A modern English adaption of the Analects of Confucius.
Ji Kangzi asked, “How can I get the people to be respectful, loyal, and hard-working?”
Confucius replied, “If you lead the people with dignity, they’ll be respectful. If you’re filial and compassionate, they’ll be loyal. If you promote the skilled and train the unskilled, they’ll be hard-working.”
Ji Kangzi asked whether Zilu was capable of serving in the government.
Confucius replied, “Zilu is determined. What problem would he have in handling government work?”
Jikang Zi then asked, “What about Zigong?”
Confucius said, “Zigong has a piercing intellect. What problem would he have in handling government work?”
Jikang Zi asked, “And how about Ran Qiu?”
Confucius replied, “Ran Qiu is has many talents. What problem would he have in handling government work?”
Ji Kangzi sent Confucius some medicine as a present. He accepted it graciously, but told the messenger, “Since I don’t know anything about this medicine, I don’t dare take it.”
Ji Kangzi asked which of Confucius’ students loved learning.
Confucius replied, “Yan Hui did. Unfortunately, he was fated to die young, and now there is no one.”
Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about government.
Confucius replied, “To govern is to correct. If you lead the people with correctness, who would not be corrected?”
Ji Kangzi was troubled by the thieves in his state. He asked Confucius what he should do about it.
Confucius replied, “If you weren’t so greedy, your people wouldn’t steal, even if you offered them a reward for doing it.”
Ji Kangzi asked Confucius about government, “How about I kill those who have abandoned the Way to help out the good. How about that?”
Confucius replied, “As head of government, why would you need to kill? If you set your heart on virtue and humaneness, the people will follow suit. The noble person is like the wind and the people are like the grass. When the wind blows, the grass bends.”
Confucius spoke about how Duke Ling of Wei didn’t follow the Way.
Ji Kangzi asked, “Well, if that’s the case, why didn’t he come to ruin?”
Confucius replied, “Zhongshu Yu attends to the guests, Preacher Tuo manages the temples, and Wangsun Jia leads the military. That being the case, how could he come to ruin?”