e-kung asked, "Is it proper that a man should be liked by all his
neighbours?" "Certainly not," said the master. "Is it then proper,"
asked the same, "that a man should be hated by all his neighbours?"
"Decidedly not," said the master. "The good man is loved by his good
neighbours, and hated by his bad ones."

The virtuous man is hard to satisfy, but easy to serve. Nothing that
thou doest to please him satisfies him unless it is strictly according
to right. But in all his demands upon his servants he expects according
to capacity, and is satisfied if the servant does his best, though it be
little. The bad man is easy to satisfy, but hard to serve. He is
satisfied with whatever pleases him, though it be not right; and he
demands of his servants whatever he requires, making no allowance for
capacity.

A scholar whose mind is set upon comfort is not worthy of the name.

"Where there's a will," said the master, "there's a way."

To refrain from speaking to a man who is disposed to hear is to wrong
the man; to speak to a man not disposed to listen is to waste words.

"How can one in brief express man's whole duty?"

"Is not reciprocity such a word?" said the master; "that is, what thou
dost not want others to do to thee, do thou not to others."

There are three things which the virtuous man has to guard against. In
youth, lust; in full manhood, strife; and in old age, covetousness.

The highest class of men are those who are born wise; the next those who
become wise by study; next and third, those who learn much, without
having much natural ability. The lowest class of people are those who
have neither natural ability nor perseverance. Men are very similar at
birth; it is afterwards the great differences arise.

It is only the wisest and the silliest of men who never alter their
opinions.

"My children," said the master once to his disciples, "Why do you not
study the Book of Poetry [the Shih King]? It would stimulate your mind,
encourage introspection, teach you to love your fellows, and to forbear
with all. It would show you your duty to your fathers and your king; and
you would also learn from it the names of many birds and beasts and
plants and trees."

TA-HSIO, OR TEACHING FOR ADULTS

_INTRODUCTORY_

The "Ta-Hsio," or "Teaching for Adults," rendered also "The Great
Learning," is really a treatise dealing with ethical, and especially
with political, matters, the duties of rulers, ministers, etc. It i