Yang Huo, Chapter 17

Yang Huo wanted to see Confucius, but Confucius would not see him. Yang Huo then sent Confucius a steamed suckling pig. Confucius took advantage of his absence to go and pay his respects. They met on the road. Yang Huo said to Confucius, “Come! I want to speak with you.” He said, “To harbor one’s talents and allow the state to be misguided—can this be called Ren?” (Confucius replied) “No.” (Yang Huo continued) “To be fond of engaging in governance yet repeatedly miss opportunities—can this be called Zhi?” (Confucius replied) “No.” (Yang Huo added) “Time passes! The years do not wait for anyone!” Confucius said, “Very well, I shall go and take office!”

Confucius said, “By nature, people are close to one another; through practice, they become far apart.”

Confucius said, “Only the highest wisdom and the lowest stupidity cannot be changed.”

Confucius arrived at Wu City and heard the sound of stringed instruments and singing. He smiled slightly and said, “Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?” Ziyou replied, “In the past, I (Yan) heard you say, ‘When a gentleman learns the Way, he loves others; when a petty man learns the Way, he is easy to employ.’” Confucius said, “Students! Yan’s words are correct. What I just said was only a jest!”

Gongshan Furao rebelled, holding onto the town of Bi, and summoned Confucius. Confucius wanted to go. Zilu was displeased and said, “If there is nowhere to go, then stop. Why must you go to Gongshan’s place?” Confucius said, “The one who summons me—would he do so in vain? If someone were to employ me, could I not hope to revive the rites of the Zhou dynasty in the east?”

Zizhang asked Confucius about Ren. Confucius said, “To practice five virtues in the world is Ren.” (Zizhang said, “May I ask what these five are?”) Confucius said, “Respect, generosity, Xin, diligence, and kindness. With respect, one is not insulted; with generosity, one wins the support of the many; with Xin, one is trusted by others; with diligence, one achieves merit; with kindness, one is able to command others.”

Bi Xi summoned Confucius, and Confucius wanted to go. Zilu said, “In the past, I heard you say, ‘A gentleman does not enter the company of one who has personally done evil.’ Bi Xi is rebelling, holding onto Zhongmou, and yet you wish to go—how can this be explained?” Confucius said, “Yes, I have said such things. But is it not said that what is hard cannot be worn thin by grinding? Is it not said that what is white cannot be blackened by dyeing? Am I to be like a bitter gourd, hung up and not eaten?”

Confucius said, “You, have you heard of the six virtues and their six faults?” (Zilu) replied, “No.” (Confucius said, “Sit down! I will tell you. To love Ren without loving learning—its fault is foolishness; to love Zhi without loving learning—its fault is dissipation; to love Xin without loving learning—its fault is harmfulness; to love straightforwardness without loving learning—its fault is harshness; to love courage without loving learning—its fault is rebellion; to love strength without loving learning—its fault is arrogance.”

Confucius said, “Students! Why do you not study the Book of Songs? The Book of Songs can stir the mind, can observe society, can foster fellowship, can express grievances. It can be used near at hand to serve one’s parents, and afar to serve one’s lord. It also allows one to learn the names of many birds, beasts, plants, and trees.”

Confucius said to Boyu, “Have you studied the Zhou Nan and Shao Nan? If a person does not study the Zhou Nan and Shao Nan, it is like standing with his face to the wall!”

Confucius said, “Ritual! Ritual! Does it merely refer to jade and silk? Music! Music! Does it merely refer to bells and drums?”

Confucius said, “One who is fierce in appearance but weak within—to compare him to a petty man, he is like a thief who drills holes and climbs walls.”

Confucius said, “The village worthy who is outwardly honest but conforms to the world is the thief of virtue.”

Confucius said, “To spread rumors heard on the road is to abandon virtue.”

Confucius said, “Can a vulgar person serve a lord alongside others? Before he obtains office, he worries about not getting it; after he obtains it, he worries about losing it. If he worries about losing it, there is nothing he will not do.”

Confucius said, “The ancients had three faults, but people today may not even have these. The ancient madmen were forthright in their speech; today’s madmen are dissolute. The ancient men of dignity were sharp-edged; today’s men of dignity are full of resentment and anger. The ancient fools were straightforward; today’s fools are merely deceitful.”

Confucius said, “Clever words and a pleasing countenance seldom accompany Ren.”

Confucius said, “I detest how purple has usurped the place of red. I detest how the music of Zheng has corrupted the elegant music. I detest how sharp tongues overturn states.”

Confucius said, “I wish to say nothing!” Zigong said, “If you say nothing, what will we students transmit?” Confucius said, “Does Heaven speak? The four seasons go their course, and the hundred things grow. Does Heaven speak?”

Ru Bei wished to see Confucius. Confucius excused himself on the grounds of illness. As soon as the messenger had left the door, Confucius took out his zither and sang, making sure Ru Bei heard him.

Zai Wo asked, “The three-year mourning period is too long! If a gentleman goes three years without practicing ritual, ritual will surely decay; if he goes three years without playing music, music will surely collapse. The old grain is exhausted, and the new grain has come; the fire-drilling woods have been changed once. One year of mourning is enough.” Confucius said, “During mourning, if you eat fine rice and wear brocade, would your heart be at ease?” Zai Wo said, “It would be at ease!” Confucius said, “If you are at ease, then do it. When a gentleman is in mourning, he does not find sweet flavors sweet, does not find music enjoyable, does not find his home comfortable. Therefore he does not do such things. Now that you are at ease, then do it.” After Zai Wo left, Confucius said, “Zai Yu is truly not Ren! A child is born, and only after three years does he leave the arms of his parents. The three-year mourning period is the universal mourning ritual. Did Zai Yu not receive three years of love from his parents?”

Confucius said, “To eat one’s fill all day without applying one’s mind to anything—this is hard indeed! Are there not games of dice and chess? To do even these is better than being idle!”

Zilu said, “Does the gentleman value courage?” Confucius said, “The gentleman regards Yi as supreme. A gentleman with courage but no Yi will rebel; a petty man with courage but no Yi will become a robber.”

Zigong said, “Does the gentleman also have things he detests?” Confucius said, “He has things he detests. He detests those who proclaim the faults of others; he detests those who, being lowly, slander their superiors; he detests those who are brave but lack Li; he detests those who are resolute but stubborn and unyielding.” (Confucius added, “Ci, do you also have things you detest?”) (Zigong said,) “I detest those who plagiarize others and pass it off as Zhi; I detest those who are immodest and pass it off as courage; I detest those who expose others’ secrets and pass it off as straightforwardness.”

Confucius said, “Only women and petty men are difficult to deal with! If you draw close to them, they become immodest; if you keep them at a distance, they resent you.”

Confucius said, “If a man is detested by others at forty, he will be so to the end.”