Book IV of XX · Legge: Le Jin
里仁 Where Virtue Dwells
Lǐ Rén
A dense chapter on benevolence: choosing where to live, the single thread that runs through all the Master's teaching, and the difference between the superior and the mean man.
26 sayings
The Master said, ‘It is virtuous德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.) manners which constitute the excellence of a neighborhood. If a man in selecting a residence, do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise智zhìWisdomPractical wisdom — knowing people, discerning the right course, and above all holding that you know what you know and do not know what you do not.?’
The Master said, ‘Those who are without virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.) cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise智zhìWisdomPractical wisdom — knowing people, discerning the right course, and above all holding that you know what you know and do not know what you do not. desire virtue.’
The Master said, ‘It is only the (truly) virtuous德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.) man, who can love, or who can hate, others.’
The Master said, ‘If the will be set on virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.), there will be no practice of wickedness.’
1The Master said, ‘Riches and honours are what men desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be avoided.
2‘If a superior man君子jūnzǐThe Superior ManThe ‘gentleman’ or exemplary person — one who pursues virtue, righteousness, and learning for their own sake. Confucius’s ideal, set throughout against the ‘mean man’. abandon virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.), how can he fulfil the requirements of that name?
3‘The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.’
1The Master said, ‘I have not seen a person who loved virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.), or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practise virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person.
2‘Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient.
3‘Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it.’
The Master said, ‘The faults of men are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a man’s faults, it may be known that he is virtuous德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.).’
The Master said, ‘If a man in the morning hear the right way道dàoThe WayThe Way — the right path for a person, a ruler, or an age. At once the moral order of things and the practice that accords with it., he may die in the evening without regret.’
The Master said, ‘A scholar, whose mind is set on truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to be discoursed with.’
The Master said, ‘The superior man君子jūnzǐThe Superior ManThe ‘gentleman’ or exemplary person — one who pursues virtue, righteousness, and learning for their own sake. Confucius’s ideal, set throughout against the ‘mean man’., in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right義yìRighteousnessRightness — doing what is fitting and just because it is right, never because it pays. The superior man’s measure of every action. he will follow.’
The Master said, ‘The superior man君子jūnzǐThe Superior ManThe ‘gentleman’ or exemplary person — one who pursues virtue, righteousness, and learning for their own sake. Confucius’s ideal, set throughout against the ‘mean man’. thinks of virtue德déVirtueMoral power — the quiet force of a good character, which draws others without compulsion, ‘as the north star keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it’. (Legge also renders rén as ‘virtue’, so read by context.); the small man小人xiǎorénThe Mean ManThe petty, small-minded person — moved by profit, comfort, and partiality rather than by what is right. The foil that defines the superior man by contrast. thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favours which he may receive.’
The Master said: ‘He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.’
The Master said, ‘If a prince is able to govern his kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety禮lǐRitual ProprietyRitual, ceremony, and the forms of proper conduct — from the rites of court and mourning to everyday courtesy. The outward patterns that, practised sincerely, shape the inner person., what difficulty will he have? If he cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has he to do with the rules of propriety?’
The Master said, ‘A man should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known.’
1The Master said, ‘Shan, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity.’ The disciple Tsang replied, ‘Yes.’
2The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, ‘What do his words mean?’ Tsang said, ‘The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent仁rénBenevolenceHumaneness — the warmth and fellow-feeling of a fully realised person, shown above all in how one treats others. The supreme virtue of the Analects, which Confucius almost never grants to anyone outright. exercise of them to others,— this and nothing more.’
The Master said, ‘The mind of the superior man君子jūnzǐThe Superior ManThe ‘gentleman’ or exemplary person — one who pursues virtue, righteousness, and learning for their own sake. Confucius’s ideal, set throughout against the ‘mean man’. is conversant with righteousness義yìRighteousnessRightness — doing what is fitting and just because it is right, never because it pays. The superior man’s measure of every action.; the mind of the mean man小人xiǎorénThe Mean ManThe petty, small-minded person — moved by profit, comfort, and partiality rather than by what is right. The foil that defines the superior man by contrast. is conversant with gain.’
The Master said, ‘When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.’
The Master said, ‘In serving his parents, a son may remonstrate with them, but gently; when he sees that they do not incline to follow his advice, he shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon his purpose; and should they punish him, he does not allow himself to murmur.’
The Master said, ‘While his parents are alive, the son may not go abroad to a distance. If he does go abroad, he must have a fixed place to which he goes.’
The Master said, ‘If the son for three years does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial孝xiàoFilial PietyDevotion to one’s parents and ancestors — reverent care in life, proper mourning in death. For Confucius, the root from which all other virtue grows..’
The Master said, ‘The years of parents may by no means not be kept in the memory, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear.’
The Master said, ‘The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up to them.’
The Master said, ‘The cautious seldom err.’
The Master said, ‘The superior man君子jūnzǐThe Superior ManThe ‘gentleman’ or exemplary person — one who pursues virtue, righteousness, and learning for their own sake. Confucius’s ideal, set throughout against the ‘mean man’. wishes to be slow in his speech and earnest in his conduct.’
The Master said, ‘Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbors.’
Tsze-yu said, ‘In serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace. Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant.’