11. The progressive ones

1. The Master said, “The progressive ones in matters of Li and music are those from the countryside. The less progressive ones in matters of Li and music are from the nobility. In using Li and music, I am in the train of the progressive ones.”
子曰：「先進於禮樂，野人也；後進於禮樂，君子也。如用之，則吾從先進。」

2. The Master said, “Those who followed me to Chen and Cai have all left my school now.”
子曰：「從我於陳、蔡者，皆不及門也。」

3. As for virtuous conduct, Yan Yuan, Min Zi Qian, Ran Bo Niu and Zhong Gong excelled. In speech, Zai Wo and Zi Gong excelled. In politics, Ran You and Ji Lu excelled. In erudition, Zi You and Zi Xia excelled.
德行：顏淵，閔子騫，冉伯牛，仲弓。言語：宰我，子貢。政事：冉有，季路。文學：子游，子夏。

4. The Master said, “Hui does not help me. Anything I say, he finds delight in it.”
子曰：「回也非助我者也，於吾言無所不說。」

5. The Master said, “Excellent indeed is Min Zi Qian in serving his family members! People do not cavil at what his parents and brothers say about him.”
子曰：「孝哉閔子騫！人不間於其父母昆弟之言。」

6. Nan Rong would often recite the poem ‘White jade’. Confucius gave his niece to him in marriage.
南容三復白圭，孔子以其兄之子妻之。 (“Flaws in white jade mace, they can be grinded off. Flaws in speech, nothing can be done about them.” 白圭之玷、尚可磨也。斯言之玷、不可為也。)

7. Lord Ji Kang asked, “Among your students, who is fond of learning?’ Confucius replied, ‘A man called
Yan Hui was fond of learning. Unfortunately, he died early. Now there is none.”
季康子問：「弟子孰為好學？」孔子對曰：「有顏回者好學，不幸短命死矣！今也則亡。」

8. Yan Yuan died. Yan Lu [Yan Yuan’s father] inquired whether the Master could sell his carriage to pay for the outer coffin. The Master said, “This is not about money. It is about one’s son. When Li died, he was buried in a coffin without an outer coffin. I did not go on foot in order to have the outer coffin. As I am in the train of dignataries, I could not go on foot.”
顏淵死，顏路請子之車以為之椁。子曰：「才不才，亦各言其子也。鯉也死，有棺而無椁。吾不徒行以為之椁。以吾從大夫之後，不可徒行也。」

9. Yan Yuan died. The Master said, ‘O dear! Heaven is forsaking me! Heaven is forsaking me!’
顏淵死。子曰：「噫！天喪予！天喪予！」

10. Yan Yuan died. The Master wailed in great grief. The attendants said, ‘Sir, you grieve greatly.’ ‘Do I?’ said the Master. ‘If his loss does not cause grief, what will?’
顏淵死，子哭之慟。從者曰：「子慟矣。」曰：「有慟乎？非夫人之為慟而誰為！」

11. Yan Yuan died. The fellow students wanted to have a generous funeral. The Master said, ‘You may not.’ The students gave a generous funeral. The Master said, ‘Hui treated me as his father and I am unable to treat him as my son. This is not because me. It is because of you guys.’
顏淵死，門人欲厚葬之，子曰：「不可。」門人厚葬之。子曰：「回也視予猶父也，予不得視猶子也。非我也，夫二三子也。」

12. Ji Lu asked about serving spirits and ghosts. The Master said, ‘While we haven’t manged to serve human beings, how could we serve ghosts?’ ‘May I then ask about human being’s death?’ The Master said, ‘We don’t even know about life; how can we know about death?’
季路問事鬼神。子曰：「未能事人，焉能事鬼？」敢問死。曰：「未知生，焉知死？」

13. In attendance upon the Master, Min Zi would be courteous and to the point; Zi Lu was courageous and strong; Ran You and Zi Gong were calm and leisurely. The Master took delight in them. But he said, ‘A man like You (由) would not manage to die a natural death.’
閔子侍側，誾誾如也；子路，行行如也；冉有、子貢，侃侃如也。子樂。「若由也，不得其死然。」

14. People in Lu were going to refurbish the treasury building. Min Zi Qian said, “Why not use the old one? Do they really have to redo it?” The Master said, “This man does not talk. But when he does, he surely hits the mark.”
魯人為長府。閔子騫曰：「仍舊貫，如之何？何必改作？」子曰：「夫人不言，言必有中。」

15. The Master said, ‘Listen to You (由) playing the lute! How could it ever pass as a sound of Qiu’s school?’ Fellow students did not show respect to Zi Lu. The Master said, ‘You (由) has come to the door. He simply hasn’t entered in the room yet.’
子曰：「由之瑟奚為於丘之門？」門人不敬子路。子曰：「由也升堂矣，未入於室也。」

16. Zi Gong asked, ‘Between Shi (Zi Zhang) and Shang (Zi Xia), who is better?’ The Master said, ‘Shi goes too far and Shang falls short.’ ‘Shi is better, then?’ said Zi Gong. The Master said, ‘Going too far is similar to falling short.’
子貢問：「師與商也孰賢？」子曰：「師也過，商也不及。」曰：「然則師愈與？」子曰：「過猶不及。」

17. Lord Ji was wealthier than the Duke of Zhou. Qiu worked for him and managed to accumulate and save further to enrich him more. The Master said, ‘Qiu is not our man. You guys might as well beat the drums and attack him.’
季氏富於周公，而求也為之聚斂而附益之。子曰：「非吾徒也。小子鳴鼓而攻之，可也。」

18. Chai is thick. Shen is dull and pompous. Shi is specious. You is rough and tough.
柴也愚，參也魯，師也辟，由也喭。

19. Hui was almost perfect. But he had nothing. Ci did not accept the heavenly mandate. He instead made a fortune. His speculation often turned out right.
子曰：「回也其庶乎，屢空。賜不受命，而貨殖焉，億則屢中。」

20. Zi Zhang asked about the way of a good person. The Master said, “If you don’t tread on others’ footsteps, you won’t enter into the room.”
子張問善人之道。子曰：「不踐跡，亦不入於室。」

21. The Master said, “Suppose a person’s discourse is sincere. Does that mean that he is a noble man or he merely has a splendid appearance?”
子曰：「論篤是與，君子者乎？色莊者乎？」

22. Zi Lu asked, “Sould I carry out what I heard?” The Master said, “You have parents and brothers still around. How can you carry out what you heard.” Ran You asked, “Should I carry out what I heard?” The Master said, “Carry out what you heard.” Gong Xi Hua said, “When You (由; Zi Lu) asked whether to carry out what he heard, you said no by referring to ‘parents and brothers’. When Qiu (求; Ran You) asked whether to carry out what he heard, you said yes. I am confused. May I ask why the difference?” The Master said, “Qiu (求) is passive, so I wanted to encourage him. You (由) is full of energy, so I wanted to slow him down.”
子路問：「聞斯行諸？」子曰：「有父兄在，如之何其聞斯行之？」冉有問：「聞斯行諸？」子曰：「聞斯行之。」公西華曰：「由也問聞斯行諸，子曰『有父兄在』；求也問聞斯行諸，子曰『聞斯行之』。赤也惑，敢問。」子曰：「求也退，故進之；由也兼人，故退之。」

23. The Master was under threat in Kuang. Yan Yuan fell behind and appeared later. The Master said, “I thought you had died.” Yan Yuan replied, “When you are still around, how dare I die?”
子畏於匡，顏淵後。子曰：「吾以女為死矣。」曰：「子在，回何敢死？」

24. Ji Zi Ran asked, “Zhong You and Ran Qiu, can they be called great ministers?” The Master said, “I thought you would ask about something more extraordinary than You and Qiu. Great ministers are those who take the proper way to serve the ruler. When they cannot do so, they resign. Now, You and Qiu may be called ministers who are merely employable. Ji Zi Ran said, “Will they do what they are told, then?” The Master said, “If they are told to kill the father or the ruler, they will not follow though.”
季子然問：「仲由、冉求可謂大臣與？」子曰：「吾以子為異之問，曾由與求之問。所謂大臣者：以道事君，不可則止。今由與求也，可謂具臣矣。」曰：「然則從之者與？」子曰：「弒父與君，亦不從也。」

25. Zi Lu had Zi Gao appointed governor of Fei. The Master said, “You’re ruining a son of a decent man.” Zi Lu said, “You need to look after people. You need to look after the alters of the earth and grains. Why must one read books before he can be considered to have learned?” The Master said, “This is why I hate silver tongue.”
子路使子羔為費宰。子曰：「賊夫人之子。」子路曰：「有民人焉，有社稷焉。何必讀書，然後為學？」子曰：「是故惡夫佞者。」

26. Zi Lu, Zeng Xi (father of Zeng Zi), Ran You, and Gong Xi Hua were in attendance. The Master said, “Although I am a bit older than you, please do not make much of it. You sit around and say, ‘They don’t know me!’ Suppose a ruler knows you and you are given an opportunity, what would you do? Zi Lu brashly responded, “Take, for example, a country of a thousand chariots caught between bigger countries. Suppose it is invaded by numerous armies and suffering from famine. If the country is put under my helm, within three years, I can make people valiant and have them figure out what to do.” The Master smiled wrily. “Qiu (求; Ran You), what about you?” He answered, “If a place of 60 to 70 square miles or 50 to 60 square miles is entrusted to me, within three years, I shall ensure that people have sufficient provisions. Regarding Li and music, I shall wait for a noble man.” “Chi (赤; Gong Xi Hua), what about you?” He answered, “I won’t say I can do these things. But I wish to learn. In ceremonies at ancestral temples and at important meetings, I would serve as a low level minister dressed in dark robe and black linen cap.” “Dian (點; Zeng Xi), what about you?” The strumming of lute was fading as Dian stopped playing. He put away the lute and stood up. He answered, “Mine is different from what these three have elaborately laid out.” The Master said, “No problem. Each one says what he wishes to do.” Dian said, “In late spring, properly attired in vernal fashion, I would like to go with five or six young lads and six or seven boys to the river Yi (沂). We will bathe there, enjoy the breeze at the rain altar, and return home singing.” The Master exclaimed ‘Wow’ and said, “I am with Dian!” The three went out and Zeng Xi remained behind. Zeng Xi said, “Sir, what do you think about the three guys’ remarks?” The Master said, “They merely said what they wish to do.” Zeng Xi pursued, “But why did you give a wry smile at You (由; Zi Lu)?” The Master said, “He was talking about ruling a country with Li. But his speech was lacking modesty. That’s why.” Zeng Xi asked, “Qiu was not talking about a country?” “How do you see that a place of 60 to 70 or 50 to 60 square miles is not a country?” “Surely, Chi was not talking about ruling a country?” “If ancestral temples and important meetings are not the affairs of princes and lords, what are they? If Chi regards himself as a minor figure, then who can be regarded as a major figure?”
子路、曾皙、冉有、公西華侍坐。子曰：「以吾一日長乎爾，毋吾以也。居則曰：「不吾知也！』如或知爾，則何以哉？」子路率爾而對曰：「千乘之國，攝乎大國之間，加之以師旅，因之以饑饉；由也為之，比及三年，可使有勇，且知方也。」夫子哂之。「求！爾何如？」對曰：「方六七十，如五六十，求也為之，比及三年，可使足民。如其禮樂，以俟君子。」「赤！爾何如？」對曰：「非曰能之，願學焉。宗廟之事，如會同，端章甫，願為小相焉。」「點！爾何如？」鼓瑟希，鏗爾，舍瑟而作。對曰：「異乎三子者之撰。」子曰：「何傷乎？亦各言其志也。」曰：「莫春者，春服既成。冠者五六人，童子六七人，浴乎沂，風乎舞雩，詠而歸。」夫子喟然歎曰：「吾與點也！」三子者出，曾皙後。曾皙曰：「夫三子者之言何如？」子曰：「亦各言其志也已矣。」曰：「夫子何哂由也？」曰：「為國以禮，其言不讓，是故哂之。」「唯求則非邦也與？」「安見方六七十如五六十而非邦也者？」「唯赤則非邦也與？」「宗廟會同，非諸侯而何？赤也為之小，孰能為之大？」