盗跖从卒九千人，横行天下，侵暴诸侯；穴室枢户，驱人牛马，取人妇女；贪得忘亲，不顾父母兄弟，不祭先祖。
Headed by Zhi the Robber, the men broke into private residences, forced open the doors, robbed cattle and abducted women.
They were so insatiable of possess- sions that they did not even care for their kith and kin, or give any thought to their parents and siblings, or offered any sacrifices to gods and ances- tors.
所过之邑，大国守城，小国入保，万民苦之。
The very appearance of Zhi's band threatened all the city-states, big ones having their warriors retreat behind the walls and moats, small ones having their men withdraw into the fortresses, and all the inhabitants suffering untold miseries.
孔子谓柳下季曰：“夫为人父者，必能诏其子；为人兄者，必能教其弟。
Confucius said to his friend Liuxia Ji, As the father, one must be able to instruct the son; as the elder brother, one must be able to guide the younger brother.
Failure in the respective capacity will weaken the filial intimacy and the fraternal affection.
若父不能诏其子，兄不能教其弟，则无贵父子兄弟之亲矣。
Now sir, you are a man of worth in society, whereas your brother is referred to as Zhi the Robber.
今先生，世之才士也，弟为盗跖，为天下害，而弗能教也，丘窃为先生羞之。
He has become a curse, whom you fail to guide.
I feel ashamed for you in pri- vate.
丘请为先生往说之。
I'll willingly go and persuade him on your behalf.
”柳下季曰：“先生言为人父者必能诏其子，为人兄者必能教其弟，若子不听父之诏，弟不受兄之教，虽今先生之辩，将奈之何哉！
Liuxia Ji said, You said, As the father, one must be able to instruct the son; as the elder brother, one must be able to guide the younger brother.
However, if the son does not listen to his father's instruction, or the younger brother refuses to follow his elder brother's guidance, what can be done even though the person has an eloquence which might equal yours?
且跖之为人也，心如涌泉，意如飘风，强足以距敌，辩足以饰非，顺其心则喜，逆其心则怒，易辱人以言。
Besides, Zhi is a man with a mind as animating as a gushing spring, a temper as capricious as an unexpected storm, a toughness and intrepidity formidable enough to defeat his adversaries, his tongue glib enough to cover up his errors.
He will get pleased when he is obeyed and he will get angry and use bad language when he is disobeyed.
先生必无往。
You should not go to see him on any account." Ignoring the advice, Confucius, with Yan Hui driving the carriage and Zigong sitting on his right, went to visit Zhi the Robber.
”
孔子不听，颜回为驭，子贡为右，往见盗跖。
At the southern foot of Mount Tai, over their barbecue of minced human livers, Zhi and his band were resting and getting reorganized for new assaults.
Confucius got off his carriage and advanced to Zhi's messenger, saying, "I'm Confucius from the state of Lu.
盗跖乃方休卒徒大山之阳，脍人肝而餔之。
I've come all the way to see your chief when I heard that he is lofty and righteous.
孔子下车而前，见谒者曰：“鲁人孔丘，闻将军高义，敬再拜谒者。
I beg you to report my visit to your chief." This the messenger did and Zhi the Robber flew into a rage, his eyes burning and his hair rising upward.
He yelled, "Is he not the cunning hypocrite Confucius from the state of Lu?
”
谒者入通，盗跖闻之大怒，目如明星，发上指冠，曰：“此夫鲁国之巧伪人孔丘非邪？
Tell him for me, You use affected speech and claim yourself to be an advocate of King Wen and King Wu of Zhou.
为我告之：‘尔作言造语，妄称文武，冠枝木之冠，带死牛之胁，多辞缪说，不耕而食，不织而衣，摇唇鼓舌，擅生是非，以迷天下之主，使天下学士不反其本，妄作孝弟而侥幸于封侯富贵者也。
With a hat of withered branches on your head, with a wide belt of cattle hiding around your waist, you go about talking non- sense.
You enjoy good meals but do not plough the fields; you wear fine dresses but do not weave the cloth.
子之罪大极重，疾走归！
Your wagging tongue incites so much trouble that the princes are confused and the scholars abstain from re- turning to nature.
Your pretentious respect for the elders has won, by a fluke, favours from the nobles and the wealthy.
不然，我将以子肝益昼餔之膳！
You are guilty of the most heinous crimes.
’”
孔子复通曰：“丘得幸于季，愿望履幕下。
Get out of my sight or I'll have your liver cut out for a more enjoyable lunch!" Confucius begged again to see Zhi, “As I’m honoured to be acquainted with Liuxia Ji, I wish to speak to the chief in person.” After hearing the messenger’s second report, Zhi ordered, “Bring him in!” Confucius walked quickly into Zhi’s tent, but, instead of taking the seat, he retreated several steps from where Zhi was sitting to bow to the latter.
Zhi, at the sight of Confucius, bristled with anger, his legs stretch- ing out, his right hand gripping tightly his sword, his eyes glaring.
”谒者复通，盗跖曰：“使来前！
He roared like a nursing tigress, “Come over, Confucius!
”孔子趋而进，避席反走，再拜盗跖。
Your life depends on your words.
You’ll have the luck to remain alive if what you say goes along with my thoughts; you’ll perish if what you say goes against my thoughts.” Confucius said, “I have heard that men in the world have three vir- tues.
盗跖大怒，两展其足，案剑瞋目，声如乳虎，曰：“丘来前！
The superior virtue is to be born a man of great height and broad shoulders, a man of incomparable beauty, a man of favour among the noble and the humble alike, among the old and the young alike.
若所言，顺吾意则生，逆吾意则死。
The me- dium virtue is to know about everything in the world and be able to distin- guish all things.
Bravery, resolution and the capability to command a mul- titude of fighters make up the inferior virtue.
”
孔子曰：“丘闻之，凡天下有三德：生而长大，美好无双，少长贵贱见而皆说之，此上德也；知维天地，能辩诸物，此中德也；勇悍果敢，聚众率兵，此下德也。
Possession of any of the three enablers one to reign over the world.
Now you have the supreme advantage of possessing all of the three: Your great height amounts to eight feet and two inches.
凡人有此一德者，足以南面称孤矣。
You have ruddy cheeks, bright eyes and red lips.
今将军兼此三者，身长八尺二寸，面目有光，唇如激丹，齿如齐贝，音中黄钟，而名曰盗跖，丘窃为将军耻不取焉。
You have perfect teeth which look as if deliberately arranged, and you have a voice which sounds as sonorous as a bell.
But, you are now called Zhi the Robber.