Zi Gong

子禽问于子贡曰，夫子至于是邦也，必闻其政，求之与，抑与之与。子贡曰，夫子温，良，恭，俭，让，以得之，夫子之求之也，其诸异乎人之求之与。

1. Tsze-ch'in asked Tsze-kung, saying, "When our master comes to any country, he does not fail to learn all about its government. Does he ask his information? or is it given to him?" 2. Tsze-kung said, "Our master is benign, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant, and thus he gets his information. The master's mode of asking information!—is it not different from that of other men?"

子贡问君子，子曰，先行其言，而后从之。

Tsze-kung asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, "He acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions."

子贡欲去吿朔之饩羊。子曰，赐也，尔爱其羊，我爱其礼。

1. Tsze-kung wished to do away with the offering of a sheep connected with the inauguration of the first day of each month. 2. The Master said, "Ts'ze, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony."

子谓子贡曰，女与回也，孰愈。对曰，赐也，何敢望回，回也，闻一以知十，赐也，闻一以知二。子曰，弗如也，吾与女，弗如也。

1. The Master said to Tsze-kung, "Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hui?" 2. Tsze-kung replied, "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and knows all about a subject; I hear one point, and know a second." 3. The Master said, "You are not equal to him. I grant you, you are not equal to him."

子贡曰，夫子之文章，可得而闻也，夫子之言性与天道，不可得而闻也。

Tsze-kung said, "The Master's personal displays of his principles and ordinary descriptions of them may be heard. His discourses about man's nature, and the way of Heaven, cannot be heard."

子贡问曰，孔文子，何以谓之文也。子曰，敏而好学，不耻下问，是以谓之文也。

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "On what ground did Kung-wan get that title of Wan?" The Master said, "He was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors!—On these grounds he has been styled Wan."

季康子问仲由，可使从政也与。子曰，由也果，于从政乎何有。曰，赐也，可使从政也与。曰，赐也达，于从政乎何有。曰，求也，可使从政也与。曰，求也艺，于从政乎何有。

Chi K'ang asked about Chung-yu, whether he was fit to be employed as an officer of government. The Master said, "Yu is a man of decision; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" K'ang asked, "Is Ts'ze fit to be employed as an officer of government?" and was answered, "Ts'ze is a man of intelligence; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" And to the same question about Ch'iu the Master gave the same reply, saying, "Ch'iu is a man of various ability."

冉有曰，夫子为衞君乎。子贡曰，诺，吾将问之。入曰，伯夷叔齐，何人也。曰，古之贤人也。曰，怨乎。曰，求仁而得仁，又何怨。出曰，夫子不为也。

1. Yen Yu said, "Is our Master for the ruler of Wei?" Tsze-kung said, "Oh! I will ask him." 2. He went in accordingly, and said, "What sort of men were Po-i and Shu-ch'i?" "They were ancient worthies," said the Master. "Did they have any repinings because of their course?" The Master again replied, "They sought to act virtuously, and they did so; what was there for them to repine about?" On this, Tsze-kung went out and said, "Our Master is not for him."

大宰问于子贡，曰，夫子圣者与，何其多能也。子贡曰，固天纵之将圣，又多能也。子闻之曰，大宰知我乎，吾少也贱，故多能，鄙事，君子多乎哉，不多也。牢曰，子云，吾不试，故艺。

1. A high officer asked Tsze-kung, saying, "May we not say that your Master is a sage? How various is his ability!" 2. Tsze-kung said, "Certainly Heaven has endowed him unlimitedly. He is about a sage. And, moreover, his ability is various." 3. The Master heard of the conversation and said, "Does the high officer know me? When I was young, my condition was low, and therefore I acquired my ability in many things, but they were mean matters. Must the superior man have such variety of ability? He does not need variety of ability." 4. Lao said, "The Master said, 'Having no official employment, I acquired many arts.'"

子贡曰，有美玉于斯，韫匵而藏诸，求善贾而沽诸。子曰，沽之哉，沽之哉，我待贾者也。

Tsze-kung said, "There is a beautiful gem here. Should I lay it up in a case and keep it? or should I seek for a good price and sell it?" The Master said, "Sell it! Sell it! But I would wait for one to offer the price."

闵子侍侧，訚訚如也，子路行行如也，冉有，子贡，侃侃如也。子乐。若由也，不得其死然。

1. The disciple Min was standing by his side, looking bland and precise; Tsze-lu, looking bold and soldierly; Zan Yu and Tsze-kung, with a free and straightforward manner. The Master was pleased. 2. He said, "Yu, there!—he will not die a natural death."

子贡问师与商也孰贤。子曰，师也过，商也不及。曰，然则师愈与。子曰，过犹不及。

1. Tsze-kung asked which of the two, Shih or Shang, was the superior. The Master said, "Shih goes beyond the due mean, and Shang does not come up to it." 2. "Then," said Tsze-kung, "the superiority is with Shih, I suppose." 3. The Master said, "To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short."

棘子成曰，君子质而已矣，何以文为。子贡曰，惜乎，夫子之说，君子也，驷不及舌。文犹质也，质犹文也，虎豹之鞹，犹犬羊之鞹。

1. Chi Tsze-ch'ang said, "In a superior man it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted;—why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?" 2. Tsze-kung said, "Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue. 3. Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair."

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."

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."

子贡问曰，乡人皆好之，何如。子曰，未可也。乡人皆恶之，何如。子曰，未可也。不如乡人之善者好之，其不善者恶之。

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "What do you say of a man who is loved by all the people of his neighborhood?" The Master replied, "We may not for that accord our approval of him." "And what do you say of him who is hated by all the people of his neighborhood?" The Master said, "We may not for that conclude that he is bad. It is better than either of these cases that the good in the neighborhood love him, and the bad hate him."

子曰，君子道者三，我无能焉，仁者不忧，知者不惑，勇者不惧。子贡曰，夫子自道也。

1. The Master said, "The way of the superior man is threefold, but I am not equal to it. Virtuous, he is free from anxieties; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold, he is free from fear. 2. Tsze-kung said, "Master, that is what you yourself say."

子曰，莫我知也夫。子贡曰，何为其莫知子也。子曰，不怨天，不尤人，下学而上达，知我者，其天乎。

1. The Master said, "Alas! there is no one that knows me." 2. Tsze-kung said, "What do you mean by thus saying—that no one knows you?" The Master replied, "I do not murmur against

子曰，赐也，女以予为多学而识之者与。对曰，然，非与。曰，非也，予一以贯之。

1. The Master said, "Ts'ze, you think, I suppose, that I am one who learns many things and keeps them in memory?" 2. Tsze-kung replied, "Yes,—but perhaps it is not so?" 3. "No," was the answer; "I seek a unity all-pervading."

子贡问为仁。子曰，工欲善其事，必先利其器，居是邦也，事其大夫之贤者，友其士之仁者。

Tsze-kung asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars."

子贡曰，君子亦有恶乎。子曰，有恶，恶称人之恶者，恶居下流而讪上者，恶勇而无礼者，恶果敢而窒者。曰，赐也亦有恶乎。恶徼以为知者，恶不孙以为勇者，恶讦以为直者。

1. Tsze-kung said, "Has the superior man his hatreds also?" The Master said, "He has his hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the man who,

子贡曰，纣之不善，不如是之甚也。是以君子恶居下流，天下之恶皆归焉。

Tsze-kung said, "Chau's wickedness was not so great as that name implies. Therefore, the superior man hates to dwell

子贡曰，君子之过也，如日月之食焉，过也，人皆见之，更也，人皆仰之。

Tsze-kung said, "The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he changes again, and all men look up to him."

叔孙武叔毁仲尼。子贡曰，无以为也，仲尼不可毁也，他人之贤者，丘陵也，犹可逾也，仲尼，日月也，无得而逾焉，人虽欲自绝，其何伤于日月乎，多见其不知量也。

Shu-sun Wu-shu having spoken revilingly of Chung-ni, Tsze-kung said, "It is of no use doing so. Chung-ni cannot be reviled. The talents and virtue of other men are hillocks and mounds which may be stepped over. Chung-ni is the sun or moon, which it is not possible to step over. Although a man may wish to cut himself off from the sage, what harm can he do to the sun or moon? He only shows that he does not know his own capacity.

陈子禽谓子贡曰，子为恭也，仲尼岂贤于子乎。子贡曰，君子一言以为知，一言以为不知，言不可不慎也。夫子之不可及也，犹天之不可阶而升也。夫子之得邦家者，所谓立之斯立，道之斯行，绥之斯来，动之斯和。其生也荣，其死也哀。如之何其可及也。

1. Ch'an Tsze-ch'in, addressing Tsze-kung, said, "You are too modest. How can Chung-ni be said to be superior to you?" 2. Tsze-kung said to him, "For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We ought to be careful indeed in what we say. 3. "Our Master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as the heavens cannot be gone up to by the steps of a stair. 4. "Were our Master in the position of the ruler of a State or the chief of a Family, we should find verified the description which has been given of a sage's rule:—he would plant the people, and forthwith they would be established; he would lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; he would make them happy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he would stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. While he lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterly lamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to?"