Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about military tactics.
Confucius responded, “I know something about how to handle ritual vessels, but I never studied how to handle troops.”
The next day, he left Wei.
Book 15
15.2
In the state of Chen, they ran out of food, and the students became so exhausted they could no longer stand.
Resentfully, Zilu asked, “Must a noble person suffer through such a mess?”
Confucius replied, “Yes, a noble person may find themselves in circumstances like this, but it’s only the small person that can’t withstand it.”
15.3
Confucius asked, “Zigong, do you think I’m the kind of person who learns lots of different things and remembers them all?”
Zigong replied, “Yes, of course. Don’t you?”
Confucius said, “No. I thread them all together on a single string.”
15.4
Confucius said, “Zilu, those who understand virtue are few and far between.”
15.5
Confucius said, “There was one ruler who was able to bring order without overreaching, and that was Shun. So what did he do? He simply assumed an air of reverence and faced South.”
15.6
Zizhang asked Confucius about correct conduct.
Confucius replied, “If you do your very best to make good on your word, and you act with integrity and respect, your conduct will be effective, even among barbarians. If you don’t follow through on your word, though, and you don’t act with integrity and respect, you’ll have trouble, even in your own hometown.
“When you stand, see these words in front of you. When you ride in a carriage, see them resting on the crossbar. Only then will you make progress.”
Zizhang wrote these words on his sash.
15.7
Confucius said, “How straight Shi Yu was! When the Way prevailed in the state, he was straight as an arrow. When the Way didn’t prevail in the state, he was still straight as an arrow.
“And Qu Boyu was noble. When the Way prevailed in the state, he served. When the Way didn’t prevail in the state, he could roll it up and hide it away.”
15.8
Confucius said, “If you fail to teach a person who is capable of learning, you waste the person. If you try to teach someone who is not capable of learning, you waste your teaching. A wise person doesn’t waste people or teaching.”
15.9
Confucius said, “The dedicated scholar-official, the humane person, will not sacrifice humaneness for the sake of their lives—but they may sacrifice their lives to fulfill humaneness.
15.10
Zigong asked Confucius about humaneness.
Confucius replied, “The craftsman who wants to do his work well sharpens his tools first. When you live in a state, serve its most worthy officials and make friends with its humane scholar-officials.”
15.11
Yan Hui asked about how to govern a state.
Confucius replied, “Follow the calendar of the Xia. Ride in the state carriage of the Yin. Wear the ceremonial cap of the Zhou. As for music, play the Shao and Wu. Abolish the tunes of the Zheng and keep slick talkers at a distance. The Zheng music is lewd and slick talkers are dangerous.”
15.13
Confucius said, “That’s it! I’ve never met a man who loved virtue more than a woman’s beauty.”
15.14
Confucius said, “Didn’t Zang Wenzhong hold his office under false pretenses? He knew Liuxia Hui was worthy, but did not promote him.”
15.15
Confucius said, “Demand much from yourself, but be sparing in your criticism of others. This will keep resentment at bay.”
15.16
Confucius said, “I can’t do anything for a person who isn’t constantly asking, ‘What should I do? What should I do?’”
15.17
Confucius said, “I can’t stand people who can hang out together all day trading witty remarks but never once discussing what’s right.”
15.18
Confucius said, “The noble person takes justice as their essential, carries it out in accordance with ritual, expresses it with modesty, and brings it to completion through trustworthiness. Now that’s a noble person!”
15.19
Confucius said, “A noble person worries about their lack of ability, not their lack of recognition.”
15.20
Confucius said, “A noble person is worried that they will die without establishing a good name for posterity.”
15.21
Confucius said, “Noble persons demand it in themselves. Small persons demand it from others.”
15.22
Confucius said, “A noble person is confident, but not contentious. They are social, but they don’t join cliques.”
15.23
Confucius said, “A noble person doesn’t promote someone based on their words, nor do they disregard someone’s words because of what they know about them as a person.”
15.24
Zigong asked, “Is there a single principle that can guide our actions throughout life?”
Confucius replied, “Wouldn’t that be reciprocity? Don’t impose on others what you wouldn’t want them to impose on you.”
15.25
Confucius said, “In my dealings, who do I praise and who do I blame? If I do praise someone, you can be sure that I’ve tested them. The common people of today are made of the same stuff as those who kept the Three Dynasties on the right path.”
15.26
Confucius said, “I can remember a time when scribes would leave a gap when they were unsure about a word and horse owners would lend their horses out to an expert to be assessed. This doesn’t happen anymore.”
15.27
Confucius said, “Clever speech undermines virtue. Impatience with small details undermines great plans.”
15.28
Confucius said, “When the masses hate someone, you should look into the matter yourself. Likewise, when the masses love someone, you should look into the matter yourself.”
15.29
Confucius said, “It’s people that enlarge the Way. The Way can’t enlarge people.”
15.30
Confucius said, “To make a mistake and not correct it—now that’s what I call a mistake.”
15.31
Confucius said, “I once spent a whole day without eating and whole night without sleeping in order to think. Useless! Study would have been better.”
15.32
Confucius said, “A noble person makes plans for the sake of the Way, not for making a living. Till the fields and you still might go hungry. Study and you may make a career of it. A noble person worries about finding the Way, not about being poor.”
15.33
Confucius said, “Your knowledge might be sufficient, but if you don’t have the humaneness to guard it, you will lose what you gained.
“If your knowledge is sufficient and you have the humaneness to guard it, it won’t be respected by the people if you don’t exercise it with dignity.
“If your knowledge is sufficient, and you have the humaneness to guard it, and you exercise it with dignity, but you take action that’s not in line with ritual—that’s still not good enough.”
15.34
Confucius said, “The noble person’s ability can’t be seen in how they handle small matters, but they can be entrusted with great ones. A small person can’t be entrusted with great matters, but they can be entrusted with small ones.”
15.35
Confucius said, “Humaneness is more essential to the people than water and fire. I’ve seen people die from walking through water or fire, but I’ve never seen anyone die from walking the path of humaneness.”
15.36
Confucius said, “When it comes to humaneness, yield to no one, not even your teacher.”
15.37
Confucius said, “A noble person is steadfast, but not rigid.”
15.38
Confucius said, “In serving your ruler, duty is primary. Salary is secondary.”
15.39
Confucius said, “In teaching, there should be no divisions.”
15.40
Confucius said, “If your paths differ, there’s no point in making plans together.”
15.41
Confucius said, “Make your point and leave it at that.”
15.42
The Music Master Mian came for a visit. As he came to the stairs, Confucius said, “Here are the steps.” When they came to the mats, Confucius said, “Here is the mat.” When everyone was seated, Confucius said, “So-and-so is here, and so-and-so is over there.”
After Mian had left, Zizhang asked, “Is this the way of speaking to a music master.”
Confucius replied, “Yes, indeed. This is the way of speaking to a music master.”