子曰：「虞夏之質，殷周之文，至矣。虞夏之文不勝其質；殷周之質不勝其文。」
The Master said, 'The plain and simple ways of (the dynasties of the line of) Yu and Xia, and the multiplied forms of Yin and Zhou were both extreme. The forms of Yu and Xia did not neutralise their simplicity, nor was there sufficient simplicity under Yin and Zhou to neutralise their forms.'
子曰：「恭近禮，儉近仁，信近情，敬讓以行此，雖有過，其不甚矣。夫恭寡過，情可信，儉易容也；以此失之者，不亦鮮乎？《詩》曰：『溫溫恭人，惟德之基。』」
The Master said, 'Courtesy is near to propriety; economy is near to humanity; good faith is near to the truth of things. When one with respect and humility practises these (virtues), though he may fall into errors, they will not be very great. Where there is courtesy, the errors are few; where there is truth, there can be good faith; where there is economy, the exercise of forbearance is easy - will not failure be rare in the case of those who practise these things? It is said in the Book of Poetry (III. iii, ode 2, 9), "Mildness and reverence base supply For virtue's structure, broad and high."
子曰：「君子不以辭盡人。故天下有道，則行有枝葉；天下無道，則辭有枝葉。是故君子於有喪者之側，不能賻焉，則不問其所費；於有病者之側，不能饋焉，則不問其所欲；有客，不能館，則不問其所舍。故君子之接如水，小人之接如醴；君子淡以成，小人甘以壞。《小雅》曰：『盜言孔甘，亂是用餤。』」
The Master said, 'The superior man does not consider that his words (alone) show fully what a man is. Hence when right ways prevail in the kingdom, the branches and leaves (from the stem) of right conduct appear; but when there are not right ways in the kingdom, the branches and leaves of (mere) words appear. In accordance with this, when a superior man is by the side of one occupied with the mourning rites, and cannot contribute to assist him in his expenditure, he does not ask him what it is; when he is by the side of one who is ill, and cannot supply him with food, he does not ask what he would like; when he has a visitor for whom he cannot provide a lodging, he does not ask where he is staying. Hence the intercourse of a superior man may be compared to water, and that of a small man, to sweet wine. The superior man seems insipid, but he helps to perfection; the small man seems sweet, but he leads to ruin. It is said in the Xiao Ya (II, v, ode 4, 3), "He trusts the rogues that lie and sneak, And make things worse; Their duties shirked, their words so meek Prove but a curse."'
子言之：「仁者，天下之表也；義者，天下之制也；報者，天下之利也。」
These were the words of the Master:'(Humanity, of which the characteristic is) Benevolence, is the Pattern for all under Heaven; Righteousness is the Law for all under Heaven; and the Reciprocations (of ceremony) are for the Profit of all under Heaven.'
子曰：「夏道未瀆辭，不求備，不大望於民，民未厭其親；殷人未瀆禮，而求備於民；周人強民，未瀆神，而賞爵刑罰窮矣。」
The Master said, 'It was the method of the Xia dynasty not to trouble (the people) with many notices; it did not require everything from the people, nor (indeed) look to them for great things; and they did not weary of the affection (between them and their rulers). Under the Yin dynasty, they did not trouble (the people) with ceremonies, and yet they required everything from them. Under the Zhou dynasty, they were rigorous with the people, and not troublesome in the services to the spirits; but they did all that could be done in the way of awards, conferring rank, punishments, and penalties.'
子曰：「君子敬則用祭器。是以不廢日月，不違龜筮，以敬事其君長，是以上不瀆於民，下不褻於上。」
The Master said, 'The men of rank, on occasions of special respect, use their sacrificial vessels. On this account they do not fail to observe the set seasons and days, and do not act contrary to the intimations of the shell and stalks; thus seeking to serve with reverence the ruler and their superiors. In this way superiors are not troublesome to the people, and the people do not take liberties with their superiors.' Source: Chinese Text Project http://ctext.org/liji. English translation "Sacred Books of the East, volume 28, part 4: The Li Ki", James Legge, 1885
子曰：「祭極敬，不繼之以樂；朝極辨，不繼之以倦。」
The Master said, 'When a sacrifice has come to the point of greatest reverence, it should not be immediately followed by music. When the discussion of affairs at court has reached its utmost nicety, it should not be immediately followed by an idle indifference.'
子曰：「君子不以色親人；情疏而貌親，在小人則穿窬之盜也與？」
The Master said, 'The superior man is not affectionate to others with his countenance (merely) as if, while cold in feeling, he could assume the appearance of affection. That belongs to the small man, and stamps him as no better than the thief who makes a hole in the wall.'
子曰：「后稷，天下之為烈也，豈一手一足哉！唯欲行之浮於名也，故自謂便人。」
The Master said, 'The meritorious services of Hou Ji were the greatest of all under Heaven; could his hands and feet be described as those of an ordinary man? But all which he desired was that his doings should be superior to his name, and therefore he said of himself that he was simply "a man useful to others."
子曰：「事君可貴可賤，可富可貧，可生可殺，而不可使為亂。」
The Master said, 'In the service of a ruler, one may be in a high position or a low, rich or poor, to live or to die (according to the will of the ruler), but he should not allow himself to be led to do anything contrary to order or right.'
子曰：「君子慎以辟禍，篤以不掩，恭以遠恥。」
The Master said, 'The superior man is careful (in small things), and thereby escapes calamity. His generous largeness cannot be kept in obscurity. His courtesy keeps shame at a distance.'
子曰：「仁之難成久矣，惟君子能之。是故君子不以其所能者病人，不以人之所不能者愧人。是故聖人之制行也，不制以己，使民有所勸勉愧恥，以行其言。禮以節之，信以結之，容貌以文之，衣服以移之，朋友以極之，欲民之有壹也。《小雅》曰：『不愧于人，不畏於天。』
The Master said, 'Long has the attainment of perfect humanity been difficult among men; it is only the superior man who is able to reach it. Therefore the superior man does not distress men by requiring from them that which (only) he himself can do, nor put them to shame because of what they cannot do. Hence the sage, in laying down rules for conduct, does not make himself the rule, but gives them his instructions so that they shall be able to stimulate themselves to endeavour, and have the feeling of shame if they do not put them in practice. (He enjoins) the rules of ceremony to regulate the conduct; good faith to bind it on them; right demeanour to set it off; costume to distinguish it; and friendship to perfect it - he desires in this way to produce a uniformity of the people. It is said in the Xiao Ya (V, ode 5, 3), "Shall they unblushing break man's law? Shall they not stand of Heaven in awe?"
子曰：「下之事上也，雖有庇民之大德，不敢有君民之心，仁之厚也。是故君子恭儉以求役仁，信讓以求役禮，不自尚其事，不自尊其身，儉於位而寡於欲，讓於賢，卑己尊而人，小心而畏義，求以事君，得之自是，不得自是，以聽天命。
The Master said, 'In serving (the ruler) his superior, (an officer) from his position has great opportunity to protect the people; but when he does not allow himself to have any thought of acting as the ruler of them, this shows a high degree of humanity. Therefore, the superior man is courteous and economical, seeking to exercise his benevolence, and sincere and humble in order to practise his sense of propriety. He does not himself seta high value on his services; he does not himself assert the honour due to his person. He is not ambitious of (high) position, and is very moderate in his desires. He gives place willingly to men of ability and virtue. He abases himself and gives honour to others. He is careful and in fear of doing what is not right. His desire in all this is to serve his ruler. If he succeed in doing so (and obtaining his ruler's approbation), he feels that he has done right; if he do not so succeed, he still feels that he has done right - prepared to accept the will of Heaven concerning himself.
《詩》云：『莫莫葛藟，施于條枚；凱弟君子，求福不回。』其舜、禹、文王、周公之謂與！有君民之大德，有事君之小心。《詩》云：『惟此文王，小心翼翼，昭事上帝，聿懷多福，厥德不回，以受方國。』」
It is said in the Book of Poetry (III, i, ode 5, 6), "How the creepers close twine Round the branches and stems! Self-possession and ease Robed our prince as with gems. Happiness increased unsought, Nor by crooked ways was bought." Might not this have been said of Shun, Yu, king Wen, or the duke of Zhou, who had the great virtues (necessary) to govern the people, and yet were (only) careful to serve their rulers? It is said again in the same Book of Poetry (III, i, ode 2, 3), "This our king Wen in all his way Did watchful reverence display, With clearest wisdom serving God, Who, pleased to see the course he trod, Him with great favour crowned. His virtue no deflection knew, But always to the right was true. The states beheld, and all approved. With loyal ardour stirred and moved, Wen as their head they owned."'
子曰：「仁有三，與仁同功而異情。與仁同功，其仁未可知也；與仁同過，然後其仁可知也。仁者安仁，知者利仁，畏罪者強仁。仁者右也，道者左也。仁者人也，道者義也。厚於仁者薄於義，親而不尊；厚於義者薄於仁，尊而不親。道有至，義有考。至道以王，義道以霸，考道以為無失。」
The Master said, '(The virtues of) humanity appear in three ways. (In some cases) the work of humanity is done, but under the influence of different feelings. In these, the (true character of the) humanity cannot be known; but where there is some abnormal manifestation of it, in those the true character can be known. Those to whom it really belongs practise it easily and naturally; the wise practise it for the sake of the advantage which it brings; and those who fear the guilt of transgression practise it by constraint. Humanity is the right hand; pursuing the right path is the left. Humanity comprehends the (whole) man; the path pursued is the exhibition of righteousness. Those whose humanity is large, while their exhibition of righteousness is slight, are loved and not honoured. Those whose righteousness is large and their humanity slight are honoured and not loved. There is the perfect path, the righteous path, and the calculated path. The perfect path conducts to sovereignty; the righteous path, to chieftaincy; and the calculated path, to freedom from error and failure.
子曰：「無辭不相接也，無禮不相見也；欲民之毋相褻也。《易》曰：『初筮告，再三瀆，瀆則不告。』」
The Master said, 'Without the interchange of the formal messages, there can be no reception of one party by another; without the presenting of the ceremonial (gifts), there can be no interview (with a superior) - these rules were made that the people might not take troublesome liberties with one another! It is said in the Yi, "When he shows (the sincerity that marks) the first recourse to divination, I instruct him. If he apply a second and third time, that is troublesome, and I do not instruct the troublesome."'
子曰：「以德報怨，則寬身之仁也；以怨報德，則刑戮之民也。」
The Master said, 'They who return kindness for injury are such as have a regard for their own persons. They who return injury for kindness are men to be punished and put to death.'
子曰：「事君慎始而敬終。」
The Master said, 'In the service of a ruler, (an officer) should be careful at the beginning, and respectful to the end.'
子曰：「大人之器威敬。天子無筮；諸侯有守筮。天子道以筮；諸侯非其國不以筮。卜宅寢室。天子不卜處大廟。」
The Master said, 'The shell and stalks employed by the great men must be held in awe and reverence. But the son of Heaven does not divine by the stalks. While the princes are keeping guard in their states, they divine by the stalks. When the son of Heaven is on the road (travelling), he (also) divines by the stalks. In any other state but their own they do not divine by the stalks. They consult the tortoise-shell about the chambers and apartments of the houses (where they lodge). The son of Heaven does not so consult the tortoise-shell he stays always in the grand ancestral temples.'
子曰：「夏道尊命，事鬼敬神而遠之，近人而忠焉，先祿而後威，先賞而後罰，親而不尊；其民之敝：蠢而愚，喬而野，樸而不文。殷人尊神，率民以事神，先鬼而後禮，先罰而後賞，尊而不親；其民之敝：蕩而不靜，勝而無恥。周人尊禮尚施，事鬼敬神而遠之，近人而忠焉，其賞罰用爵列，親而不尊；其民之敝：利而巧，文而不慚，賊而蔽。」
The Master said, 'Under the Xia dynasty it was the way to give honour to the nature conferred on men; they served the manes of the departed, and respected Spiritual Beings, keeping them at a distance, while they brought the people near, and made them loyal; they put first the (attraction) of emolument, and last the terrors of power; first rewards, and then punishments; showing their affection (for the people), but not giving them honour. The bad effect on the people was, that they became stupid and ignorant, proud and clownish, and uncultivated, without any accomplishments. Under the Yin dynasty, they honoured Spiritual Beings, and led the people on to serve them; they put first the service of their manes, and last the usages of ceremony; first punishments, and then rewards; giving honour (to the people), but not showing affection for them. The bad effect on the people was, that they became turbulent and were restless, striving to surpass one another without any sense of shame. Under the Zhou dynasty, they honoured the ceremonial usages, and set a high value on bestowing (favours); they served the manes and respected Spiritual Beings, yet keeping them at a distance; they brought the people near, and made them loyal; in rewarding and punishing they used the various distinctions and arrangements of rank; showing affection (for the people), but not giving them honour. The bad effects on the people were, that they became fond of gain and crafty; were all for accomplishments, and shameless; injured one another, and had their moral sense obscured.'
子曰：「事君，軍旅不辟難，朝廷不辭賤；處其位而不履其事則亂也。故君使其臣得志，則慎慮而從之；否，則孰慮而從之。終事而退，臣之厚也。《易》曰：『不事王侯，高尚其事。』」
The Master said, 'In the service of a ruler, if it be in the army, (an officer) should not (try to) avoid labour and danger; if it be at court he should not refuse a mean office. To occupy a post and not perform its business is contrary to order and right. Hence, when a ruler employs him on any duty, if it suit his own mind, he thinks carefully of what it requires, and does it; if it do not suit his own mind, he thinks the more carefully of what it requires, and does it. When his work is done, he retires from Office - such is an officer who well discharges his duty. It is said in the Yi (vol. xvi, p. 96), "He does not serve either king or feudal lord, but in a lofty spirit prefers (to attend to) his own affairs."'
子曰：「牲牷禮樂齊盛，是以無害乎鬼神，無怨乎百姓。」
The Master said, 'With the victims perfect, the proper ceremonies and music, and the vessels of grain, (they sacrificed); and thus no injury was received from the Spiritual Powers, and the people had no occasion for dissatisfaction.'
子曰：「齊戒以事鬼神，擇日月以見君，恐民之不敬也。」
The Master said, 'Vigil and fasting are required (as a preparation) for serving the spirits (in sacrifice); the day and month in which to appear before the ruler are chosen beforehand - these observances were appointed lest the people should look on these things without reverence.'
子曰：「事君不下達，不尚辭，非其人弗自。小雅曰：『靖共爾位，正直是與；神之聽之，式穀以女。』」
The Master said, 'In the service of a ruler, (a minister) should not descend to subjects beneath him, nor set a high value on speeches, nor accept an introduction from improper individuals. It is said in the Xiao Ya (II, vi, ode 3, 4), "Your duties quietly fulfil, And hold the upright in esteem, With friendship fast; So shall the Spirits hear your cry, You virtuous make, and good supply In measure vast."'