The Sayings of Confucius.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
V
He gave him his daughter to wife.
Of Nan Jung the Master said: “When right prevails, he will not be neglected: when wrong prevails, he will escape law and punishment.”
He gave him his brother’s daughter to wife.
“Thou art a vessel,” said the Master.
“What kind of vessel?”
“A rich temple vessel.”
The Master said: “What is the good of a glib tongue? Fighting men with tongue-craft breeds much bitterness. Whether love be his I do not know, but what is the good of a glib tongue?”
He answered: “For this I lack confidence.”
The Master was pleased.
When Tzu-lu heard this he was glad.
The Master said: “Yu is more venturesome than I, but he does not know how to take things.”
The Master said: “I do not know.”
He asked again.
The Master said: “A land of a thousand chariots might give Yu charge of its levies; but whether he have love, I do not know.”
“And how about Ch´iu?”
“A town of a thousand households, a clan of an hundred chariots might make Ch´iu governor; but whether he have love, I do not know.”
“And how about Chi´ih?”
“Girt with his sash, erect in the court, Ch´ih might entertain the guests; but whether he have love, I do not know.”
He answered: “How dare I aspire to Hui? If he hear one thing, Hui understands ten; when I hear one thing, I understand two.”
The Master said: “Thou art not his peer. I grant, thou art not his peer.”
The Master said: “Rotten wood cannot be carved, nor are dung walls plastered. Why chide with Yü?”
The Master said: “In my first dealings with men, I hearkened to their words, and took their deeds on trust. Now, in dealing with men, I hearken to their words, and watch their deeds. I righted this on Yü.”
One answered. “Shen Ch´ang.”
The Master said: “Ch´ang is passionate: how can he be firm?”
The Master said: “That is still beyond thee, Tz´u.”
The Master said: “He was quick and fond of learning, not ashamed to ask those beneath him. That is why he was called cultured.”
“He was faithful,” said the Master.
“But had he love?”
“I do not know,” said the Master: “how should this amount to love?”
“When T´sui slew the King of Ch´i, Ch´en Wen forsook ten teams of horses, and left the land. On coming to another kingdom, he said, ‘Like my lord Ts´ui,’ and left it. On coming to a second kingdom, he said, ‘Like my lord Ts´ui,’ and left it. What do ye think of him?”
“He was pure,” said the Master.
“But had he love?”
“I do not know,” said the Master: “how should this amount to love?”
On hearing this, the Master said: “Twice, that is enough.”
Tzu-lu said: “Carriages and horses I would have, and robes of fine fur to share with my friends, and would wear them out all free from care.”
Yen Yüan said: “To make no boast of talent nor show of merit, were my wish.”
Tzu-lu said: “We should like to hear your wishes, Sir.”
The Master said: “To make the old folk happy, to be true to friends, to have a heart for the young.”