hy father lives look for his purpose;
when he is gone, look how he walked. To change nothing in thy father's
ways for three years may be called pious.

12, Yu-tzu[7] said, To behave with ease is the best part of courtesy.
This was the beauty of the old kings' ways; this they followed in
small and great. But knowing this, it will not do to give way to ease,
unchecked by courtesy. This too is wrong.

[Footnote 7: A disciple.]

13. Yu-tzu said, If pledges are close to right, word can be kept. If
attentions are close to courtesy, shame will be kept far. If we do not
choose our leaders wrong, we may worship them too.

14. The Master said, A gentleman that does not seek to eat his fill,
nor look for ease in his home, who is earnest at work and careful of
speech, who walks with those that keep the Way, and is guided by them,
may be said to love learning.

15. Tzu-kung[8] said, Poor, but no flatterer; rich, but not proud: how
would that be?

[Footnote 8: A disciple.]

It would do, said the Master; but better still were poor but merry;
rich, but loving courtesy.

Tzu-kung said, When the poem says:

If ye cut, if ye file,
If ye polish and grind,

is that what is meant?

The Master said, Now I can begin to talk of poetry to Tz'u. Tell him
what is gone, and he knows what shall come.

16. The Master said, Not to be known is no sorrow. My sorrow is not
knowing men.

BOOK II

1. The Master said, He that rules by mind is like the north star,
steady in his seat, whilst the stars all bend to him.

2. The Master said, The three hundred poems are summed up in the one
line, Think no evil.

3. The Master said, Guide the people by law, aline them by punishment;
they may shun crime, but they will want shame. Guide them by mind,
aline them by courtesy; they will learn shame and grow good.

4. The Master said, At fifteen, I had the will to learn; at thirty, I
could stand; at forty, I had no doubts; at fifty, I understood the
heavenly Bidding; at sixty, my ears were opened[9]; at seventy, I
could do as my heart lusted without trespassing from the square.

[Footnote 9: _Lit._, obedient.]

5. Meng Yi asked the duty of a son.

The Master said, Not to transgress.

As Fan Chi'ih[10] was driving him, the Master said, Meng-sun[11] asked
me the duty of a son; I answered, Not to transgress.

[Footnote 10: A disciple.]

[Footnote 11: Meng Yi.]

What did ye mean? said Fan Chi'ih.

To serve our father and