Book 4 里仁篇第四

4.1 The Master said: "A neighborhood is adorned by humaneness. Choose a home where humaneness lives — how can that be unwise?"

4.2 The Master said: "Without humaneness one cannot long endure hardship, nor long enjoy ease. The humane rest in it; the wise profit by it."

4.3 Only the humane can love men and can hate men.

4.4 If your will is set on humaneness, no evil will come near you.

4.5 Wealth and honor are what men desire; unless won by the right way, do not dwell in them. Poverty and low estate are what men hate; unless won by the right way, do not flee them. If a noble man departs from humaneness, how does he fulfill the name? The noble man does not leave humaneness for the space of a meal: in haste he holds to it, in upheaval he holds to it.

4.6 The Master said: "I have seen none who love humaneness and none who hate inhumanity. One who loved humaneness would prize it beyond all. One who hated inhumanity would practice humaneness, letting no inhuman thing touch him. Is there the strength for even one day bent on humaneness? I have not seen the strength fail. Perhaps such men exist; I have not seen them."

4.7 The Master said: "Men's faults mark their kind. By his faults you read the man."

4.8 The Master said: "Hearing the Way in the morning, one may die content that evening."

4.9 The Master said: "A scholar with his heart set on the Way, yet ashamed of poor clothes and coarse food — not worth talking to."

4.10 The Master said: "The noble man, for all the world: no leaning, no against; he sides with the right."

4.11 The noble man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of land. The noble man thinks of justice; the small man thinks of favors.

4.12 He who acts for profit stirs much resentment.

4.13 The Master said: "Can ritual, deference, and restraint govern a state? Then what trouble has one? Without them, what has one for ritual?"

4.14 The Master said: "Do not fret at having no office; fret at having no fitness for one. Do not fret that none know you; seek to be worth knowing."

4.15 The Master said: "Shen! My Way has one thread running through it." Zengzi answered: "Yes." The Master left. The disciples asked what it meant. Zengzi said: "The Master's Way: loyalty and compassion — nothing more."

4.16 The noble man understands what is right; the small man understands profit.

4.17 The Master said: "Seeing a worthy man, think of equaling him; seeing an unworthy man, search your own heart."

4.18 The Master said: "In serving your parents, gentle remonstrance. If they will not follow, stay reverent; do not rebel; labor, but without complaint."

4.19 The Master said: "While your parents live, do not travel far; if you travel, keep a set course."

4.20 If for three years a son does not turn from his father's way, he may be called filial.

4.21 The Master said: "Keep a parent's years in mind — joy on one side, fear on the other."

4.22 The Master said: "The men of old were slow to speak, for they feared their deeds would not match their words."

4.23 The Master said: "Few slip who hold to restraint."

4.24 The Master said: "The noble man wishes to be slow of speech and quick of deed."

4.25 Virtue is not solitary; it has neighbors.

4.26 Ziyou said: "Overbearing service to a ruler brings disgrace; overbearing counsel to a friend brings estrangement."

4.1 The Master said: "A good neighborhood is beautiful. If you don't choose to live among good people, how can you be wise?"

4.2 The Master said: "Without goodness, no one can bear hardship for long or enjoy comfort for long. Good people rest in goodness; wise people use it well."

4.3 Only a truly good person knows whom to love and whom to dislike.

4.4 Set your heart firmly on goodness, and no evil can reach you.

4.5 Everyone wants wealth and rank — but get them wrongly and don't accept them. Everyone hates poverty and low status — but get out of them wrongly and don't. A good person who abandons goodness — how could he deserve the name? He doesn't leave it even for one meal: in a rush, he holds to it; in a crisis, he holds to it.

4.6 The Master said: "I've never seen anyone who truly loves goodness or truly hates evil. One who loved goodness would value nothing above it. One who hated evil would live so well that no evil could touch him. Could someone hold to goodness for even one day? I've never seen their strength fail. Maybe such people exist; I've never met one."

4.7 The Master said: "Faults show what kind of person you are. Look at someone's mistakes and you know them."

4.8 The Master said: "Hear the truth in the morning, and you can die in peace that evening."

4.9 The Master said: "A scholar set on the truth who's ashamed of shabby clothes and plain food — not worth listening to."

4.10 The Master said: "In dealing with the whole world, a good person doesn't automatically favor or oppose anyone; he stands with what's right."

4.11 A good person thinks about what's right; a small person thinks about what pays.

4.12 People who chase profit collect enemies.

4.13 The Master said: "With courtesy, respect, and self-control you can run a state — what's the trouble? Without them, how could you even do the ceremonies?"

4.14 The Master said: "Don't worry about not having a job; worry about being unfit for one. Don't worry that nobody knows you; become worth knowing."

4.15 The Master said: "Shen! My teaching has one thread through it all." Zengzi said: "Yes." When the Master left, the students asked what he meant. Zengzi said: "His teaching is loyalty and compassion. That's all."

4.16 A good person understands what's right; a small person understands what's profitable.

4.17 The Master said: "When you see a worthy person, think of matching them. When you see an unworthy one, look inside yourself."

4.18 The Master said: "Serving your parents: gently correct them. If they don't listen, stay respectful and don't turn against them. Keep helping, without bitterness."

4.19 The Master said: "While your parents live, don't travel far away. If you must, keep a fixed route."

4.20 If for three years a son doesn't change his father's ways, he's a good son.

4.21 The Master said: "Know your parents' age: joy on one side, fear on the other."

4.22 The Master said: "The ancients spoke little, afraid their actions wouldn't match their words."

4.23 The Master said: "Those who keep themselves in check rarely go wrong."

4.24 The Master said: "Be slow to speak, quick to act."

4.25 Goodness never stands alone; neighbors always gather.

4.26 Ziyou said: "Pushing your boss too hard gets you fired; pushing your friend too hard loses the friendship."