinated the ruler of Qi, Chen Wenzi, who owned forty horses, abandoned them and left the state. On reaching another state, he said: 'They are just like our minister Master Cui,' and left it. On reaching yet another state, he again said: 'They are just like our minister Master Cui,' and left it. What do you think of him?" The Master said: "He was pure." "Was he humane?" "I do not know. How can he be called humane?"
5.20
Ji Wenzi thought three times before acting. When the Master heard of this, he said: "Twice is enough."
5.21
The Master said: "Ning Wuzi, when the state had the Way, was wise; when the state was without the Way, he was foolish. His wisdom can be equalled; his foolishness cannot be equalled."
5.22
When the Master was in Chen, he said: "Let me go home! Let me go home! The young men of my school are ambitious and impetuous; they have woven a brilliant pattern, but they do not know how to cut it to shape."
5.23
The Master said: "Bo Yi and Shu Qi did not keep old wrongs in mind, and so there was little resentment against them."
5.24
The Master said: "Who says Weisheng Gao is upright? When someone asked him for vinegar, he begged it from a neighbour and gave it as his own."
5.25
The Master said: "Clever words, an ingratiating face, excessive deference — Zuoqiu Ming was ashamed of these, and I too am ashamed of them. To hide one's resentment and befriend the man one resents — Zuoqiu Ming was ashamed of this, and I too am ashamed of it."
5.26
Yan Yuan and Ji Lu were in attendance. The Master said: "Why not each of you tell me your heart's desire?" Zilu said: "I should like to share my carriage and horses, my clothes and furs, with my friends, and not mind if they wore them out." Yan Yuan said: "I should like not to boast of my merits, nor make a show of my efforts." Zilu said: "We should like to hear your heart's desire, Master." The Master said: "To bring comfort to the old, to be trusted by friends, and to be cherished by the young."
5.27
The Master said: "It is hopeless! I have yet to meet a man who can see his own faults and inwardly bring a charge against himself."
5.28
The Master said: "In a hamlet of ten households there are sure to be people as loyal and trustworthy as I am, but none as fond of learning as I am."