將行，晏子送之，曰：「吾聞君子贈人以財，不若以言。
Lord Jing of Qi149 extended him the treatment prescribed for lower-ranking ministers only, and Zengzi in consequence took his departure.
今夫蘭本三年，湛之以鹿醢，既成，則易以匹馬。
When he was about to leave, Yanzi150 saw him off and said, “I have heard that a man of quality, rather than presenting material objects to others as gifts prefers to present words.
非蘭本美也，願子詳其所湛，既得所湛，亦求所湛。
So now let me say that, when pickled deer meat is used to enrich a three-year orchid root, the orchid root, once the process is complete, [will have become so valuable that] it can be exchanged for a horse.
It is not that the orchid root is beautiful.
吾聞君子居必擇處，遊必擇士。
I want you to grasp what causes the root’s enrichment.
居必擇處，所以求士也。
Once you have grasped this, you too can seek to be enriched.
遊必擇士，所以修道也。
I have heard that a man of quality does not dwell in a place without first selecting it and does not pass time with others without first choosing his associates.
吾聞反常移性者欲也，故不可不慎也。」
His selection of places to dwell in is the basis of his search for worthy men. His selection of men to pass time with is the basis of his cultivation of the Way.
I have heard that desire is the thing that causes violation of norms and changes in character; thus, one cannot but be careful in the way one proceeds.