Book 15 衛靈公篇第十五

15.1 Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about military formations. Confucius answered: "About the placing of sacrificial vessels I have heard something; of military matters I have not learned." The next day he set out.15.2 When they ran out of food in Chen, the followers fell sick and none could rise. Zilu came in angry, saying: "Does the noble man also suffer want?" The Master said: "The noble man holds firm in want; the small man in want turns loose."15.3 The Master said: "Ci, do you think that I am one who learns much and remembers it?" He answered: "Yes — is it not so?" He said: "No. I thread it all on one."15.4 The Master said: "You! Few are those who know virtue."15.5 The Master said: "Was it not Shun who governed without doing anything? What did he do? He made himself reverent and faced south — that is all."15.6 Zizhang asked about getting along in the world. The Master said: "If your words are loyal and trustworthy and your actions earnest and respectful, then even in the lands of barbarians you will get along. If your words are not loyal and trustworthy and your actions not earnest and respectful, will you get along even in your own village? Standing, see them ranged before you; riding in the carriage, see them leaning on the yoke — then you will get along." Zizhang wrote it on his sash.15.7 The Master said: "Straight indeed was Shi Yu! When the state had the Way, he was like an arrow; when it lacked the Way, he was like an arrow. A noble man indeed was Qu Boyu! When the state had the Way, he took office; when it lacked the Way, he could roll it up and keep it to himself."15.8 The Master said: "To speak with a man who can be spoken with, and not to speak — you lose the man. To speak with a man who cannot be spoken with — you lose your words. The wise lose neither men nor words."15.9 The Master said: "A resolute scholar and a man of humaneness do not seek life at the cost of humaneness; they may rather kill themselves to complete their humaneness."15.10 Zigong asked about the practice of humaneness. The Master said: "A craftsman who would do his work well must first sharpen his tools. Living in this state, serve the worthy among its great officers, and befriend the humane among its scholars."15.11 Yan Yuan asked about governing a state. The Master said: "Adopt the calendar of Xia, ride in the carriage of Yin, wear the cap of Zhou; for music, the Shao and the Wu. Ban the music of Zheng; keep glib men at a distance. The music of Zheng is lewd; glib men are dangerous."15.12 The Master said: "A man without far thoughts will have near sorrows."15.13 The Master said: "It is over! I have never seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty."15.14 The Master said: "Zang Wenzhong — was he not one who stole his post? He knew Liuxia Hui's worth and would not give him place."15.15 The Master said: "Demand much of yourself and little of others, and you will keep resentment far off."15.16 The Master said: "A man who never says, 'What is to be done? What is to be done?' — I do not know what to do with him."15.17 The Master said: "To spend all day together and never speak of what is right, but delight in small cleverness — hard indeed!"15.18 The Master said: "The noble man takes right as his substance, brings it forth with ritual, expresses it with deference, and completes it with truth. A noble man indeed!"15.19 The Master said: "The noble man grieves that he has no ability; he does not grieve that men do not know him."15.20 The Master said: "The noble man hates to die without his name being honored."15.21 The Master said: "The noble man seeks from himself; the small man seeks from others."15.22 The Master said: "The noble man is dignified but does not contend; he gathers with others but is not a partisan."15.23 The Master said: "The noble man does not raise a man for his words, nor reject his words for the man."15.24 Zigong asked: "Is there one word that can be practiced for a lifetime?" The Master said: "It is forgiveness, surely! What you do not want for yourself, do not put upon others."15.25 The Master said: "In my dealings with men, whom have I slandered, whom have I praised? If I have praised anyone, I have tested him. These people are the means by which the three dynasties walked the straight way."15.26 The Master said: "I still saw the blank spaces in the records of the scribes. A man who had a horse would lend it to another to ride. Today there is none such!"15.27 The Master said: "Clever words ruin virtue. A small impatience ruins a great plan."15.28 The Master said: "When the multitude hates a man, you must examine him; when the multitude loves him, you must examine him."15.29 The Master said: "A man can enlarge the Way; the Way does not enlarge the man."15.30 The Master said: "To have a fault and not mend it — that is a fault indeed."15.31 The Master said: "I once spent the whole day without food and the whole night without sleep, in thought. It was no use; better to learn."15.32 The Master said: "The noble man plans for the Way, not for food. Plowing may leave hunger in it; learning may leave pay in it. The noble man worries about the Way, not about poverty."15.33 The Master said: "When wisdom gets it but humaneness cannot keep it, though you gain it, you will surely lose it. When wisdom gets it and humaneness keeps it, but dignity does not preside over it, the people will not be reverent. When wisdom gets it, humaneness keeps it, and dignity presides over it, yet it is set in motion without ritual — it is not yet good."15.34 The Master said: "The noble man cannot be known by small matters, but great charges may be laid on him; the small man cannot bear great charges, but he can be known by small matters."15.35 The Master said: "The people's need for humaneness is greater than their need for water and fire. I have seen men tread into water and fire and die; I have never seen a man tread into humaneness and die."15.36 The Master said: "Before humaneness, yield to no one — not even your teacher."15.37 The Master said: "The noble man is firm but not rigid."15.38 The Master said: "In serving your lord, set the work first and the pay after."15.39 The Master said: "There is teaching for all, without distinction of kind."15.40 The Master said: "Those whose ways differ cannot take counsel together."15.41 The Master said: "In speech, only be clear."15.42 When the Music Master Mian came to see him, as he reached the steps the Master said: "Here are the steps." When he reached the mat: "Here is the mat." When all were seated, the Master told him: "So-and-so is here; so-and-so is here." When Music Master Mian had gone out, Zizhang asked: "Is that the way to speak with a music master?" The Master said: "Yes; that is indeed the way to guide a music master."

15.1 Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about military tactics. Confucius said: "I've heard about arranging sacrificial vessels; I never studied warfare." The next day he left.15.2 They ran out of food in Chen, and the followers got too sick to stand. Zilu came in angry: "Does a good person end up broke too?" The Master said: "A good person stays steady when broke; a small person falls apart."15.3 The Master said: "Ci, do you think I'm someone who learns a lot and remembers it?" He said: "Yes — aren't you?" He said: "No. I tie it all together with one thing."15.4 The Master said: "You! Not many people really understand virtue."15.5 The Master said: "Shun was the one who governed without doing anything, right? What did he do? He was respectful and faced south — that was it."15.6 Zizhang asked how to get along in the world. The Master said: "If your words are honest and your actions sincere and respectful, you'll get along even among barbarians. If your words are dishonest and your actions not sincere, will you get along even at home? Standing, see them in front of you; riding, see them on the carriage rail — then you'll get along." Zizhang wrote it on his belt.15.7 The Master said: "Shi Yu was straight! Good times, he was like an arrow; bad times, he was like an arrow. Qu Boyu was a real gentleman! Good times, he took office; bad times, he rolled up his talents and kept them to himself."15.8 The Master said: "If you don't talk to someone you could talk to, you lose the person. If you talk to someone you can't talk to, you waste your words. A wise person loses neither."15.9 The Master said: "A dedicated, good person won't trade goodness for life — he'd give his life to keep his goodness whole."15.10 Zigong asked about how to practice goodness. The Master said: "A craftsman who wants good work sharpens his tools first. Living in a state, work for its best officials and befriend its best people."15.11 Yan Yuan asked how to run a state. The Master said: "Use the Xia calendar, ride the Yin carriage, wear the Zhou cap, and the music of Shao and Wu. Ban the music of Zheng and keep smooth talkers away. Zheng music is sleazy; smooth talkers are dangerous."15.12 The Master said: "If you don't plan ahead, trouble is right there."15.13 The Master said: "That's it! I've never seen anyone love virtue the way they love good looks."15.14 The Master said: "Zang Wenzhong was a man who stole his position! He knew how good Liuxia Hui was and never gave him a job."15.15 The Master said: "Demand a lot of yourself and little of others, and you won't be resented."15.16 The Master said: "Someone who never asks, 'What should I do? What should I do?' — I can't do anything with him."15.17 The Master said: "Hanging around all day, never talking about anything that matters, just showing off how clever you are — hopeless!"15.18 The Master said: "A good person's core is what's right; he does it with ritual, offers it with politeness, and finishes it with honesty. Now that's a good person!"15.19 The Master said: "A good person worries that he has no ability, not that people don't notice him."15.20 The Master said: "A good person hates dying without being remembered for anything."15.21 The Master said: "A good person looks to himself; a small person looks to others."15.22 The Master said: "A good person has dignity but doesn't fight; he joins in but doesn't take sides."15.23 The Master said: "A good person doesn't promote someone just for a fine speech, or ignore a fine speech because of who said it."15.24 Zigong asked: "Is there one word you can live by your whole life?" The Master said: "Understanding, maybe: what you don't want for yourself, don't do to others."15.25 The Master said: "When I judge people, who have I trashed, who have I praised? If I praised anyone, I checked him out. These people are what let the three dynasties walk the straight road."15.26 The Master said: "I still saw blank spots in the scribes' records. A man with a horse would lend it for someone else to ride. That's gone now!"15.27 The Master said: "Smooth talk wrecks character. Not being able to wait ruins big plans."15.28 The Master said: "If everyone hates a man, check him out. If everyone loves a man, check him out too."15.29 The Master said: "A person can make the Way great; the Way can't make a person great."15.30 The Master said: "If you make a mistake and don't fix it, that's the real mistake."15.31 The Master said: "I once went a whole day without food and a whole night without sleep, thinking hard. It didn't help. Better to learn."15.32 The Master said: "A good person works for the Way, not for a paycheck. Farming can still leave you hungry; studying can bring a salary. A good person worries about the Way, not about being poor."15.33 The Master said: "If you understand something but goodness can't hold onto it, you'll lose it even if you got it. If goodness holds it but you don't treat it seriously, people won't respect it. If you understand it, goodness holds it, you treat it seriously, but you run it without ritual — it's still not right."15.34 The Master said: "You can't judge a good person by small things, but you can give him big responsibilities. You can't give a small person big responsibilities, but you can judge him by small things."15.35 The Master said: "People need goodness more than they need water and fire. I've seen people drown or burn to death; I've never seen anyone die of goodness."15.36 The Master said: "When it comes to goodness, don't even give way to your teacher."15.37 The Master said: "A good person is firm, not stubborn."15.38 The Master said: "Serving your ruler, do the work first and get paid later."15.39 The Master said: "Teach everyone, no matter who they are."15.40 The Master said: "People on different roads can't plan together."15.41 The Master said: "Words just need to get the point across."15.42 When Music Master Mian came to call, as he reached the steps the Master said: "Here are the steps." At the mat: "Here's the mat." When everyone sat, the Master told him: "So-and-so is here; so-and-so is here." After Music Master Mian left, Zizhang asked: "Is that how you talk to a music master?" The Master said: "Yes — that's how you help a blind music master along."