Loyalty and reciprocity

曾子曰，吾日三省吾身，为人谋，而不忠乎，与朋友交，而不信乎，传不习乎。

The philosopher Tsang said, "I daily examine myself on three points:—whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;—whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;—whether I may have not mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher."

子曰，君子不重，则不威，学则不固。主忠信。无友不如己者。过则勿惮改。

1. The Master said, "If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid. 2. "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. 3. "Have no friends not equal to yourself. 4. "When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."

季康子问使民敬忠以劝，如之何。子曰，临之以庄，则敬，孝慈，则忠，擧善而教不能，则劝。

Chi K'ang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful to him, and to go on to nerve themselves to virtue. The Master said, "Let him preside over them with gravity;—then they will reverence him. Let him be filial and kind to all;—then they will be faithful to him. Let him advance the good and teach the incompetent;—then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous."

定公问君使臣，臣事君，如之何。孔子对曰，君使臣以礼，臣事君以忠。

The Duke Ting asked how a prince should employ his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince. Confucius replied, "A prince should employ his minister according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness."

子曰，参乎，吾道一以贯之。曾子曰，唯。子出，门人问曰，何谓也。曾子曰，夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。

1. The Master said, "Shan, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Tsang replied, "Yes." 2. The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Tsang said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,—this and nothing more."

子张问曰，令尹子文三仕为令尹，无喜色，三已之，无愠色。旧令尹之政，必以吿新令尹，何如。子曰，忠矣。曰，仁矣乎。曰，未知，焉得仁。崔子弑齐君，陈文子有马十乘，弃而违之。至于他邦，则曰，犹吾大夫崔子也，违之，之一邦，则又曰，犹吾大夫崔子也，违之，何如。子曰，淸矣。曰，仁矣乎。曰，未知，焉得仁。

1. Tsze-chang asked, saying, "The minister Tsze-wan thrice took office, and manifested no joy in his countenance. Thrice he retired from office, and manifested no displeasure. He made it a point to inform the new minister of the way in which he had conducted the government;—what do you say of him?" The Master replied. "He was loyal." "Was he perfectly virtuous?" "I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?" 2. Tsze-chang proceeded, "When the officer Ch'ui killed the prince of Ch'i, Ch'an Wan, though he was the owner of forty horses, abandoned them and left the country. Coming to another State, he said, 'They are here like our great officer, Ch'ui,' and left it. He came to a second State, and with the same observation left it also;—what do you say of him?" The Master replied, "He was pure." "Was he perfectly virtuous?" "I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?"

子曰，十室之邑，必有忠信，如丘者焉，不如丘之好学也。

The Master said, "In a hamlet of ten families, there may be found one honourable and sincere as I am, but not so fond of learning."

子以四教，文，行，忠，信。

There were four things which the Master taught,—letters, ethics, devotion of soul, and truthfulness.

子曰，主忠信，毋友不如己者，过则勿惮改。

The Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Have no friends not equal to yourself. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."

子张问崇德，辨惑。子曰，主忠信，徒义，崇德也。爱之欲其生，恶之欲其死，既欲其生，又欲其死，是惑也。诚不以富亦祇以异。

1. Tsze-chang having asked how virtue was to be exalted, and delusions to be discovered, the Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles, and be moving continually to what is right;—this is the way to exalt one's virtue. 2. "You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion. 3. "'It may not be on account of her being rich, yet you come to make a difference.'"

子张问政。子曰，居之无倦，行之以忠。

Tsze-chang asked about government. The Master said, "The art of governing is to keep its affairs before the mind without weariness, and to practise them with undeviating consistency."

子贡问友。子曰，忠吿而善道之，不可则止，毋自辱焉。

Tsze-kung asked about friendship. The Master said, "Faithfully admonish your friend, and skillfully lead him on. If you find him impracticable, stop. Do not disgrace yourself."

仲弓为季氏宰，问政。子曰，先有司，赦小过，擧贤才。曰，焉知贤才而擧之。曰，擧尔所知，尔所不知，人其舍诸。

1. Chung-kung, being chief minister to the Head of the Chi family, asked about government. The Master said, "Employ first the services of your various officers, pardon small faults, and raise to office men of virtue and talents." 2. Chung-kung said, "How shall I know the men of virtue and talent, so that I may raise them to office?" He was answered, "Raise to office those whom you know. As to those whom you do not know, will others neglect them?"

樊迟问仁。子曰，居处恭，执事敬，与人忠，虽之夷狄，不可弃也。

Fan Ch'ih asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, in retirement, to be sedately grave; in the management of business, to be reverently attentive; in intercourse with others, to be strictly sincere. Though a man go among rude, uncultivated tribes, these qualities may not be neglected."

子曰，爱之，能勿劳乎，忠焉，能勿诲乎。

The Master said, "Can there be love which does not lead to strictness with its object? Can there be loyalty which does not lead to the instruction of its object?"

子张问行。子曰，言忠信，行笃敬，虽蛮貊之邦行矣。言不忠信，行不笃敬，虽州里行乎哉。立，则见其参于前也，在舆，则见其倚于衡也。夫然后行。子张书诸绅。

1. Tsze-chang asked how a man should conduct himself, so as to be everywhere appreciated. 2. The Master said, "Let his words be sincere and truthful, and his actions honourable and careful;—such conduct may be practised among the rude tribes of the South or the North. If his words be

子贡问曰，有一言，而可以终身行之者乎。子曰，其恕乎，己所不欲，勿施于人。

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."

孔子曰，君子有九思，视思明，听思聪，色思温，貌思恭，言思忠，事思敬，疑思问，忿思难，见得思义。

Confucius said, "The superior man has nine things which are subjects with him of thoughtful consideration. In regard to the use of his eyes, he is anxious to see clearly. In regard to the use of his ears, he is anxious to hear distinctly. In regard to his countenance, he is anxious that it should be benign. In regard to his demeanor, he is anxious that it should be respectful. In regard to his speech, he is anxious that it should be sincere. In regard to his doing of business, he is anxious that it should be reverently careful. In regard to what he doubts about, he is anxious to question others. When he is angry, he thinks of the difficulties (his anger may involve him in). When he sees gain to be got, he thinks of righteousness."

子曰，乡原，德之贼也。

The Master said, "Your good, careful people of the villages are the thieves of virtue."