The Village of Humaneness里仁第四

The Master said, "A village is beautiful where its people are humane. If a man chooses not to dwell where humaneness is, how can he be called wise?"

The Master said, "A man without humaneness cannot dwell long in hardship, nor dwell long in ease. The humane are at peace in humaneness. The wise find profit in humaneness."

The Master said, "Only the humane can truly love others, and truly hate others."

The Master said, "Truly set your heart on humaneness, and there is no evil in you."

The Master said, "Wealth and rank are what men desire, but if they are not got by the right way, the noble man will not keep them. Poverty and low standing are what men hate, but if they are not to be left by the right way, he will not leave them. If the noble man casts off humaneness, where is he to make his name? The noble man does not go against humaneness for so long as it takes to finish a meal. In haste he holds to it, in a stumble he holds to it."

The Master said, "I have yet to see one who loves humaneness, or one who hates the want of it. He who loves humaneness cannot be bettered. He who hates the want of it is thereby practicing humaneness, for he lets nothing unhumane come near his own person. Is there anyone who can spend his strength on humaneness for a single day? I have never seen one whose strength was not enough. Perhaps such a man exists, but I have not seen him."

The Master said, "Men's faults follow the kind of men they are. Look at a man's faults, and you know his humaneness."

The Master said, "Hear the Way in the morning, and you may die that evening."

The Master said, "A gentleman who has set his heart on the Way, yet is ashamed of poor clothes and poor food, is not worth talking with."

The Master said, "In all the world, the noble man holds nothing as a must and nothing as a must not. He follows what is right."

The Master said, "The noble man thinks of virtue, the small man of land to live on. The noble man thinks of the law, the small man of favors."

The Master said, "Act with an eye to profit, and you will meet much resentment."

The Master said, "If a man can rule a state by ritual and yielding, what difficulty is there? If he cannot rule a state by ritual and yielding, what use has he for ritual?"

The Master said, "Do not worry that you have no place. Worry about how you are to stand. Do not worry that no one knows you. Work at becoming worth knowing."

The Master said, "Shen (參), one thread runs through my Way." Zengzi said, "Yes." When the Master had gone out, the disciples asked, "What did he mean?" Zengzi said, "The Master's Way is loyalty (忠) and reciprocity (恕), nothing more."

The Master said, "The noble man understands what is right. The small man understands what is profitable."

The Master said, "When you see a worthy man, think of matching him. When you see an unworthy man, look within yourself."

The Master said, "In serving your father and mother, remonstrate gently. If you see that they will not follow your wish, be all the more respectful and do not go against them. However hard the toil, do not resent it."

The Master said, "While your father and mother live, do not travel far. If you do travel, let there be a fixed place you go to."

The Master said, "If for three years he does not change his father's way, he may be called filial."

The Master said, "You must know how old your father and mother are. On the one hand it is a joy, on the other a dread."

The Master said, "The ancients did not let their words out lightly, for they were ashamed lest their deeds should fall short."

The Master said, "Few are those who lose by holding themselves in."

The Master said, "The noble man wishes to be slow in speech and quick in action."

The Master said, "Virtue is never alone. It is sure to have neighbors."

Ziyou said, "Press your lord too often with remonstrance and you meet disgrace. Press your friends too often with advice and they grow distant."