Confucian Analects Chapter 16
The head of the Chi family was going to attack Chwan-yu. Zan Yu and Chi-lu had an interview with Confucius, and said, "Our chief, Chil is going to commence operations against Chwan-yu."
Confucius said, "Ch‘iu, is it not you who are in fault here? "Now, in regard to Chwan-yu, long ago, a former king appointed its
ruler to preside over the sacrifices to the eastern Mang; moreover, it is in the midst of the territory of our state; and its ruler is a minister in direct connection with the sovereign: What has your chief to do with attacking it?"
Zan Yu said, "Our master wishes the thing; neither of us two ministers wishes it."
Confucius said, "Ch‘iu, there are the words of Chau Zan, -‘When he can put forth his ability, he takes his place in the ranks of office; when he finds himself unable to do so, he retires from it. How can he be used as a guide to a blind man, who does not support him when tottering, nor raise him up when fallen?‘
"And further, you speak wrongly. When a tiger or rhinoceros escapes from his cage; when a tortoise or piece of jade is injured in its repository:-whose is the fault?"
Zan Yu said, "But at present, Chwan-yu is strong and near to Pi; if our chief do not now take it, it will hereafter be a sorrow to his descendants."
Confucius said. "Ch‘iu, the superior man hates those declining to say-‘I want such and such a thing,‘ and framing explanations for their conduct.
"I have heard that rulers of states and chiefs of families are not troubled lest their people should be few, but are troubled lest they should not keep their several places; that they are not troubled with fears of poverty, but are troubled with fears of a want of contented repose among the people in their several places. For when the people keep their several places, there will be no poverty; when harmony prevails, there will be no scarcity of people; and when there is such a contented repose, there will be no rebellious upsettings.
"So it is.-Therefore, if remoter people are not submissive, all the influences of civil culture and virtue are to be cultivated to attract them to be so; and when they have been so attracted, they must be made contented and tranquil.
"Now, here are you, Yu and Ch‘iu, assisting your chief. Remoter people are not submissive, and, with your help, he cannot attract them to him. In his own territory there are divisions and downfalls, leavings and separations, and, with your help, he cannot preserve it.
"And yet he is planning these hostile movements within the state.-I am afraid that the sorrow of the Chi-sun family will not be on account of Chwan-yu, but will be found within the screen of their own court."
Confucius said, "When good government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the son of Heaven. When bad government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the princes. When these things proceed from the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in ten generations. When they proceed from the great officers of the princes, as a rule, the case will be few in which they do not lose their power in five generations. When the subsidiary ministers of the great officers hold in their grasp the orders of the state, as a rule the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in three generations.
"When right principles prevail in the kingdom, government will not be in the hands of the great officers.
"When right principles prevail in the kingdom, there will be no discussions among the common people."
Confucius said, "The revenue of the state has left the ducal house now for five generations. The government has been in the hands of the great officers for four generations. On this account, the descendants of the three Hwan are much reduced."
Confucius said, "There are three friendships which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Friendship with the uplight; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the man of much observation:-these are advantageous. Friendship with the man of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued:-these are injurious."
Confucius said, "There are three things men find enjoyment in which are advantageous, and three things they find enjoyment in which are injurious. To find enjoyment in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music; to find enjoyment in speaking of the goodness of others; to find enjoyment in having many worthy friends:-these are advantageous. To find enjoyment in extravagant pleasures; to find enjoyment in idleness and sauntering; to find enjoyment in the pleasures of feasting:-these are injurious."
Confucius said, "There are three errors to which they who stand in the presence of a man of virtue and station are liable. They may speak when it does not come to them to speak;-this is called rashness. They may not speak when it comes to them to speak;-this is called concealment. They may speak without looking at the countenance of their superior;-this is called blindness."
Confucius said, "There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers are not yet settled, he guards against lust. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against quarrelsomeness. When he is old, and the animal powers are decayed, he guards against covetousness."
Confucius said, "There are three things of which the superior man stands in awe. He stands in awe of the ordinances of Heaven. He stands in awe of great men. He stands in awe of the words of sages.
"The mean man does not know the ordinances of Heaven, and consequently does not stand in awe of them. He is disrespectful to great men. He makes sport of the words of sages."
Confucius said, "Those who are born with the possession of knowledge are the highest class of men. Those who learn, and so readily get possession of knowledge, are the next. Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compass the learning, are another class next to these. As to those who are dull and stupid and yet do not learn;-they are the lowest of the people."
Confucius said, "The superior man has nine things which are subjects with him of thoughtful consideration. In regard to the use of his eyes, he is anxious to see clearly. In regard to the use of his ears, he is anxious to hear distinctly. In regard to his countenance, he is anxious that it should be benign. In regard to his demeanor, he is anxious that it should be respectful. In regard to his speech, he is anxious that it should be sincere. In regard to his doing of business, he is anxious that it should be reverently careful. In regard to what he doubts about, he is anxious to question others. When he is angry, he thinks of the difficulties his anger may involve him in. When he sees gain to be got, he thinks of righteousness."
Confucius said, "Contemplating good, and pursuing it, as if they could not reach it; contemplating evil! and shrinking from it, as they would from thrusting the hand into boiling water:-I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.
"Living in retirement to study their aims, and practicing righteousness to carry out their principles:-I have heard these words, but I have not seen such men."
The Duke Ching of Ch‘i had a thousand teams, each of four horses, but on the day of his death, the people did not praise him for a single virtue. Po-i and Shu-ch‘i died of hunger at the foot of the Shau-yang mountains, and the people, down to the present time, praise them.
"Is not that saying illustrated by this?" Ch‘an K‘ang asked Po-yu, saying, "Have you heard any lessons from
your father different from what we have all heard?"
Po-yu replied, "No. He was standing alone once, when I passed below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, ‘Have you learned the Odes?‘ On my replying ‘Not yet,‘ he added, If you do not learn the Odes, you will not be fit to converse with.‘ I retired and studied the Odes.
"Another day, he was in the same way standing alone, when I passed by below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, ‘Have you learned the rules of Propriety?‘ On my replying ‘Not yet,‘ he added, ‘If you do not learn the rules of Propriety, your character cannot be established.‘ I then retired, and learned the rules of Propriety.
"I have heard only these two things from him." Ch‘ang K‘ang retired, and, quite delighted, said, "I asked one
thing, and I have got three things. I have heard about the Odes. I have heard about the rules of Propriety. I have also heard that the superior man maintains a distant reserve towards his son."
The wife of the prince of a state is called by him Fu Zan. She calls herself Hsiao T‘ung. The people of the state call her Chun Fu Zan, and, to the people of other states, they call her K‘wa Hsiao Chun. The people of other states also call her Chun Fu Zan.
16·1 季氏将伐颛臾。冉有、季路见于孔子曰：“季氏将有事于颛臾。”孔子曰：“求！无乃尔是过与？夫颛臾，昔者先王以为东蒙主，且在城邦之中矣，是社稷之臣也。何以伐为？”冉有曰：“夫子欲之，吾二臣者皆不欲也。”孔子曰：“求！周任有言曰：‘陈力就列，不能者止。’危而不持，颠而不扶，则将焉用彼相矣？且尔言过矣，虎兕出于柙，龟玉毁于椟中，是谁之过与？”冉有曰：“今夫颛臾，固而近于费。今不取，后世必为子孙忧。”孔子曰：“求！君子疾夫舍曰欲之而必为之辞。丘也闻有国有家者，不患寡而患不均，不患贫而患不安。盖均无贫，和无寡，安无倾。夫如是，故远人不服，则修文德以来之。既来之，则安之。今由与求也，相夫子，远人不服而不能来也，邦分崩离析而不能守也；而谋动干戈于邦内。吾恐季孙之忧，不在颛臾，而在萧墙之内也。”
季氏将要讨伐颛臾。冉有、子路去见孔子说：“季氏快要攻打颛臾了。”孔子说：“冉求，这不就是你的过错吗？颛臾从前是周天子让它主持东蒙的祭祀的，而且已经在鲁国的疆域之内，是国家的臣属啊，为什么要讨伐它呢？”冉有说：“季孙大夫想去攻打，我们两个人都不愿意。”孔子说：“冉求，周任有句话说：‘尽自己的力量去负担你的职务，实在做不好就辞职。’有了危险不去扶助，跌倒了不去搀扶，那还用辅助的人干什么呢？而且你说的话错了。老虎、犀牛从笼子里跑出来，龟甲、玉器在匣子里毁坏了，这是谁的过错呢？”冉有说：“现在颛臾城墙坚固，而且离费邑很近。现在不把它夺取过来，将来一定会成为子孙的忧患。”孔子说： “冉求，君子痛恨那种不肯实说自己想要那样做而又一定要找出理由来为之辩解的作法。我听说，对于诸侯和大夫，不怕贫穷，而怕财富不均；不怕人口少，而怕不安定。由于财富均了，也就没有所谓贫穷；大家和睦，就不会感到人少；安定了，也就没有倾覆的危险了。因为这样，所以如果远方的人还不归服，就用仁、义、礼、乐招徕他们；已经来了，就让他们安心住下去。现在，仲由和冉求你们两个人辅助季氏，远方的人不归服，而不能招徕他们；国内民心离散，你们不能保全，反而策划在国内使用武力。我只怕季孙的忧患不在颛臾，而是在自己的内部呢！”
16·2 孔子曰：“天下有道，则礼乐征伐自天子出；天下无道，则礼乐征伐自诸侯出。自诸侯出，盖十世希不失矣；自大夫出，五世希不失矣；陪臣执国命，三世希不失矣。天下有道，则政不在大夫。天下有道，则庶人不议。”
孔子说：“天下有道的时候，制作礼乐和出兵打仗都由天子作主决定；天下无道的时候，制作礼乐和出兵打仗，由诸侯作主决定。由诸侯作主决定，大概经过十代很少有不垮台的；由大夫决定，经过五代很少有不垮台的。天下有道，国家政权就不会落在大夫手中。天下有道，老百姓也就不会议论国家政治了。”
16·3 孔子曰：“禄之去公室五世矣，政逮于大夫四世矣，故夫三桓之子孙微矣。”
孔子说：“鲁国失去国家政权已经有五代了，政权落在大夫之手已经四代了，所以三桓的子孙也衰微了。”
16·4 孔子曰：“益者三友，损者三友。，友直，友谅，友多闻，益矣。友便辟，友善柔，友便侫，损矣。”
孔子说：“有益的交友有三种，有害的交友有三种。同正直的人交友，同诚信的人交友，同见闻广博的人交友，这是有益的。同惯于走邪道的人交朋友，同善于阿谀奉承的人交朋友，同惯于花言巧语的人交朋友，这是有害的。”
16·5 孔子曰：“益者三乐，损者三乐。乐节礼乐，乐道人之善，乐多贤友，益矣。乐骄乐，乐佚游，乐晏乐，损矣。”
孔子说：“有益的喜好有三种，有害的喜好有三种。以礼乐调节自己为喜好，以称道别人的好处为喜好，以有许多贤德之友为喜好，这是有益的。喜好骄傲，喜欢闲游，喜欢大吃大喝，这就是有害的。”
16·6 孔子曰：“侍于君子有三愆：言未及之而言谓之躁，言及之而不言谓之隐，未见颜色而言谓之瞽。”
孔子说：“侍奉在君子旁边陪他说话，要注意避免犯三种过失：还没有问到你的时候就说话，这是急躁；已经问到你的时候你却不说，这叫隐瞒；不看君子的脸色而贸然说话；这是瞎子。”
16·7 孔子曰：“君子有三戒：少之时，血气未定，戒之在色；及其壮也，血气方刚，戒之在斗；及其老也，血气既衰，戒之在得。”
孔子说：“君子有三种事情应引以为戒：年少的时候，血气还不成熟，要戒除对女色的迷恋；等到身体成熟了，血气方刚，要戒除与人争斗；等到老年，血气已经衰弱了，要戒除
贪得无厌。”
16·8 孔子曰：“君子有三畏：畏天命，畏大人，畏圣人之言。小人不知天命而不畏也，狎大人，侮圣人之言。”
孔子说：“君子有三件敬畏的事情：敬畏天命，敬畏地位高贵的人，敬畏圣人的话，小人不懂得天命，因而也不敬畏，不尊重地位高贵的人，轻侮圣人之言。”
16·9 孔子曰：“生而知之者，上也；学而知之者，次也；困而学之，又其次也；困而不学，民斯为下矣。”
孔子说：“生来就知道的人，是上等人；经过学习以后才知道的，是次一等的人；遇到困难再去学习的，是又次一等的人；遇到困难还不学习的人，这种人就是下等的人了。”
16·10 孔子曰：“君子有九思：视思明，听思聪，色思温，貌思恭，言思忠，事思敬，疑思问，忿思难，见得思义。”
孔子说：“君子有九种要思考的事：看的时候，要思考看清与否；听的时候，要思考是否听清楚；自己的脸色，要思考是否温和，容貌要思考是否谦恭；言谈的时候，要思考是否忠诚；办事要思考是否谨慎严肃；遇到疑问，要思考是否应该向别人询问；忿怒时，要思考是否有后患，获取财利时，要思考是否合乎义的准则。”
16·11 子曰：“见善如不及，见不善如探汤。吾见其人矣，吾闻其语矣。隐居以求其志，行义以达其道。吾闻其语矣，未见其人也。”
孔子说：“看到善良的行为，就担心达不到，看到不善良的行动，就好像把手伸到开水中一样赶快避开。我见到过这样的人，也听到过这样的话。以隐居避世来保全自己的志向，依照义而贯彻自己的主张。我听到过这种话，却没有见到过这样的人。”
16·12 齐景公有马千驷，死之日，民无德而称焉。伯夷叔齐饿死于首阳之下，民到于今称之。其斯之谓与？
齐景公有马四千匹，死的时候，百姓们觉得他没有什么德行可以称颂。伯夷、叔齐饿死在首阳山下，百姓们到现在还在称颂他们。说的就是这个意思吧。
16·13 陈亢问于伯鱼曰：“子亦有异闻乎？”对曰：“未也。尝独立，鲤趋而过庭。曰：‘学诗乎？’对曰：‘未也’。‘不学诗，无以言。’鲤退而学诗。他日又独立，鲤趋而过庭。曰：‘学礼乎？’对曰：‘未也’。‘不学礼，无以立。’鲤退而学礼。闻斯二者。”陈亢退而喜曰：“问一得三。闻诗，闻礼，又闻君子之远其子也。”
陈亢问伯鱼：“你在老师那里听到过什么特别的教诲吗？”伯鱼回答说：“没有呀。有一次他独自站在堂上，我快步从庭里走过，他说：‘学《诗》了吗？’我回答说：‘没有。’他说：‘不学诗，就不懂得怎么说话。’我回去就学《诗》。又有一天，他又独自站在堂上，我快步从庭里走过，他说：‘学礼了吗？’我回答说： ‘没有。’他说：‘不学礼就不懂得怎样立身。’我回去就学礼。我就听到过这两件事。”陈亢回去高兴地说：“我提一个问题，得到三方面的收获，听了关于《诗》的道理，听了关于礼的道理，又听了君子不偏爱自己儿子的道理。”
16·14 邦君之妻，君称之曰夫人，夫人自称曰小童；邦人称之曰君夫人，称诸异邦曰寡小君；异邦人称之亦曰君夫人。
国君的妻子，国君称她为夫人，夫人自称为小童，国人称她为君夫人；对他国人则称她为寡小君，他国人也称她为君夫人。