4. To live with integrity

1. The Master said, “To live with integrity is beautiful. If you choose not to stick with integrity, how can you claim to have wisdom?’
子曰：「里仁為美。擇不處仁，焉得知？」

2. The Master said, “Those who do not have integrity cannot remain bound by ethical precepts for long. They cannot remain joyfully for long anywhere. Those who have integrity derive comfort from integrity. Wise people derive benefit from integrity.
子曰：「不仁者不可以久處約，不可以長處樂。仁者安仁，知者利仁。」

3. The Master said, “Only those who have integrity can truly love people and truly hate people.”
子曰：「唯仁者能好人，能惡人。」

4. The Master said, “Have the dogged determination to practice integrity. You will not be in a bad way.”
子曰：「苟志於仁矣，無惡也。」

5. The Master said, “Wealth and honour are what people desire. But if you did not get them through the proper Way, do not dwell there. Poverty and low status are what people loathe. But if the Way did not prevail and you happened to have them, do not flee from them. If a noble man abandons integrity, loathsome indeed is his reputation as a noble man! A noble man does not go against integrity even while eating. Even in extreme haste, even in extreme peril, he will always abide by integrity.”
子曰：「富與貴是人之所欲也，不以其道得之，不處也；貧與賤是人之所惡也，不以其道得之，不去也。君子去仁，惡乎成名？君子無終食之間違仁，造次必於是，顛沛必於是。」

6. The Master said, “I have not seen a man who cherishes integrity and yet loathes a person lacking in integrity. A man who cherishes integrity does not make a fuss about it. He who loathes a person lacking in integrity is making a virtue of his own loathing. Do not use a person lacking in integrity to aggrandize yourself. You can, if it is only for a day, exert your force to practise integrity, can you not? I have not seen a man who does not have enough force to do so. Maybe there are such persons. But I have not seen them yet.”
子曰：「我未見好仁者，惡不仁者。好仁者，無以尚之；惡不仁者，其為仁矣，不使不仁者加乎其身。有能一日用其力於仁矣乎？我未見力不足者。蓋有之矣，我未之見也。」

7. The Master said, “The mistake people make depends on the group they belong to. Observe the mistake, then you will know what type of man he is.”
子曰：「人之過也，各於其黨。觀過，斯知仁矣。」

8. The Master said, “If I understand the Way in the morning, it wouldn’t matter if I should die in the evening.”
子曰：「朝聞道，夕死可矣。」

9. The Master said, “An officer must set his mind firmly on the Way. If he should be ashamed of tattered cloth and coarse food, he is not good enough to talk to.”
子曰：「士志於道，而恥惡衣惡食者，未足與議也。」

10. The Master said, “A noble man’s standard is the whole world: nothing is correct, nothing is incorrect. Rightness goes with him.”
子曰：「君子之於天下也，無適也，無莫也，義之與比。」

11. The Master said, “A noble man reflects upon virtue; the petty and the lowly reflect upon land. A noble man reflects upon punishment; the petty and the lowly reflect upon gift.”
子曰：「君子懷德，小人懷土；君子懷刑，小人懷惠。」

12. The Master said, “If you act in pursuit of benefit, you will cause many grievances.”
子曰：「放於利而行，多怨。」

13. The Master said, “Suppose a country is run by those who can have modesty according to Li. What obstacles will there be? If a country is run by those who cannot have modesty according to Li, what will become of Li?’
子曰：「能以禮讓為國乎？何有？不能以禮讓為國，如禮何？」

14. The Master said, “Do not worry about having no position. Worry instead about whether you have the qualifications. Do not worry about lack of recognition. Seek instead to be worthy of recognition.”
子曰：「不患無位，患所以立；不患莫己知，求為可知也。」

15. The Master said, “Listen, San (參), my Way has one consistent theme.” Master Zeng said, “Indeed, Sir.” The Master went out. The pupils asked, “What does that mean?” Master Zeng said, “Our Master’s Way is grounded upon loyalty and compassion.”
子曰：「參乎！吾道一以貫之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。門人問曰：「何謂也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」

16. The Master said, “A noble man is clear-headed about what is right; the petty and the lowly are clear-headed about what is beneficial.”
子曰：「君子喻於義，小人喻於利。」

17. The Master said, “When you see a talented man, think about aligning with him. When you see a man lacking in talent, scrutinise yourself as to your own shortcomings.”
子曰：「見賢思齊焉，見不賢而內自省也。」

18. The Master said, “In serving your parents, you may duly express your disagreement but do so with trepidation. When you see that they are determined not to follow your view, respect them and do not go against them. Exert your efforts and do not blame them.”
子曰：「事父母幾諫。見志不從，又敬不違，勞而不怨。」

19. The Master said, “While your parents are there, avoid touring too far. If you do go away, inform them of your destination.”
子曰：「父母在，不遠遊。遊必有方。」

20. The Master said, “If you do not divert from your father’s way for three years, you may be considered as serving your parents.”
子曰：「三年無改於父之道，可謂孝矣。」

21. The Master said, “Your parents’ age cannot be forgotten, for you are at once delighted by and afraid of their age.”
子曰：「父母之年，不可不知也。一則以喜，一則以懼。」

22. The Master said, “In olden days, men did not speak out because they were ashamed of not keeping up with their words.”
子曰：「古者言之不出，恥躬之不逮也。」

23. The Master said, “Those who are sparing of words and yet fail to keep them; there aren’t many.”
子曰：「以約失之者，鮮矣。」

24. The Master said, “A noble man desires to be halting in his speech, but forthcoming in his conduct.”
子曰：「君子欲訥於言，而敏於行。」

25. The Master said, “Virtue is not lonely. It is bound to have neighbours.”
子曰：「德不孤，必有鄰。」

26. Zi You said, “To have numerous bosses to serve is to invite humiliation. To have numerous friends is to invite estrangement.”
子游曰：「事君數，斯辱矣，朋友數，斯疏矣。」