Trustworthiness

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，道千乘之国，敬事而信，节用而爱人，使民以时。

The Master said, To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons."

子曰，弟子，入则孝，出则弟，谨而信，凡爱众，而亲仁，行有余力，则以学文。

The Master said, "A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies."

子夏曰，贤贤易色，事父母，能竭其力，事君，能致其身，与朋友交，言而有信，虽曰未学，吾必谓之学矣。

Tsze-hsia said, "If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if, in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere:—although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has."

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."

有子曰，信近于义，言可复也，恭近于礼，远耻辱也，因不失其亲，亦可宗也。

The philosopher Yu said, "When agreements are made according to what is right, what is spoken can be made good. When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps far from shame and disgrace. When the parties upon whom a man leans are proper persons to be intimate with, he can make them his guides and masters."

子曰，人而无信，不知其可也，大车无𫐐，小车无𫐄，其何以行之哉。

The Master said, "I do not know how a man without truthfulness is to get on. How can a large carriage be made to go without the cross-bar for yoking the oxen to, or a small carriage without the arrangement for yoking the horses?"

子使漆雕开仕。对曰，吾斯之未能信。子说。

The Master was wishing Ch'i-tiao K'ai to enter on official employment. He replied, "I am not yet able to rest in the assurance of THIS." The Master was pleased.

宰予昼寝。子曰，朽木不可雕也，粪土之墙，不可杇也，于予与何诛。子曰，始吾于人也，听其言而信其行，今吾于人也，听其言而观其行，于予与改是。

1. Tsai Yu being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. This Yu!—what is the use of my reproving him?" 2. The Master said, "At first, my way with men was to hear their words, and give them credit for their conduct. Now my way is to hear their words, and look at their conduct. It is from Yu that I have learned to make this change."

颜渊季路侍。子曰，盍各言尔志。子路曰，愿车马，衣轻裘，与朋友共，蔽之而无憾。颜渊曰，愿无伐善，无施劳。子路曰，愿闻子之志。子曰，老者安之，朋友信之，少者怀之。

1. Yen Yuan and Chi Lu being by his side, the Master said to them, "Come, let each of you tell his wishes." 2. Tsze-lu said, "I should like, having chariots and horses, and light fur dresses, to share them with my friends, and though they should spoil them, I would not be displeased." 3. Yen Yuan said, "I should like not to boast of my excellence, nor to make a display of my meritorious deeds." 4. Tsze-lu then said, "I should like, sir, to hear your wishes." The Master said, "They are, in regard to the aged, to give them rest; in regard to friends, to show them sincerity; in regard to the young, to treat them tenderly."

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."

子曰，述而不作，信而好古，窃比于我老彭。

The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with our old P'ang."

子以四教，文，行，忠，信。

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

曾子有疾，孟敬子问之。曾子言曰，鸟之将死，其鸣也哀，人之将死，其言也善。君子所贵乎道者三，动容貌，斯远暴慢矣，正颜色，斯近信笑，出辞气，斯远鄙倍矣，笾豆之事，则有司存。

1. The philosopher Tsang being ill, Meng Chang went to ask how he was. 2. Tsang said to him, "When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good. 3. "There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially important:—that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness; that in regulating his countenance he keep near to sincerity; and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety. As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels, there are the proper officers for them."

子曰，笃信好学，守死善道。危邦不入，乱邦不居，天下有道则见，无道则隐。邦有道，贫且贱焉，耻也，邦无道，富且贵焉，耻也。

1. The Master said, "With sincere faith he unites the love of learning; holding firm to death, he is perfecting the excellence of his course. 2. "Such an one will not enter a tottering State, nor dwell in a disorganized one. When right principles of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated, he will keep concealed. 3. "When a country is well-governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill-governed, riches and honour are things to be ashamed of."

子曰，狂而不直，侗而不愿，悾悾而不信，吾不知之矣。

The Master said, "Ardent and yet not upright; stupid and yet not attentive; simple and yet not sincere:—such persons I do not understand."

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."

子贡问政。子曰足食，足兵，民信之矣。子贡曰，必不得已而去，于斯三者何先。曰，去兵。子贡曰，必不得已而去，于斯二者何先。曰，去食，自古皆有死，民无信不立。

1. Tsze-kung asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler." 2. Tsze-kung said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master. 3. Tsze-kung again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of all men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state."

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.'"

齐景公问政于孔子。孔子对曰，君君，臣臣，父父，子子。公曰，善哉，信如君不君，臣不臣，父不父，子不子，虽有粟，吾得而食诸。

1. The Duke Ching, of Ch'i, asked Confucius about government. 2. Confucius replied, "There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son." 3. "Good!" said the duke; "if, indeed; the prince be not prince, the minister not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?"

樊迟请学稼。子曰，吾不如老农。请学为圃。曰，吾不如老圃。樊迟出。子曰，小人哉，樊须也。上好礼，则民莫敢不敬，上好义，则民莫敢不服，上好信，则民莫敢不用情，夫如是，则四方之民，襁负其子而至矣，焉用稼。

1. Fan Ch'ih requested to be taught husbandry. The Master said, "I am not so good for that as an old husbandman." He requested also to be taught gardening, and was answered, "I am not so good for that as an old gardener." 2. Fan Ch'ih having gone out, the Master said, "A small man, indeed, is Fan Hsu! 3. If a superior love propriety, the people will not dare not to be reverent. If he love righteousness, the people will not dare not to submit to his example. If he love good faith, the people will not dare not to be sincere. Now, when these things obtain, the people from all quarters will come to him, bearing their children on their backs;—what need has he of a knowledge of husbandry?"

子贡问曰，何如斯可谓之士矣。子曰，行己有耻，使于四方，不辱君命，可谓士矣。曰，敢问其次。曰，宗族称孝焉，乡党称弟焉。曰，敢问其次。曰，言必信，行必果，硁硁然，小人哉，抑亦可以为次矣。曰，今之从政者何如。子曰，噫，斗筲之人，何足算也。

1. Tsze-kung asked, saying, "What qualities must a man possess to entitle him to be called an officer? The Master said, "He who in his conduct of himself maintains a sense of shame, and when sent to any quarter will not disgrace his prince's commission, deserves to be called an officer." 2. Tsze-kung pursued, "I venture to ask who may be placed in the next lower rank?" And he was told, "He whom the circle of his relatives pronounce to be filial, whom his fellow-villagers and neighbours pronounce to be fraternal." 3. Again the disciple asked, "I venture to ask about the class still next in order." The Master said, "They are determined to be sincere in what they say, and to carry out what they do. They are obstinate little men. Yet perhaps they may make the next class." 4. Tsze-kung finally inquired, "Of what sort are those of the present day, who engage in government?" The Master said "Pooh! they are so many pecks and hampers, not worth being taken into account."

子问公叔文子于公明贾曰，信乎，夫子不言，不笑，不取乎。公明贾对曰，以吿者过也。夫子时然后言，人不厌其言，乐然后笑，人不厌其笑，义然后取，人不厌其取。子曰，其然，岂其然乎。

1. The Master asked Kung-ming Chia about Kung-shu Wan, saying, "Is it true that your master speaks not, laughs not, and takes not?" 2. Kung-ming Chia replied, "This has arisen from the reporters going beyond the truth.—My master speaks when it is the time to speak, and so men do not get tired of his speaking. He laughs when there is occasion to be joyful, and so men do not get tired of his laughing. He takes when it is consistent with righteousness to do so, and so men do not get tired of his taking." The Master said, "So! But is it so with him?"

子曰，臧武仲，以防求为后于鲁，虽曰不要君，吾不信也。

The Master said, "Tsang Wu-chung, keeping possession of Fang, asked of the duke of Lu to appoint a successor to him in his family. Although it may be said that he was not using force with his sovereign, I believe he was."

子曰，不逆诈，不亿不信，抑亦先觉者，是贤乎。

The Master said, "He who does not anticipate attempts to deceive him, nor think beforehand of his not being believed, and yet apprehends these things readily (when they occur);—is he not a man of superior worth?"

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

子曰，君子义以为质，礼以行之，孙以出之，信以成之。君子哉。

The Master said, "The superior man in everything considers righteousness to be essential. He performs it according to the rules of propriety. He brings it forth in humility. He completes it with sincerity. This is indeed a superior man."

子张问仁于孔子，孔子曰，能行五者于天下为仁矣。请问之，曰，恭，宽，信，敏，惠，恭，则不侮，宽，则得众，信，则人任焉，敏，则有功，惠，则足以使人。

Tsze-chang asked Confucius about perfect virtue. Confucius said, "To be able to practise five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue." He begged to ask what they were, and was told, "Gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. If you are grave, 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 earnest, you will accomplish much. If you are kind, this will enable you to employ the services of others.

子曰，由也，女闻六言六蔽矣乎。对曰，未也。居，吾语女。好仁不好学，其蔽也愚，好智不好学，其蔽也荡，好信不好学，其蔽也贼，好直不好学，其蔽也绞，好勇不好学，其蔽也乱，好刚不好学，其蔽也狂。

1. The Master said, "Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?" Yu replied, "I have not." 2. "Sit down, and I will tell them to you. 3. "There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;—the beclouding here leads to an injurious 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 extravagant conduct."

子张曰，执德不弘，信道不笃，焉能为有，焉能为亡。

Tsze-chang said, "When a man holds fast to virtue, but without seeking to enlarge it, and believes right principles, but without firm sincerity, what account can be made of his existence or non-existence?"

子夏曰，君子信而后劳其民，未信，则以为厉己也，信而后谏，未信，则以为谤己也。

Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man, having obtained their confidence, may then impose labours on his people. If he have not gained their confidence, they will think that he is oppressing them. Having obtained the confidence of his prince, one may then remonstrate with him. If he have not gained his confidence, the prince will think that he is vilifying him."

尧曰，咨。尔舜。天之历数在尔躬，允执其中。四海困穷，天禄永终。舜亦以命禹。曰，予小子履，敢用玄牡，敢昭告于皇皇后帝，有罪不敢赦。帝臣不蔽，简在帝心。朕躬有罪，无以万方，万方有罪，罪在朕躬。周有大赉，善人是富。虽有周亲，不如仁人，百姓有过，在予一人。谨权量，审法度，修废官，四方之政行焉。兴灭国，继绝世，举逸民，天下之民归心焉。所重，民，食，丧，祭。宽则得众，信则民任焉，敏则有功，公则说。

1. Yao said, "Oh! you, Shun, the Heaven-determined order of succession now rests in your person. Sincerely hold fast the due Mean. If there shall be distress and want within the four seas, the Heavenly revenue will come to a perpetual end." 2. Shun also used the same language in giving charge to Yu. 3. T'ang said, "I the child Li, presume to use a dark-coloured victim, and presume to announce to Thee, O most great and sovereign God, that the sinner I dare not pardon, and thy ministers, O God, I do not keep in obscurity. The examination of them is by thy mind, O God. If, in my person, I commit offences, they are not to be attributed to you, the people of the myriad regions. If you in the myriad regions commit offences, these offences must rest on my person." 4. Chau conferred great gifts, and the good were enriched. 5. "Although he has his near relatives, they are not equal to my virtuous men. The people are throwing blame upon me, the One man." 6. He carefully attended to the weights and measures, examined the body of the laws, restored the discarded officers, and the good government of the kingdom took its course. 7. He revived States that had been extinguished, restored families whose line of succession had been broken, and called to office those who had retired into obscurity, so that throughout the kingdom the hearts of the people turned towards him. 8. What he attached chief importance to, were the food of the people, the duties of mourning, and sacrifices. 9. By his generosity, he won all. By his sincerity, he made the people repose trust in him. By his earnest activity, his achievements were great. By his justice, all were delighted.