」孔子對曰，「有之。
“Is there indeed such a principle?” “There is,” replied Kongzi.
」哀公曰：「何為其不博也？
“Why must one not play sixes?” asked Lord Ai.
」孔子對曰：「為其有二乘。
“Because in sixes both sides strive to seize the advantage,” replied Kongzi.
」哀公曰：「有二乘則何為不博也？
“Why, if both sides strive to gain the advantage, must one not play it?” asked Lord Ai.
」孔子對曰：「為行惡道也。
“Because to act thus is to engage in evil” was the reply.
」哀公懼焉。
Lord Ai was greatly taken aback at this.
有間曰：「若是乎君子之惡惡道之甚也！
After a moment’s pause, he asked, “Can a man of quality’s hatred of evil extend even to this?” “If your hatred of evil cannot be intense,” replied Kongzi, “then your love of good cannot be intense either.
」孔子對曰：「惡惡道不能甚，則其好善道亦不能甚。
If your love of good15 cannot be intense, then neither can the people’s regard for you be intense.
好善道不能甚，則百姓之親之也亦不能甚。
A passage in the Odes says, ‘Before I have seen my lord, / My heart is consumed with care; / But once I have seen him, / Once I have met him, / My heart is filled with joy.’16 Such is the intensity of the love of goodness that the Odes express.” “How fine!” exclaimed Lord Ai.
詩云：『未見君子，憂心惙惙。
“I have heard that a man of quality brings to fruition the worthy aims of others and not their evil aims.
亦既見止，亦既覯止，我心則說。
Had it not been for Kongzi, how could I have heard this saying?”17 12 The game referred to is liubo 六博.
』詩之好善道之甚也如此！
The game, though popular for many centuries, ceased to be played in early imperial times, after which the rules were forgotten. Referring to a quotation from a nonextant game manual, Gubojing 古博經, Xiang Zonglu says that liubo was played by two people who sat facing each other across a board divided into twelve paths (dao 道).
」哀公曰：「善哉！
The portion between the two sides was called the “river.” Twelve pieces were used, six white and six black.
吾聞君子成人之美，不成人之惡。
A complete excavated set can be observed in the Tomb Museum of the King of Nan Yue 南越王 墓博物館 in Guangzhou.
微孔子，吾焉聞斯言也哉！」
The twelve pieces are elongated, unadorned cubes, the white ones made of crystal and the black ones of turquoise.