The Ji Family季氏第十六

The Ji family was about to attack Zhuanyu. Ran You and Ji Lu came to see Confucius and said, "The Ji family is about to take action against Zhuanyu." Confucius said, "Qiu, is this not your fault? Long ago the former kings made Zhuanyu the master of the sacrifices at Mount Dongmeng, and it lies within the borders of the state, so it is a servant of the altars of the land. Why attack it?" Ran You said, "It is the Ji family that wants this. Neither of us two servants wants it." Confucius said, "Qiu, Zhou Ren had a saying: 'Put out your strength and take your place in the ranks. If you are not able, then stop.' If a man does not hold up what is in danger and does not support what is falling, what use is such a helper? And your words go too far. If a tiger or a wild ox breaks out of its cage, if a tortoise shell or a jade is smashed inside its case, whose fault is that?" Ran You said, "Zhuanyu now has strong walls and lies close to Bi. If it is not taken now, it will surely be a trouble to sons and grandsons in later ages." Confucius said, "Qiu, the noble man hates the man who will not say that he wants a thing and then makes up words for it. I have heard that those who hold a state or a house do not worry about having little but about things not being even, and do not worry about poverty but about not being at peace. Where things are even there is no poverty, where there is harmony there is no lack, where there is peace there is no overturning. This being so, if distant people do not submit, then cultivate refinement and virtue to bring them. When they have come, then set them at peace. Now You and Qiu help the Ji family, yet distant people do not submit and they cannot bring them, the state is splitting and falling apart and they cannot hold it, and they plan to move shield and spear inside the state. I fear that the trouble of Jisun is not in Zhuanyu but inside his own wall."

Confucius said, "When the world has the Way, rites and music and punitive campaigns proceed from the Son of Heaven. When the world does not have the Way, rites and music and punitive campaigns proceed from the feudal lords. When they proceed from the feudal lords, it is rare that power is not lost within ten generations. When they proceed from the great officers, it is rare that it is not lost within five generations. When the retainers of a house hold the command of the state, it is rare that it is not lost within three generations. When the world has the Way, government is not in the hands of the great officers. When the world has the Way, the common people do not debate government."

Confucius said, "It is five generations since the pay left the ducal house, and four generations since government passed to the great officers. That is why the descendants of the Three Huan have grown weak."

Confucius said, "Three kinds of friends help and three kinds harm. To befriend the upright, to befriend the trustworthy, to befriend those who have heard much — these help. To befriend the man practiced in appearances, to befriend the man good at flattery, to befriend the man of glib speech — these harm."

Confucius said, "Three joys help and three joys harm. To take joy in rites and music kept within measure, to take joy in speaking of the goodness of others, to take joy in having many worthy friends — these help. To take joy in proud pleasure, to take joy in idle roaming, to take joy in the revelry of feasts — these harm."

Confucius said, "There are three faults when attending on a noble man. To speak before the turn to speak has come is called rashness. Not to speak when the turn has come is called concealment. To speak without watching his face is called blindness."

Confucius said, "The noble man has three cautions. When he is young and his blood and breath are not yet settled, he guards against sensual desire. When he is in full strength and his blood and breath are hard and strong, he guards against strife. When he is old and his blood and breath have declined, he guards against getting."

Confucius said, "The noble man holds three things in awe. He holds the mandate of Heaven in awe, he holds great men in awe, he holds the words of the sages in awe. The small man does not know the mandate of Heaven and so does not hold it in awe. He treats great men lightly and he scorns the words of the sages."

Confucius said, "Those who know from birth are highest. Those who know through learning come next. Those who learn after they are blocked come next again. Those who are blocked and still do not learn are the lowest among the people."

Confucius said, "The noble man has nine thoughts. In seeing he thinks of clearness. In hearing he thinks of sharpness. In his face he thinks of warmth. In his bearing he thinks of respect. In his words he thinks of faithfulness. In his work he thinks of care. In doubt he thinks of asking. In anger he thinks of the trouble that will follow. When he sees something to be gained he thinks of what is right."

Confucius said, "'Seeing good, act as though you could not reach it. Seeing what is not good, act as though you were putting your hand into boiling water.' I have seen such a man, and I have heard such words. 'Live hidden and fulfill your purpose, practice right conduct and carry through your Way.' I have heard such words, but I have not yet seen such a man."

("Truly not for riches, but only to follow what is new.") Duke Jing of Qi had four thousand horses, but on the day he died the people had no virtue of his to praise. Bo Yi and Shu Qi starved below Mount Shouyang, and the people praise them to this day. Perhaps this is what that means.

Chen Kang asked Boyu, "Have you heard anything apart from the rest?" Boyu answered, "No. Once he was standing alone, and I hurried across the courtyard. He said, 'Have you learned the Book of Songs?' I answered, 'Not yet.' He said, 'If you do not learn the Book of Songs, you have nothing to speak with.' So I withdrew and learned the Book of Songs. Another day he was again standing alone, and I hurried across the courtyard. He said, 'Have you learned the rites?' I answered, 'Not yet.' He said, 'If you do not learn the rites, you have no way to stand.' So I withdrew and learned the rites. I have heard these two things." Chen Kang withdrew and said with delight, "I asked one thing and got three. I heard about the Book of Songs, I heard about the rites, and I heard also that the noble man keeps his own son at a distance."

The ruler of a state calls his wife "lady," and she calls herself "little child." The people of the state call her "the ruler's lady," and when they speak of her to another state they call her "the humble little ruler." People of another state also call her "the ruler's lady."