Confucian Analects (Lun Yü)

iconChapter - 18

1The Viscount of Wei withdrew from the court. The Viscount of Chi became a slave to Chau. Pi-kan remonstrated with him and died.
2Confucius said, "The Yin dynasty possessed these three men of virtue."
3Hui of Liu-hsia, being chief criminal judge, was thrice dismissed from his office. Some one said to him, "Is it not yet time for you, sir, to leave this?"
4He replied, "Serving men in an upright way, where shall I go to, and not experience such a thrice-repeated dismissal? If I choose to serve men in a crooked way, what necessity is there for me to leave the country of my parents?"
5The duke Ching of Ch'i, with reference to the manner in which he should treat Confucius, said, "I cannot treat him as I would the chief of the Chi family. I will treat him in a manner between that accorded to the chief of the Chil and that given to the chief of the Mang family."
6He also said, "I am old; I cannot use his doctrines." Confucius took his departure.
7The people of Ch'i sent to Lu a present of female musicians, which Chi Hwan received, and for three days no court was held. Confucius took his departure.
8The madman of Ch'u, Chieh-yu, passed by Confucius, singing and saying, "O FANG! O FANG! How is your virtue degenerated! As to the past, reproof is useless; but the future may still be provided against. Give up your vain pursuit. Give up your vain pursuit. Peril awaits those who now engage in affairs of government."
9Confucius alighted and wished to converse with him, but Chieh-yu hastened away, so that he could not talk with him.
10Ch'ang-tsu and Chieh-ni were at work in the field together, when Confucius passed by them, and sent Tsze-lu to inquire for the ford.
11Ch'ang-tsu said, "Who is he that holds the reins in the carriage there?"
12Tsze-lu told him, "It is K'ung Ch'iu.', "Is it not K'ung of Lu?" asked he.
13"Yes," was the reply, to which the other rejoined,"He knows the ford."
14Tsze-lu then inquired of Chieh-ni, who said to him, "Who are you, sir?"
15He answered, "I am Chung Yu."
16"Are you not the disciple of K'ung Ch'iu of Lu?" asked the other.
17"I am," replied he, and then Chieh-ni said to him, "Disorder, like a swelling flood, spreads over the whole empire, and who is he that will change its state for you?
18Rather than follow one who merely withdraws from this one and that one, had you not better follow those who have withdrawn from the world altogether?"
19With this he fell to covering up the seed, and proceeded with his work, without stopping.
20Tsze-lu went and reported their remarks, when the Master observed with a sigh, "It is impossible to associate with birds and beasts, as if they were the same with us.
21If I associate not with these people,-with mankind,-with whom shall I associate?
22If right principles prevailed through the empire, there would be no use for me to change its state."
23Tsze-lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, when he met an old man, carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds.
24Tsze-lu said to him, "Have you seen my master, sir?"
25The old man replied, "Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain:-who is your master?"
26With this, he planted his staff in the ground, and proceeded to weed.
27Tsze-lu joined his hands across his breast, and stood before him.
28The old man kept Tsze-lu to pass the night in his house, killed a fowl, prepared millet, and feasted him. He also introduced to him his two sons.
29Next day, Tsze-lu went on his way, and reported his adventure.
30The Master said, "He is a recluse," and sent Tsze-lu back to see him again, but when he got to the place, the old man was gone.
31Tsze-lu then said to the family, "Not to take office is not righteous. If the relations between old and young may not be neglected, how is it that he sets aside the duties that should be observed between sovereign and minister?
32Wishing to maintain his personal purity, he allows that great relation to come to confusion. A superior man takes office, and performs the righteous duties belonging to it.
33As to the failure of right principles to make progress, he is aware of that."
34The men who have retired to privacy from the world have been Po-i, Shu-ch'i, Yuchung, I-yi, Chu-chang, Hui of Liu-hsia, and Shao-lien.
35The Master said, "Refusing to surrender their wills, or to submit to any taint in their persons; such, I think, were Po-i and Shu-ch'i.
36"It may be said of Hui of Liu-hsia! and of Shaolien, that they surrendered their wills, and submitted to taint in their persons, but their words corresponded with reason, and their actions were such as men are anxious to see. This is all that is to be remarked in them.
37"It may be said of Yu-chung and I-yi, that, while they hid themselves in their seclusion, they gave a license to their words; but in their persons, they succeeded in preserving their purity, and, in their retirement, they acted according to the exigency of the times.
38"I am different from all these. I have no course for which I am predetermined, and no course against which I am predetermined."
39The grand music master, Chih, went to Ch'i.
40Kan, the master of the band at the second meal, went to Ch'u. Liao, the band master at the third meal, went to Ts'ai. Chueh, the band master at the fourth meal, went to Ch'in. Fang-shu, the drum master, withdrew to the north of the river.
41Wu, the master of the hand drum, withdrew to the Han.
42Yang, the assistant music master, and Hsiang, master of the musical stone, withdrew to an island in the sea.
43The duke of Chau addressed his son, the duke of Lu, saying, "The virtuous prince does not neglect his relations. He does not cause the great ministers to repine at his not employing them.
44Without some great cause, he does not dismiss from their offices the members of old families. He does not seek in one man talents for every employment."
45To Chau belonged the eight officers, Po-ta, Po-kwo, Chung-tu, Chung-hwu, Shu-ya, Shuhsia, Chi-sui, and Chi-kwa.