1　The Master said, It is Goodness that gives to a neighbourhood its beauty. One who is fiee to choose, yet does not prefer to dwell among the Good—how can he be accorded the name of wise?

2　The Master said, Without Goodness a man Cannot for long endure adversity, Cannot for long enjoy prosperity. The Good Man rests content with Goodness; he that is merely wise pursues Goodness in the belief that it pays to do so.

3,4　Of the adage 'Only a Good Man knows how to like people, knows how to dislike them,' the Master said, He whose heart is in the smallest degree set upon Goodness will dislike no one.

5　Wealth and rank are what every man desires; but if they can only be retained to the detriment of the Way he professes, he must relinquish them. Poverty and obscurity are what every man detests; but if they can only be avoided to the detriment of the Way he professes, he must accept them. The gentleman who ever parts company with Goodness does not fulfil that name. Never for a moment does a gentleman quit the way of Goodness. He is never so harried but that he cleaves to this; never so tottering but that he cleaves to this.

6　The Master said, I for my part have never yet seen one who really cared for Goodness, nor one who really abhorred wickedness. One who really cared for Goodness would never let any other consideration come first. One who abhorred wickedness would be so constantly doing Good that wickedness would never have a chance to get at him. Has anyone ever managed to do Good with his whole might even as long as the space of a single day? I think not. Yet I for my part have never seen anyone give up such an attempt because he had not the strength to go on. It may well have happened, but I for my part have never seen it.

7　The Master said, Every man's faults belong to a set. If one looks out for faults it is only as a means of recognising Goodness.

8　The Master said, In the morning, hear the Way; in the evening, die content!

9　The Master said, A Knight whose heart is set upon the Way, but who is ashamed of wearing shabby clothes and eating coarse food, is not worth calling into counsel.

10　The Master said, A gentleman in his dealings with the world has neither enmities nor affections; but wherever he sees Right he ranges himself beside it.

11　The Master said, Where gentlemen set their hearts upon moral force (te) the commoners set theirs upon the soil. Where gentlemen think only of punishments, the commoners think only of exemptions.

12　The Master said, Those whose measures are dictated by mere expediency will arouse continual discontent.

13　The Master said, If it is really possible to govern countries by ritual and yielding, there is no more to be said. But if it is not really possible, of what use is ritual?

14　The Master said, He does not mind not being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.

15　The Master said, Shên! My Way has one (thread) that runs right through it. Master Tsêng said, Yes. When the Master had gone out, the disciples asked, saying What did he mean? Master Tsêng said, Our Master's Way is simply this: Loyalty, consideration.

16　The Master said, A gentleman takes as much trouble to discover what is right as lesser men take to discover what will pay.

17　The Master said, In the presence of a good man, think all the time how you may learn to equal him. In the presence of a bad man, turn your gaze within!

18　The Master said, In serving his father and mother a man may gently remonstrate with them. But if he sees that he has failed to change their opinion, he should resume an attitude of deference and not thwart them; may feel discouraged, but not resentful.

19　The Master said, While father and mother are alive, a good son does not wander far afield; or if he does so, goes only where he has said he was going.

20　The Master said, If for the whole three years of mourning a son manages to carry on the household exactly as in his father's day, then he is a good son indeed.

21　The Master said, It is always better for a man to know the age of his parents. In the one case such knowledge will be a comfort to him; in the other, it will fill him with a salutary dread.

22　The Master said, In old days a man kept a hold on his words, fearing the disgrace that would ensue should he himself fail to keep pace with them.

23　The Master said, Those who err on the side of strictness are few indeed!

24　The Master said, A gentleman covets the reputation of being slow in word but prompt in deed.

25　The Master said, Moral force (te) never dwells in solitude; it will always bring neighbours.

26　Tzu-yu said, In the service of one's prince repeated scolding can only lead to loss of favour, in friendship, it can only lead to estrangement. 03sTsWWeotQ1LVL4ed6gHc53CFhMrGTPPEJ2XexKTKTNwrfpiIdrX3ExeuZDRWKP