Confucian Canon 181-211

181
Yuan Sze being made governor of his town by the Master, he gave him nine hundred measures of grain, but Sze
declined them.
182
The Master said, "Do not decline them. May you not give them away in the neighborhoods, hamlets, towns, and
villages?"
183
The Master, speaking of Chung-kung, said, "If the calf of a brindled cow be red and homed, although men may not
wish to use it, would the spirits of the mountains and rivers put it aside?"
184
The Master said, "Such was Hui that for three months there would be nothing in his mind contrary to perfect virtue.
The others may attain to this on some days or in some months, but nothing more."
185
Chi K'ang asked about Chung-yu, whether he was fit to be employed as an officer of government. The Master said,
"Yu is a man of decision; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" K'ang asked, "Is Ts'ze fit to
be employed as an officer of government?" and was answered, "Ts'ze is a man of intelligence; what difficulty would he
find in being an officer of government?" And to the same question about Ch'iu the Master gave the same reply, saying,
"Ch'iu is a man of various ability."
186
The chief of the Chi family sent to ask Min Tsze-ch'ien to be governor of Pi. Min Tszech'ien said, "Decline the offer for
me politely. If any one come again to me with a second invitation, I shall be obliged to go and live on the banks of the
Wan."
187
Po-niu being ill, the Master went to ask for him. He took hold of his hand through the window, and said, "It is killing
him. It is the appointment of Heaven, alas! That such a man should have such a sickness! That such a man should have
such a sickness!"
188
The Master said, "Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui! With a single bamboo dish of rice, a single gourd dish of
drink, and living in his mean narrow lane, while others could not have endured the distress, he did not allow his joy to
be affected by it. Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui!"
189
Yen Ch'iu said, "It is not that I do not delight in your doctrines, but my strength is insufficient." The Master said, "Those
whose strength is insufficient give over in the middle of the way but now you limit yourself."
190
The Master said to Tsze-hsia, "Do you be a scholar after the style of the superior man, and not after that of the mean
man."
191
Tsze-yu being governor of Wu-ch'ang, the Master said to him, "Have you got good men there?" He answered, "There
is Tan-t'ai Miehming, who never in walking takes a short cut, and never comes to my office, excepting on public
business."
192
The Master said, "Mang Chih-fan does not boast of his merit. Being in the rear on an occasion of flight, when they
were about to enter the gate, he whipped up his horse, saying, "It is not that I dare to be last. My horse would not
advance."
193
The Master said, "Without the specious speech of the litanist T'o and the beauty of the prince Chao of Sung, it is
difficult to escape in the present age."
194
The Master said, "Who can go out but by the door? How is it that men will not walk according to these ways?"
195
The Master said, "Where the solid qualities are in excess of accomplishments, we have rusticity; where the
accomplishments are in excess of the solid qualities, we have the manners of a clerk. When the accomplishments and
solid qualities are equally blended, we then have the man of virtue."
196
The Master said, "Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness, and yet live, his escape from death is the
effect of mere good fortune."
197
The Master said, "They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to
those who delight in it."
198
The Master said, "To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who
are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced."
199
Fan Ch'ih asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said, "To give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men,
and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom." He asked about perfect virtue.
The Master said, "The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a
subsequent consideration;-this may be called perfect virtue."
200
The Master said, "The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous
are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived."
201
The Master said, "Ch'i, by one change, would come to the State of Lu. Lu, by one change, would come to a State
where true principles predominated."
202
The Master said, "A cornered vessel without corners-a strange cornered vessel! A strange cornered vessel!"
203
Tsai Wo asked, saying, "A benevolent man, though it be told him,-'There is a man in the well" will go in after him, I
suppose." Confucius said, "Why should he do so?" A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be
made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled."
204
The Master said, "The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the
rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right."
205
The Master having visited Nan-tsze, Tsze-lu was displeased, on which the Master swore, saying, "Wherein I have
done improperly, may Heaven reject me, may Heaven reject me!"
Confucian Analects : texts 165 - 205
Confucian Analects : texts 206 - 246
206
The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Constant Mean! Rare for a long time has been its
practice among the people."
207
Tsze-kung said, "Suppose the case of a man extensively conferring benefits on the people, and able to assist all, what
would you say of him? Might he be called perfectly virtuous?" The Master said, "Why speak only of virtue in
connection with him? Must he not have the qualities of a sage? Even Yao and Shun were still solicitous about this.
208
"Now the man of perfect virtue, wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged
himself, he seeks also to enlarge others.
209
"To be able to judge of others by what is nigh in ourselves;-this may be called the art of virtue."
210
The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with
our old P'ang."
211
The Master said, "The silent treasuring up of knowledge; learning without satiety; and instructing others without being
wearied:-which one of these things belongs to me?"