Analects (excerpts)

"The chun-tzu does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he follows Heaven. In seasons of danger, he follows Heaven."

The Master said, "The superior man does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything. He just follows what is right."

The Master said, "The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the rituals; the small man thinks of favors he may receive."

The Master said, "A man should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit in a place. I am not concerned that I am not known, I wish to be worthy to be known."

The Master said, "The mind of the superior man is concerned with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with profit."

The Master said, "When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a dubious character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves."

The Master said, "The cautious seldom err."

The Master said, "The superior man wishes to be slow in his speech and quick in his conduct."

The Master said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have good neighbors."

The Master said, "The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived." Now the man of virtue, wishing to be established himself, also establish others; wishing to be appreciated, he appreciates others. To be able to judge others by what is nigh in ourselves -this may be called the art of virtue." (Gong and Jing)

The Master said, "Never refused instruction to anyone." (jen)

The Master said, "I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to know, nor help out any one who is not interested to understand. "

The Master said, "When I walk along with two others, they will serve as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them (their bad qualities and avoid them)."

The Master said, "Heaven produces the virtues that live in me." (anthropogenic principle of Tien)

The Master said, "Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes tiring; carefulness without the rules of propriety, becomes cold feet; boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; directness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness."

The Master said, "For any important point, learn it as if you are not yet in complete understanding, as if you may not ever get it."

The Master said, "Hold fidelity and sincerity as first principles. Have no friends not equal to yourself. When you have faults, let them go."

The Master said, "The wise are free from confusion; the virtuous from anxiety; and the courageous from fear."

Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "When you go abroad, behave to all as if you were receiving a great guest; employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice. Do not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself."

Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech." (Zhong Yong)

Sze-ma Niu asked about the superior man. The Master said, "The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear. When one examines oneself and discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about? What is there to fear?" (Zhong Yong)

Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, "To govern means to rectify. If you lead on the people with rightness, who will dare not to be right?" Chi K'ang asked: "So, how do you punish the criminal for the good of the righteous?" Confucius replied, "In carrying on your government, why should you use punishment at all? The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it." (the idea of rectification of names or Pinyin).

The Master said, "Use the upright and move away from the crooked; in this way the crooked can be made to be upright." Tsze-kung asked about friendship. The Master said, "Patiently counsel your friend, and skillfully show him the way. If you find him impossible to change, stop. Do not disgrace him or yourself."

The Master said, "To lead ignorant people into war is to throw them away."

The Master said, "He who speaks without modesty will find very difficult to convey his point." 

The Master said, "The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in actions."

Shu asked, "With what should I recompense kindness?" The Master said, "Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness."

Tsze-chang asked how a man should conduct himself, so as to be everywhere appreciated. The Master said, "Let his words be sincere and truthful and his actions honorable and careful. If his words be not sincere and truthful and his actions not honorable and careful he will not be appreciated anywhere."

The Master said, "If a man does not think about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand." ("distant," "near" are as pervasive as T'ien, not unlike the Hindu ONE).

The Master said, "He who requires much from himself and little from others, will never be the objects of resentment." (Zhong-Yong, the right balance between actions).

The Master said, "The superior man in everything considers righteousness to be essential. He acts according to the rules of Heaven. He acts in humility. He shows his sincerity."

The Master said, "What the superior man seeks, is in himself. What the mean man seeks, is in others." (the reciprocity implicit in the chun-tzu).

The Master said, "The superior man is dignified, but does not quarrel. He is sociable, never a partisan."

The Master said, "The superior man does not promote someone simply because of his good words, nor does he forgets good words because of anyone."

The Master said, "When the multitude hates a man, it is necessary to examine into the case. When the multitude likes a man, it is necessary to examine into the case."

The Master said, "To have faults and not to change them, this is really having faults." (rectification of names or pinyin, call a spade a spade).

The Master said, "When a man's knowledge is sufficient to him to attain, and his virtue not sufficient for him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again."

The Master said, "Virtue is more than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the path of virtue."

Teachings in "three," "four," "five," and "six"

Confucius said, "There are three friendships which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Friendship with the upright; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the persevering: these are advantageous. Friendship with the dubious; friendship with the two-faced, and friendship with the superficial: these are detrimental."

Confucius said, "There are three things men find enjoyment in which are advantageous, and three things they find enjoyment in which are injurious. To find enjoyment in the study of rituals; to find enjoyment in speaking the goodness of others; to find enjoyment in having worthy friends: these are advantageous. To find pleasure in extravagance; to find enjoyment in idleness; to find enjoyment just in excess: these are injurious."

Confucius said, "There are three errors to which the immature are liable. They may speak when they should not: this is called rashness. They may not speak when they should: this is called concealment. They may speak without observing Heaven: this is called blindness."

Confucius said, "There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when he is still physically able, he guards against lust. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against pettifoggery. When he is old, and his powers are decaying, he guards against greediness."

Confucius said, "There are three things of which the superior man stands in awe. He stands in awe of the order of Heaven. He stands in awe of wise men. He stands in awe of the words of sages. "The mean man does not know the order of Heaven, and consequently does not stand in awe of them. He is disrespectful to wise men. He makes fun of the words of sages."

Tsze-chang asked Confucius about perfect virtue. Confucius said, "To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue." He asked what they were, and was told, "Self-governance, generosity of soul, sincerity, nobleness, and kindness. If you are vigilant, you will not be treated with disrespect. If you are generous, you will win all. If you are sincere, people will repose trust in you. If you are noble, you will accomplish much. If you are kind, this will enable you to enjoy and provide services for others.

The Master said, "Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?" Yu replied, "I have not." "Sit down, and I will tell them to you. "There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to a foolishness. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to waste of your mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to a disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There is the love of firmness without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to extravagance. None will succeed."

Tsze-chang asked, "What are meant by the four bad things?" The Master said, "To put the people to death without having instructed them; this is called cruelty. To require from them, suddenly, the full tale of work, without having given them warning; this is called oppression. To issue orders as if without urgency, at first, and, when the time comes, to insist on them with severity; this is called injustice. And, generally, in the giving pay or rewards to men, to do it in a stingy way; this is called acting like a party official."