1. The Master spoke of Gong Ye Chang (公冶長): "He is marriageable. Although he was imprisoned, it was not his fault." The Master gave his daughter to him in marriage.
子謂公冶長，「可妻也。雖在縲絏之中，非其罪也」。以其子妻之。
2. The Master spoke of Nan Rong (南容): "When the Way prevailed in his country, he was not cast off. When his country lost the Way, he managed to avoid execution." The Master gave his niece to him in marriage.
子謂南容，「邦有道，不廢；邦無道，免於刑戮。」以其兄之子妻之。
3. The Master spoke of Zi Jian (子賤): "A noble man indeed is like him! If the principality of Lu had no noble man, where could he have acquired his qualities?"
子謂子賤，「君子哉若人！魯無君子者，斯焉取斯？」
4. Zi Gong asked, "What about me?" The Master said, "You are a vessel." "What do you mean, a vessel?" said Zi Gong. The Master said, "You are a liturgical vessel made of jade."
子貢問曰：「賜也何如？」子曰：「女器也。」曰：「何器也？」曰：「瑚璉也。」
5. Someone said, "Yong (雍; Zhong Gong 仲弓) is a man of ethical integrity; he does not have a silky tongue." The Master said, "What is the point of having a silky tongue? If you manipulate people with smooth talk, you will often be hated. I do not know about Yong's ethical integrity, but what is the point of having a silky tongue?"
或曰：「雍也，仁而不佞。」子曰：「焉用佞？禦人以口給，屢憎於人。不知其仁，焉用佞？」 [See 6.1 子曰：「雍也可使南面。」]
6. The Master secured an employment for Qi Diao Kai (漆雕開). The latter replied, "I cannot yet believe that I am equal to the task." The Master was delighted.
子使漆雕開仕。對曰：「吾斯之未能信。」子說。
7. The Master said, "If the Way did not prevail and I have to take to the sea on a raft, You (由; Zi Lu) will be among those who follow me." Zi Lu heard this and was pleased. The Master said, "You (由) excels me in his fondness for courage; but he is not employable."
子曰：「道不行，乘桴浮于海。從我者其由與」子路聞之喜。子曰：「由也好勇過我，無所取材。」
8. Meng Wu Bo (孟武伯) asked whether Zi Lu was a man of ethical integrity. The Master said, "I don't know." He asked again. The Master said, "You (由) could control the army in a country of thousand chariots. But I don't know about his ethical integrity." "What about Qiu (求; Ran You)?" The Master said, "Qiu could serve as an administrator in a town of thousand houses or in a household of hundred chariots. But I don't know about his ethical integrity." "What about Chi (赤; Gong Xi Hua)?" The Master said, "Chi could, donning himself with a robe, be in attendence in court and entertain guests. But I don't know about his ethical integrity."
孟武伯問：「子路仁乎？」子曰：「不知也。」又問。子曰：「由也，千乘之國，可使治其賦也，不知其仁也。」「求也何如？」子曰：「求也，千室之邑，百乘之家，可使為之宰也，不知其仁也。」「赤也何如？」子曰：「赤也，束帶立於朝，可使與賓客言也，不知其仁也。」
9. The Master spoke to Zi Gong, "Between you and Hui (回; Yan Yuan), who is ahead of whom ?" Zi Gong replied, "How dare I hope to catch up with Hui? When Hui hears one thing, he understands ten. When I hear one thing, I can only understand two." The Master said, "Surely, you are not like him! Neither of us are like him."
子謂子貢曰：「女與回也孰愈？」對曰：「賜也何敢望回。回也聞一以知十，賜也聞一以知二。」子曰：「弗如也！吾與女弗如也。」
10. Zai Yu (宰予; aka. Zai Wo) was sleeping in broad daylight. The Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be sculpted. Plaster full of shit cannot be trowelled to give a smooth surface to a wall. Yu (予) is not even worth scolding." The Master said, "I used to listen to what people say and trusted that they would do as they say. Nowadays, I listen to what people say and observe whether they do as they say. It is because of Yu that I have changed."
宰予晝寢。子曰：「朽木不可雕也，糞土之牆不可杇也，於予與何誅。」子曰：「始吾於人也，聽其言而信其行；今吾於人也，聽其言而觀其行。於予與改是。」
11. The Master said, "I have not seen a man who is firm." Someone said in response, "What about Shen Chang (申棖)?" The Master said, "Chang is full of desire. How can he be firm?"
子曰：「吾未見剛者。」或對曰：「申棖。」子曰：「棖也慾，焉得剛？」
12. Zi Gong said, "I do not want people to aggrandize me. I also want to avoid aggrandizing people." The Master said, "Ci (賜), this is beyond your reach."
子貢曰：「我不欲人之加諸我也，吾亦欲無加諸人。」子曰：「賜也，非爾所及也。」
13. Zi Gong said, "About our Master's brilliant learning, you can hear. But you cannot hear him talk about man's original mind or the Way of Heaven."
子貢曰：「夫子之文章，可得而聞也；夫子之言性與天道，不可得而聞也。」
14. Zi Lu heard thus: "If you cannot put it into practice, you should be afraid of what you learn."
子路有聞，未之能行，唯恐有聞。
15. Zi Gong asked, "How come people say that Lord Kong Wen (孔文) is learned ?" The Master said, "He does not hesitate to learn. He is not ashamed of asking his subordinates. This is why they say he is learned."
子貢問曰：「孔文子何以謂之文也？」子曰：「敏而好學，不恥下問，是以謂之文也。」
16. The Master spoke about Zi Chan (子產), "Of a noble man's Way, he had the following four: In his conduct, he had modesty. In serving his superiors, he had reverence. In supporting his people, he had liberality. In employing his people, he abided by rightness."
子謂子產，「有君子之道四焉：其行己也恭，其事上也敬，其養民也惠，其使民也義。」
17. The Master said, "Yan Ping Zhong (晏平仲) had the goodness in socialising with people. For a long time, therefore, he was revered."
子曰：「晏平仲善與人交，久而敬之。」
18. The Master said, "Zang Wen Zhong (臧文仲) had a gigantic tortoise in his house. He also had mountain patterns sculpted on the pillars, duckweed patterns sculpted on the horizontal beams of his house. Did he know anything?"
子曰：「臧文仲居蔡，山節藻梲，何如其知也？」
19. Zi Zhang asked, "Governor Zi Wen (子文) had had the governor's post three times. But he did not appear to be pleased. He lost the post three time. But he did not appear to be displeased. He informed the details of his administration to his successors. How's that?" The Master said, "He is loyal." "Was he a man of ethical integrity?" asked Zi Zhang. The Master said, "I don't know. Was he?" "Lord Zui (崔) assasinated the prince of Qi (齊). Lord Chen Wen (陳文) had enough horses to equip ten chariots. He abandoned them and left. He arrived in another country. But he said, 'You guys are all like Lord Zui of my country.' And he left. He went to another country. But he again said, 'You guys are all like Lord Zui of my country.' And he left. How's that?" asked Zi Zhang. The Master said, "He is clean." "Was he a man of ethical integrity?" asked Zi Zhang. The Master said, "I don't know. Was he?"
子張問曰：「令尹子文三仕為令尹，無喜色；三已之，無慍色。舊令尹之政，必以告新令尹。何如？」子曰：「忠矣。」曰：「仁矣乎？」曰：「未知，焉得仁？」「崔子弒齊君，陳文子有馬十乘，棄而違之。至於他邦，則曰：『猶吾大夫崔子也。』違之。之一邦，則又曰：『猶吾大夫崔子也。』違之。何如？」子曰：「清矣。」曰：「仁矣乎？」曰：「未知。焉得仁？」
20. Lord Ji Wen (季文) thought three times before he would act. The Master heard this and said, "Twice is also possible."
季文子三思而後行。子聞之，曰：「再，斯可矣。」
21. The Master said, "Lord Ning Wu (甯武) relied on his knowledge when the Way prevailed in his country. He relied on his ignorance when his country lost the Way. His knowledge is attainable. But his ignorance is unattainable."
子曰：「甯武子邦有道則知，邦無道則愚。其知可及也，其愚不可及也。」
22. When the Master was in Chen (陳), he said, "Let's go back! Let's go back! The young ones in my group express themselves too bluntly. Although they may have accomplished brilliant learning, they do not know how to trim it."
子在陳曰：「歸與！歸與！吾黨之小子狂簡，斐然成章，不知所以裁之。」
23. The Master said, "Bo Yi (伯夷) and Shu Qi (叔齊) did not habour hatred against things past. To hang on to one's grievance is of little use."
子曰：「伯夷、叔齊不念舊惡，怨是用希。」
24. The Master said, "Who said Wei Sheng Gao (微生高) was honest? When someone came asking for vinegar, he went to his neighbour and asked for vinegar and gave it."
子曰：「孰謂微生高直？或乞醯焉，乞諸其鄰而與之。」
25. The Master said, "Soothing words, pleasant face and lots of politeness. Zuo Qiu Ming (左丘明) regarded them as shameful. I also regard them as shameful. To hide grievance and pretend to be friend with the person. Zuo Qiu Ming regarded it as shameful. I also regard it as shameful."
子曰：「巧言、令色、足恭，左丘明恥之，丘亦恥之。匿怨而友其人，左丘明恥之，丘亦恥之。」
26. Yan Yuan and Ji Lu (季路; aka. Zi Lu) were in attendance. The Master said, "Each of you, go ahead and tell me what you really want." Zi Lu said, "I would like people to share chariots, horses, clothes and fur coats among friends without ever getting upset even if they should receive them back the worse for wear." Yan Yuan said, "I would like a society where people do not show off their good deeds, do not parade their efforts." Zi Lu said, "Master, I would like to hear what you really want." The Master said, "I just want people to offer some comfort to the elderly; to be loyal among friends; and to hold the little ones in the arms."
顏淵、季路侍。子曰：「盍各言爾志？」子路曰：「願車馬、衣輕裘，與朋友共。敝之而無憾。」顏淵曰：「願無伐善，無施勞。」子路曰：「願聞子之志。」子曰：「老者安之，朋友信之，少者懷之。」
27. The Master said, "Alas, it's finished! I have not yet seen a man who manages to see his fault and proceeds to self-reproach."
子曰：「已矣乎！吾未見能見其過而內自訟者也。」
28. The Master said, "Even in a hamlet of ten households, there is bound to be a man who equals me in loyalty and trustworthiness. But he will not be equal to me in his fondness for learning."
子曰：「十室之邑，必有忠信如丘者焉，不如丘之好學也。」
