Guan Zhong

子曰，管仲之器小哉。或曰，管仲俭乎。曰，管氏有三归，官事不摄，焉得俭。然则管仲知礼乎。曰，邦君树塞门，管氏亦树塞门，邦君为两君之好，有反坫，管氏亦有反坫，管氏而知礼，孰不知礼。

1. The Master said, "Small indeed was the capacity of Kwan Chung!" 2. Some one said, "Was Kwan Chung parsimonious?" "Kwan," was the reply, "had the San Kwei, and his officers performed no double duties; how can he be considered parsimonious?" 3. "Then, did Kwan Chung know the rules of propriety?" The Master said, "The princes of States have a screen intercepting the view at their gates. Kwan had likewise a screen at his gate. The princes of States on any friendly meeting between two of them, had a stand on which to place their inverted cups. Kwan had also such a stand. If Kwan knew the rules of propriety, who does not know them?"

或问子产，子曰，惠人也。问子西。曰，彼哉彼哉。问管仲。曰，人也，夺伯氏騈邑三百，饭疏食，没齿，无怨言。

1. Some one asked about Tsze-ch'an. The Master said, "He was a kind man." 2. He asked about Tsze-hsi. The Master said, "That man! That man!" 3. He asked about Kwan Chung. "For him," said the Master, "the city of Pien, with three hundred families, was taken from the chief of the Po family, who did not utter a murmuring word, though, to the end of his life, he had only coarse rice to eat."

子路曰，桓公杀公子纠，召忽死之，管仲不死。曰，未仁乎。子曰，桓公九合诸侯，不以兵车，管仲之力也。如其仁。如其仁。

1. Tsze-lu said, "The Duke Hwan caused his brother Chiu to be killed, when Shao Hu died with his master, but Kwan Chung did not die. May not I say that he was wanting in virtue?"

子贡曰，管仲非仁者与。桓公杀公子纠，不能死，又相之。子曰，管仲相桓公，霸诸侯，一匡天下，民到于今受其赐，微管仲，吾其被发左衽矣。岂若匹夫匹妇之为谅也，自经于沟渎，而莫之知也。

1. Tsze-kung said, "Kwan Chung, I apprehend, was wanting in virtue. When the Duke Hwan caused his brother Chiu to be killed, Kwan Chung was not able to die with him. Moreover, he became prime minister to Hwan." 2. The Master said, "Kwan Chung acted as prime minister to the Duke Hwan, made him leader of all the princes, and united and rectified the whole kingdom. Down to the present day, the people enjoy the gifts which he conferred. But for Kwan Chung, we should now be wearing our hair unbound, and the lappets of our coats buttoning on the left side. 3. "Will you require from him the small fidelity of common