oming to the mat, he said, Here
is the mat. When all were seated, the Master told him, He and he are
here.

After the music-master had gone, Tzu-chang said, Is this the way to
speak to a music-master?

The Master said, Surely it is the way to help a music-master.[140]

[Footnote 140: The man being blind, as so many musicians are in the
East.]

BOOK XVI

1. The Chi was about to make war on Chuan-yue.[141]

When Confucius saw Jan Yu and Chi-lu,[142] they said to him, The Chi
is going to deal with Chuan-yue.

Confucius said, After all, Ch'iu,[143] art thou not in the wrong? The
kings of old made Chuan-yue lord of Tung Meng.[144] Moreover, as
Chuan-yue is inside our borders it is the liege of the spirits of earth
and corn of our land; so how can ye make war upon it?

Jan Yu said, Our master wishes it. Tzu-lu and I, his two ministers, do
not, either of us, wish it.

Confucius said, Ch'iu, Chou Jen used to say, 'He that can put forth
his strength takes his place in the line; he that cannot stands back.'
Who would take to help him a man that is no stay in danger and no
support in falling? Moreover, what thou sayest is wrong. If a tiger or
a buffalo escapes from his pen, if tortoiseshell or jade is broken in
its case, who is to blame?

Jan Yu said, But Chuan-yue is now strong, and it is near to Pi[145]; if
it is not taken now, in days to come it will bring sorrow on our sons
and grandsons.

[Footnote 141: A small feudatory state of Lu.]

[Footnote 142: Tzu-lu. He and Jan Yu were in the service of the Chi.]

[Footnote 143: Jan Yu.]

[Footnote 144: A mountain in Chuan-yue. Since the Emperor had given the
ruler of Chuan-yue the right to sacrifice to its mountains, that state
had some measure of independence, though it was feudatory to Lu, and
within its borders.]

[Footnote 145: A town belonging to the Chi.]

Ch'iu, said Confucius, instead of saying 'I want it,' a gentleman
hates to plead that he needs must. I have heard that fewness of men
does not vex a king or a chief, but unlikeness of lot vexes him.
Poverty does not vex him, but want of peace vexes him. For if wealth
were even, no one would be poor. In harmony is number; peace prevents
a fall. Thus, if far off tribes will not submit, bring them in by
encouraging mind and art, and when they come in give them peace. But
now, when far off tribes will not submit, ye two, helpers of your
lord, cannot bring them in. The kingdom is split and falling, an