三以天下讓，民無得而稱焉。」
Thrice he declined the kingdom, and the people in ignorance of his motives could not express their approbation of his conduct."
子曰：「恭而無禮則勞，慎而無禮則葸，勇而無禮則亂，直而無禮則絞。
The Master said, "Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes laborious bustle; carefulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes timidity; boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness.
When those who are in high stations perform well all their duties to their relations, the people are aroused to virtue.
君子篤於親，則民興於仁；故舊不遺，則民不偷。」
When old friends are not neglected by them, the people are preserved from meanness."
曾子有疾，召門弟子曰：「啟予足！
The philosopher Zeng being ill, he cared to him the disciples of his school, and said, "Uncover my feet, uncover my hands.
《詩》云『戰戰兢兢，如臨深淵，如履薄冰。
Now and hereafter, I know my escape from all injury to my person.
曾子有疾，孟敬子問之。
The philosopher Zeng being ill, Meng Jing went to ask how he was.
君子所貴乎道者三：動容貌，斯遠暴慢矣；正顏色，斯近信矣；出辭氣，斯遠鄙倍矣。
There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially important: that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness; that in regulating his countenance he keep near to sincerity; and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety.
籩豆之事，則有司存。」
As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels, there are the proper officers for them."
曾子曰：「以能問於不能，以多問於寡；有若無，實若虛，犯而不校，昔者吾友嘗從事於斯矣。」
The philosopher Zeng said, "Gifted with ability, and yet putting questions to those who were not so; possessed of much, and yet putting questions to those possessed of little; having, as though he had not; full, and yet counting himself as empty; offended against, and yet entering into no altercation; formerly I had a friend who pursued this style of conduct."
往者不可諫，來者猶可追。
As to the past, reproof is useless; but the future may still be provided against.
曾子曰：「可以託六尺之孤，可以寄百里之命，臨大節而不可奪也。
The philosopher Zeng said, "Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with the charge of a young orphan prince, and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred li, and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles - is such a man a superior man?
君子人與？
The philosopher Zeng said, "Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with the charge of a young orphan prince, and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred li, and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles - is such a man a superior man?
或問子產。
Some one asked about Zi Chan.
子曰：「惠人也。
Some one asked about Zi Chan.
曾子曰：「士不可以不弘毅，任重而道遠。
The philosopher Zeng said, "The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance.
子曰：「興於詩，立於禮。
The Master said, "It is by the Odes that the mind is aroused.
It is by the Rules of Propriety that the character is established.
子曰：「民可使由之，不可使知之。」
The Master said, "The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it."
子曰：「好勇疾貧，亂也。
The Master said, "The man who is fond of daring and is dissatisfied with poverty, will proceed to insubordination.
人而不仁，疾之已甚，亂也。」
The man who is not virtuous, when you carry your dislike of him to an extreme, will also proceed to insubordination."
子曰：「如有周公之才之美，使驕且吝，其餘不足觀也已。」
The Master said, "Though a man have abilities as admirable as those of the duke of Zhou, yet if he be proud and niggardly, those other things are really not worth being looked at."
子曰：「三年學，不至於穀，不易得也。」
The Master said, "Having learned for three years without coming to be good - such a man is not easy to find."
子曰：「篤信好學，守死善道。
The Master said, "With sincere faith he unites the love of learning; holding firm to death, he is perfecting the excellence of his course.
天下有道則見，無道則隱。
When right principles of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated, he will keep concealed.
子曰：「不在其位，不謀其政。」
The Master said, "He who is not in any particular office has nothing to do with plans for the administration of its duties."