Chapter 17: 阳货第十七 — Lunyu — Taiyi Pavilion Chapter 17: 阳货第十七
📖 en
📂 太乙閣📄 第 1 页
Yang Hu wanted to see Confucius, but Confucius refused to see him. So Yang Hu sent Confucius a gift of a suckling pig.
Confucius waited until Yang Hu was away, then went to pay his respects. They met on the road. Yang Hu said to Confucius, "Come, I want to speak with you." He said, "Can one be called benevolent who hoards his treasure while letting his country go astray?" He answered, "No." "Can one be called wise who loves to take part in affairs but repeatedly misses the right time?" He answered, "No." "The days and months slip away, the years do not wait for us."
Confucius said, "Very well, I will take office."
Confucius said, "By nature, people are close to one another. Through practice, they grow far apart."
Confucius said, "Only the highest wisdom and the lowest stupidity never change."
When Confucius went to Wucheng, he heard the sound of stringed instruments and singing. The Master smiled and said, "Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?" Ziyou replied, "In the past, I heard you say, 'When a gentleman studies the Way, he loves others; when a petty person studies the Way, he is easy to employ.'" Confucius said, "My disciples, Ziyou is right. What I said just now was only a joke."
Gongshan Furao, using the town of Bi as a stronghold, rebelled. He summoned Confucius, and Confucius wanted to go.
Zilu was displeased and said, "If there is nowhere to go, that's that. Why must you go to Gongshan?" Confucius said, "The one who summons me—would he do so for nothing? If someone were to employ me, perhaps I could revive the ways of the Eastern Zhou." Zigong asked about benevolence. Confucius said, "One who can practice five things everywhere in the world is benevolent."
Zigong asked what they were. Confucius said, "Reverence, generosity, trustworthiness, diligence, and kindness. Reverence invites no insult; generosity wins the many; trustworthiness makes others rely on you; diligence brings results; kindness enables you to command others."
Bixi summoned Confucius, and Confucius wanted to go.
Zilu said, "In the past, I heard you say, 'A gentleman does not enter the company of one who does evil himself.' Bixi is using Zhongmu as a base for rebellion. How can you go to him?" Confucius said, "Yes, I did say that. But is it not said that what is hard can be ground without becoming thin? Is it not said that what is white can be dyed without becoming black? Am I a bitter gourd? How can I be hung up and not eaten?" Confucius said, "You, have you heard of the six virtues and their six obscurations?" Zilu replied, "I have not."
"Sit down, and I will tell you. Loving benevolence without loving learning leads to the obscuration of foolishness. Loving wisdom without loving learning leads to the obscuration of aimlessness. Loving trustworthiness without loving learning leads to the obscuration of harm. Loving straightforwardness without loving learning leads to the obscuration of rudeness. Loving courage without loving learning leads to the obscuration of chaos. Loving firmness without loving learning leads to the obscuration of wildness."
Confucius said, "My young friends, why do you not study the Book of Songs? The Songs can inspire you, can help you observe, can help you connect with others, can help you express grievances. Close at hand, they serve your father; at a distance, they serve your ruler. And you can learn many names of birds, beasts, plants, and trees."
Confucius said to Boyu, "Have you studied the 'Zhou Nan' and 'Shao Nan'? A person who has not studied the 'Zhou Nan' and 'Shao Nan' is like someone standing with his face to the wall!" Confucius said, "Ritual, ritual—is it just jade and silk? Music, music—is it just bells and drums?" Confucius said, "One who is fierce in appearance but weak within—compared to petty people, is he not like a thief who breaks through walls?" Confucius said, "The village honest man is the thief of virtue."
Confucius said, "To pick up what you hear on the road and spread it further is to abandon virtue."
Confucius said, "Can a vulgar man serve a ruler? Before he gets what he wants, he worries about getting it. After he gets it, he worries about losing it. If he worries about losing it, there is nothing he will not do."
Confucius said, "In ancient times, the people had three faults, but now they may have lost even these. The ancient wild ones were unrestrained; the modern wild ones are dissipated. The ancient proud ones were sharp-edged; the modern proud ones are irritable and aggressive. The ancient foolish ones were straightforward; the modern foolish ones are simply deceitful."
Confucius said, "Clever words and a pleasing face rarely accompany benevolence."
Confucius said, "I detest how purple steals the place of vermilion. I detest how the music of Zheng corrupts classical music. I detest how sharp tongues overthrow states and families."
Confucius said, "I wish to say nothing." Zigong said, "If you say nothing, what will we disciples pass on?" Confucius said, "Does Heaven speak? The four seasons go their way, the hundred things are born. Does Heaven speak?" Ru Bei wanted to see Confucius. Confucius excused himself on the grounds of illness. When the messenger went out the door, Confucius took up his zither and sang, making sure the messenger heard him.
Zai Wo asked, "The three-year mourning period is too long. If a gentleman goes three years without practicing ritual, ritual will surely decay. If he goes three years without practicing music, music will surely collapse. The old grain is gone, the new grain has risen, the fire-drill changes with the seasons—one year should be enough."
Confucius said, "Would you feel at ease eating fine rice and wearing brocade during mourning?" Zai Wo said, "Yes, at ease." Confucius said, "If you are at ease, then do it. When a gentleman is in mourning, he does not find sweet food sweet, does not find music enjoyable, does not find his usual dwelling comfortable. That is why he does not do these things. Now if you are at ease, then do them."
Zai Wo left. Confucius said, "Yu is not benevolent! A child is born, and only after three years does it leave its parents' arms. The three-year mourning is the universal mourning under Heaven. Did Yu receive three years of love from his parents?" Confucius said, "To eat your fill all day and use your mind for nothing—how difficult! Are there not games of chess? To play them is still better than doing nothing."
Zilu said, "Does a gentleman value courage?" Confucius said, "A gentleman puts righteousness first. If a gentleman has courage but no righteousness, he becomes rebellious. If a petty person has courage but no righteousness, he becomes a thief."
Zigong said, "Does a gentleman also have things he detests?" Confucius said, "He has detestations. He detests those who proclaim the faults of others. He detests those who, being inferior, slander their superiors. He detests those who are brave but lack ritual. He detests those who are resolute but obstinate."
Confucius said, "Zigong, do you also have things you detest?" Zigong said, "I detest those who mistake cleverness for wisdom. I detest those who mistake insolence for courage. I detest those who mistake tale-bearing for straightforwardness."
Confucius said, "Only women and petty people are difficult to deal with. Draw them close, and they become insolent. Keep them at a distance, and they resent you."
Confucius said, "If by the age of forty a person is still disliked, that is the end of it."