ion, respectful
in demeanor, true in word, serious in duty, inquiring in doubt, firmly
self-controlled in anger, just and fair when the way to success opens
out before him."

"Some have spoken of 'looking upon goodness as upon something beyond
their reach,' and of 'looking upon evil as like plunging one's hands
into scalding liquid';--I have seen the men, I have heard the sayings.

"Some, again, have talked of 'living in seclusion to work out their
designs,' and of 'exercising themselves in righteous living in order to
render their principles the more effective';--I have heard the sayings,
I have not seen the men."

"Duke King of Ts'i had his thousand teams of four, yet on the day of his
death the people had nothing to say of his goodness. Peh-I and Shuh-Ts'i
starved at the foot of Shau-yang, and the people make mention of them to
this day.

'E'en if not wealth thine object be,
'Tis all the same, thou'rt changed to me.'

"Is not this apropos in such cases?"

Tsz-k'in asked of Pih-yu, "Have you heard anything else peculiar from
your father?"

"Not yet," said he. "Once, though, he was standing alone when I was
hurrying past him over the vestibule, and he said, 'Are you studying the
Odes?' 'Not yet,' I replied. 'If you do not learn the Odes,' said he,
'you will not have the wherewithal for conversing,' I turned away and
studied the Odes. Another day, when he was again standing alone and I
was hurrying past across the vestibule, he said to me, 'Are you learning
the Rules of Propriety?' 'Not yet,' I replied. 'If you have not studied
the Rules, you have nothing to stand upon,' said he. I turned away and
studied the Rules.--These two things I have heard from him."

Tsz-k'in turned away, and in great glee exclaimed, "I asked one thing,
and have got three. I have learnt something about the Odes, and about
the Rules, and moreover I have learnt how the superior man will turn
away his own son."

The wife of the ruler of a State is called by her husband "My helpmeet."
She speaks of herself as "Your little handmaiden." The people of that
State call her "The prince's helpmeet," but addressing persons of
another State they speak of her as "Our little princess." When persons
of another State name her they say also "Your prince's helpmeet."

BOOK XVII

The Master Induced to Take Office--Nature and Habit

Yang Ho was desirous of having an interview with Confucius, but on the
latter's failing to go and see him, he