20. Chi K'ang[19] asked how to make the people lowly, faithful and
painstaking.

[Footnote 19: The head of the Chi clan.]

The Master said, Meet them with dignity, they will be lowly; be a good
son and merciful, they will be faithful; lift up the good and teach
the unskilled, and they will take pains.

21. One said to Confucius, Why do ye not govern, Sir?

The Master said, What does the Book[20] say of a good son? 'To be a
good son and a friend to thy brothers is to show how to govern.'
This, too, is to govern. Must one be in office to govern?

[Footnote 20: The Book of History.]

22. The Master said, A man without truth, I know not what good he is!
A cart without a crosspole, a carriage without a yoke, how can they be
moved?

23. Tzu-chang[21] asked whether we can know what is to be ten
generations hence.

[Footnote 21: A disciple.]

The Master said, The Yin[22] took over the manners of the Hsia; the
harm and the good that they did them can be known. The Chou took over
the manners of the Yin; the harm and the good that they did them can
be known. And we may know what shall be, even an hundred generations
hence, whoever follows Chou.

[Footnote 22: Up to the time of Confucius, China had been ruled by
three lines of kings. First the T'ang, next the Yin or Shang, then the
Chou.]

24. The Master said, To worship the ghosts of men not akin to us is
fawning. To see the right and not do it is want of courage.

BOOK III

1. Of the Chi having eight rows of dancers[23] in his courtyard,
Confucius said, If this is to be borne, what is not to be borne?

[Footnote 23: An Imperial prerogative.]

2. When the sacrifice was ended, the Three Clans had the Yung hymn
sung.

The Master said,

Princes and dukes assist.
Solemn is the Son of heaven;

what meaning has this in the courtyard of the Three Clans?

3. The Master said, A man without love, what is courtesy to him? A man
without love, what is music to him?

4. Lin Fang asked what good form is at root.

The Master said, A big question! At high-tides, thrift is better than
waste; at burials, grief is worth more than nicety.

5. The Master said, Every wild tribe has its lord, whereas the lands
of Hsia[24] have none!

[Footnote 24: China.]

6. The Chi sacrificed to Mount T'ai.[25]

[Footnote 25: A prerogative of the Duke of Lu.]

The Master said to Jan Yu,[26] Canst thou not stop this?

[Footnote 26: A disciple in the service of the Ch