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tsze…lu asked whether he should immediately carry into practice what heheard。 the master said； 〃there are your father and elder brothers to beconsulted；…why should you act on that principle of immediately carrying intopractice what you hear？〃 zan yu asked the same； whether he should immediatelycarry into practice what he heard； and the master answered； 〃immediately carryinto practice what you hear。〃 kung…hsi hwa said； 〃yu asked whether he shouldcarry immediately into practice what he heard； and you said； 'there are yourfather and elder brothers to be consulted。' ch'iu asked whether he shouldimmediately carry into practice what he heard； and you said； 'carry itimmediately into practice。' i； ch'ih； am perplexed； and venture to ask you foran explanation。〃 the master said； 〃ch'iu is retiring and slow； therefore i urgedhim forward。 yu has more than his own share of energy； therefore i kept himback。〃
the master was put in fear in k'wang and yen yuan fell behind。 the master；on his rejoining him； said； 〃i thought you had died。〃 hui replied； 〃while youwere alive； how should i presume to die？〃
chi tsze…zan asked whether chung yu and zan ch'iu could be called greatministers。
the master said； 〃i thought you would ask about some extraordinaryindividuals； and you only ask about yu and ch'iu！
〃what is called a great minister； is one who serves his prince according towhat is right； and when he finds he cannot do so； retires。
〃now； as to yu and ch'iu； they may be called ordinary ministers。〃
tsze…zan said； 〃then they will always follow their chief；…win they？〃
the master said； 〃in an act of parricide or regicide； they would not followhim。〃
tsze…lu got tsze…kao appointed governor of pi。
the master said； 〃you are injuring a man's son。〃
tsze…lu said； 〃there are； there； mon people and officers； there are thealtars of the spirits of the land and grain。 why must one read books before hecan be considered to have learned？〃
the master said； 〃it is on this account that i hate your glib…tonguedpeople。〃
tsze…lu； tsang hsi； zan yu； and kunghsi hwa were sitting by the master。
he said to them； 〃though i am a day or so older than you； do not think ofthat。
〃from day to day you are saying； 'we are not known。' if some ruler were toknow you； what would you like to do？〃
tsze…lu hastily and lightly replied； 〃suppose the case of a state of tenthousand chariots； let it be straitened between other large cities； let it besuffering from invading armies； and to this let there be added a famine in cornand in all vegetables：…if i were intrusted with the government of it； in threeyears' time i could make the people to be bold； and to recognize the rules ofrighteous conduct。〃 the master smiled at him。
turning to yen yu； he said； 〃ch'iu； what are your wishes？〃 ch'iu replied；〃suppose a state of sixty or seventy li square； or one of fifty or sixty； andlet me have the government of it；…in three years' time； i could make plenty toabound among the people。 as to teaching them the principles of propriety； andmusic； i must wait for the rise of a superior man to do that。〃
〃what are your wishes； ch'ih；〃 said the master next to kung…hsi hwa。 ch'ihreplied； 〃i do not say that my ability extends to these things； but i shouldwish to learn them。 at the services of the ancestral temple； and at theaudiences of the princes with the sovereign； i should like； dressed in the darksquare…made robe and the black linen cap； to act as a small assistant。〃
last of all； the master asked tsang hsi； 〃tien； what are your wishes？〃 tien；pausing as he was playing on his lute； while it was yet twanging； laid theinstrument aside； and 〃my wishes；〃 he said； 〃are different from the cherishedpurposes of these three gentlemen。〃 〃what harm is there in that？〃 said themaster； 〃do you also； as well as they； speak out your wishes。〃 tien then said；〃in this； the last month of spring； with the dress of the season all plete；along with five or six young men who have assumed the cap； and six or seven boys；i would wash in the i； enjoy the breeze among the rain altars； and return homesinging。〃 the master heaved a sigh and said； 〃i give my approval to tien。〃
the three others having gone out； tsang hsi remained behind； and said； 〃whatdo you think of the words of these three friends？〃 the master replied； 〃theysimply told each one his wishes。〃
hsi pursued； 〃master； why did you smile at yu？〃
he was answered； 〃the management of a state demands the rules of propriety。his words were not humble； therefore i smiled at him。〃
hsi again said； 〃but was it not a state which ch'iu proposed for himself？〃the reply was； 〃yes； did you ever see a territory of sixty or seventy li or oneof fifty or sixty； which was not a state？〃
once more； hsi inquired； 〃and was it not a state which ch'ih proposed forhimself？〃 the master again replied； 〃yes； who but princes have to do withancestral temples； and with audiences but the sovereign？ if ch'ih were to be asmall assistant in these services； who could be a great one？
12
yen yuan asked about perfect virtue。 the master said； 〃to subdue one's selfand return to propriety； is perfect virtue。 if a man can for one day subduehimself and return to propriety； an under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue tohim。 is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself； or is it fromothers？〃
yen yuan said； 〃i beg to ask the steps of that process。〃 the master replied；〃look not at what is contrary to propriety； listen not to what is contrary topropriety； speak not what is contrary to propriety； make no movement which iscontrary to propriety。〃 yen yuan then said； 〃though i am deficient inintelligence and vigor； i will make it my business to practice this lesson。〃
chung…kung asked about perfect virtue。 the master said； 〃it is； when you goabroad； to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest； to employthe people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice； not to do to others asyou would not wish done to yourself； to have no murmuring against you in thecountry； and none in the family。〃 chung…kung said； 〃though i am deficient inintelligence and vigor； i will make it my business to practice this lesson。〃
sze…ma niu asked about perfect virtue。
the master said； 〃the man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in hisspeech。〃
〃cautious and slow in his speech！〃 said niu；…〃is this what is meant byperfect virtue？〃 the master said； 〃when a man feels the difficulty of doing； canhe be other than cautious and slow in speaking？〃
sze…ma niu asked about the superior man。 the master said； 〃the superior manhas neither anxiety nor fear。〃
〃being without anxiety or fear！〃 said nui；〃does this constitute what we callthe superior man？〃
the master said； 〃when internal examination discovers nothing wrong； what isthere to be anxious about； what is there to fear？〃
sze…ma niu； full of anxiety； said； 〃other men all have their brothers； ionly have not。〃
tsze…hsia said to him； 〃there is the following saying which i have heard…'death and life have their determined appointment； riches and honors depend uponheaven。'
〃let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his ow