−Translated by James Legge, 1892; full text on line at http://www.human.toyogakuen-u.ac.jp/~acmuller/contao/analects.htm
iii.3. The Master said, “If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety? If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with music?”
iii.4.3. ….“In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant.
In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than in minute attention to observances.”
iii.21.2. When the Master heard it, he said, “Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame.” ….
iii.24. The border warden at Yi requested to be introduced to the Master, saying, “When men of superior virtue have come to this, I have never been denied the privilege of seeing them.” The followers of the sage introduced him, and when he came out from the interview, he said, “My friends, why are you distressed by your master’s loss of office? ….
iii.26. The Master said, “High station filled without indulgent generosity; ceremonies performed without reverence; mourning conducted without sorrow-–wherewith should I contemplate such ways?
iv.1 The Master said, “It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighborhood. If a man in selecting a residence do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise?”
iv.2 The Master said, “Those who are without virtue cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue.”
iv.3 The Master said, “It is only the truly virtuous man, who can love, or who can hate, others.”
iv.4 The Master said, “If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness.”
iv.5.1. The Master said, “Riches and honors are what men desire. If they cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If they cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be avoided.
iv.5.2. “If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfill the requirements of that name?
iv.5.3. “The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.”
iv.6.1. The Master said, “I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue would esteem nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous would practice virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person.
iv.6.2. “Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient.
iv.6.3. “Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it.”
iv.7. The Master said, “The faults of men are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a man’s faults, it may be known that he is virtuous.”
iv.8. The Master said, “If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening without regret.”
iv.9. The Master said, “A scholar whose mind is set on truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to discourse with.”
iv.10. The Master said, “The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for or against anything; what is right he will follow.”
iv.11. The Master said, “The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favors which he may receive.”
iv.12. The Master said: “He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.”
iv.14 The Master said, “A man should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known.”
iv.15.2. The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, “What do his words mean?” Tsang said, “The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles–of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,–this and nothing more.”
iv.17. The Master said, “When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
iv.18. The Master said, “In serving his parents, a son may remonstrate with them, but gently; when he sees that they do not incline to follow his advice, he shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon his purpose; and should they punish him, he does not allow himself to murmur.”
vi.20. Fan Ch’ih asked what is wisdom. The Master said, “To give one’s self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.” He asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, “The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration-–this may be called perfect virtue.”
vi.21. The Master said, “The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived.” ….
vi.24. Tsai Wo asked, saying, “A benevolent man, though it be told him,–’There is a man in the well” will go in after him, I suppose.” Confucius said, “Why should he do so?” A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled.” ….
vii.15. The Master said, “With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow-–I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness, are to me as a floating cloud.” ….
vii.18.1. The Duke of Sheh asked Tsze-lu about Confucius, and Tsze-lu did not answer him.
vii.18.2. The Master said, “Why did you not say to him,–He is simply a man, who in his eager pursuit of knowledge forgets his food, who in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on?”
vii.19. The Master said, “I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking knowledge there.”
vii.20. The subjects on which the Master did not talk were extraordinary things, feats of strength, disorder, and spiritual beings.
vii.21. The Master said, “When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them.” ….
ix.1. The subjects of which the Master seldom spoke were profitableness, and also the appointments of Heaven, and perfect virtue. [i.e., jen, ‘goodness’] ….
ix.4. There were four things from which the Master was entirely free. He had no foregone conclusions, no arbitrary predeterminations, no obstinacy, and no egoism. ….
x.11. Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said, “If you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?” Chi Lu added, “I venture to ask about death.” He was answered, “If you do not know life, how can you know about death?”….
xii.1.1 Yen Yuan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, “To subdue one’s self and return to propriety, is perfect virtue. If a man can for one day subdue himself and return to propriety, all under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him. Is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself, or is it from others?”
xii.1.2 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 to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety.” Yen Yuan then said, “Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson.”
xii.2. Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, “It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family.” Chung-kung said, “Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson.”
xii.3.1. Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue.
xii.3.2. The Master said, “The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech.”
xii.3.3. “Cautious and slow in his speech!” said Niu—“is this what is meant by perfect virtue?” The Master said, “When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?”
xii.4.1. Sze-ma Niu asked about the superior man. The Master said, “The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear.”
xii.4.2. “Being without anxiety or fear!” said Nui; “does this constitute what we call the superior man?”
xii.4.3. The Master said, “When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?”
xii.5.1. Sze-ma Niu, full of anxiety, said, “Other men all have their brothers, I only have not.”
xii.5.2. Tsze-hsia said to him, “There is the following saying which I have heard –
xii.5.3. ’Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honors depend upon Heaven.’
xii.5.4. “Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety:–then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?”