Chapter 13: 子路第十三 — Lunyu — Taiyi Pavilion Chapter 13: 子路第十三
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Zilu asked about governance. The Master said, "Lead them and work hard for them."
Zilu asked for more. The Master said, "Never grow weary."
Zhonggong, serving as steward to the Ji family, asked about governance. The Master said, "Set an example for your officials, pardon minor faults, and promote worthy talents."
Zhonggong asked, "How can I recognize worthy talents to promote them?" The Master said, "Promote those you know. As for those you don't know, do you think others will neglect them?"
Zilu said, "The ruler of Wei is waiting for you to govern. What would you do first?" The Master said, "Surely it would be to rectify names!" Zilu said, "Is that so? You are being impractical! Why rectify names?" The Master said, "How crude you are, You! A gentleman is cautious about what he does not understand. If names are not rectified, speech will not follow; if speech does not follow, affairs will not be accomplished; if affairs are not accomplished, rites and music will not flourish; if rites and music do not flourish, punishments will not be just; if punishments are not just, the people will not know where to put their hands and feet. Therefore, when a gentleman names something, it must be speakable, and when spoken, it must be actionable. A gentleman is never careless with his words."
Fan Chi asked to learn farming. The Master said, "I am not as good as an old farmer."
He asked to learn gardening. The Master said, "I am not as good as an old gardener."
After Fan Chi left, the Master said, "How petty Fan Chi is! When those above love ritual, the people dare not be disrespectful; when those above love righteousness, the people dare not be disobedient; when those above love trustworthiness, the people dare not be insincere. If this is so, the people from all directions will come carrying their children on their backs. What need is there for farming?"
The Master said, "If someone has memorized the three hundred poems but, when given administrative tasks, cannot handle them, or when sent abroad, cannot respond independently, then what use is all that learning?"
The Master said, "When those above are upright, orders are carried out without being issued. When those above are not upright, even orders are not obeyed."
The Master said, "The governance of Lu and Wei is like that of brothers."
The Master said of Viscount Jing of Wei, "He was good at managing his household. When he first had some means, he said, 'This is enough.' When he had a little more, he said, 'This is complete.' When he became wealthy, he said, 'This is beautiful.'"
When the Master went to Wei, Ran You drove his carriage. The Master said, "How populous it is!" Ran You said, "Since it is populous, what more should be done?" The Master said, "Make them prosperous."
Ran You said, "Once prosperous, what more should be done?" The Master said, "Educate them."
The Master said, "If someone were to employ me, in one year I could make progress, and in three years I would achieve results."
The Master said, "'If good people governed a state for a hundred years, they could overcome cruelty and abolish killing.' How true those words are!"
The Master said, "If a true king were to arise, it would take a generation for benevolence to prevail."
The Master said, "If one rectifies oneself, what difficulty is there in governing? If one cannot rectify oneself, how can one rectify others?"
When Ranzi returned from court, the Master said, "Why are you so late?" He replied, "There were government affairs." The Master said, "Those were routine matters. If there had been government affairs, even though I am not employed, I would have heard of them."
Duke Ding asked, "Is there a single saying that can make a state prosper?" Confucius replied, "A saying cannot be expected to have such power. People say, 'It is difficult to be a ruler, and not easy to be a minister.' If one understands the difficulty of being a ruler, is that not close to a saying that can make a state prosper?" The Duke asked, "Is there a single saying that can ruin a state?" Confucius replied, "A saying cannot be expected to have such power. People say, 'I find no joy in being a ruler, except that no one defies my words.' If what is said is good and no one defies it, is that not good? But if what is said is not good and no one defies it, is that not close to a saying that can ruin a state?"
The Duke of She asked about governance. The Master said, "Make those near happy, and those far away will come."
Zixia, serving as steward of Jufu, asked about governance. The Master said, "Do not seek quick results, and do not focus on small gains. Haste leads to failure, and focusing on small gains prevents great accomplishments."
The Duke of She said to Confucius, "In our village, there is an upright man. When his father stole a sheep, the son testified against him." Confucius said, "The upright in my village are different. Fathers cover for their sons, and sons cover for their fathers. Uprightness lies in this."
Fan Chi asked about benevolence. The Master said, "Be respectful at home, serious in work, and loyal to others. Even among barbarians, these cannot be abandoned."
Zigong asked, "What kind of person can be called a scholar-official?" The Master said, "One who has a sense of shame in his conduct and, when sent abroad, does not disgrace his ruler's mission—such a person can be called a scholar-official."
Zigong said, "May I ask for the next level?" The Master said, "One whom the clan praises for filial piety and the community praises for brotherly respect."
Zigong said, "May I ask for the next level?" The Master said, "One who is true to his word and resolute in action—a stubborn petty person, but still acceptable as the next level."
Zigong asked, "What about those in government today?" The Master said, "Alas! They are mere basket-carriers—hardly worth considering."
The Master said, "If I cannot find a person of balanced conduct to associate with, I would choose the wild and the cautious. The wild are enterprising, and the cautious refrain from certain actions."
The Master said, "The southerners have a saying: 'A person without constancy cannot be a shaman or a healer.' How true! 'If one is not constant in virtue, one may bring shame upon oneself.'" The Master said, "It is simply that such a person does not consult the oracle."
The Master said, "The gentleman harmonizes without being identical; the petty person is identical without harmonizing."
Zigong asked, "What if everyone in the village likes someone?" The Master said, "That is not enough." "What if everyone in the village dislikes someone?" The Master said, "That is not enough either. It is better if the good people of the village like him and the bad people dislike him."
The Master said, "The gentleman is easy to serve but hard to please. If you try to please him in the wrong way, he will not be pleased. But when he employs others, he uses them according to their abilities. The petty person is hard to serve but easy to please. Even if you try to please him in the wrong way, he will be pleased. But when he employs others, he demands perfection."
The Master said, "The gentleman is at ease but not arrogant; the petty person is arrogant but not at ease."
The Master said, "Strength, resoluteness, simplicity, and reticence are close to benevolence."
Zilu asked, "What kind of person can be called a scholar-official?" The Master said, "One who is earnest and encouraging, yet gentle and harmonious—such a person can be called a scholar-official. Be earnest and encouraging with friends, and gentle and harmonious with brothers."
The Master said, "If good people teach the people for seven years, they can then be sent to war."
The Master said, "To send untrained people to war is to abandon them."