Confucian Maxims and Sayings

Like the Book of Documents, the Analects were ordered burned by Qin Shihuangdi (First Emperor). The surviving text was compiled and edited more than three hundred years after the death of Confucius. Confucius did not write down the Analects; rather, the sayings in the Analects were recorded after his death by his students. The actual text contains hundreds of sayings, completely out of context, and is traditionally read with later commentaries to aid in understanding. The readings in this passage are representative of the topics contained in the Analects and are presented without commentaries.

[Book I]

V. The Master said, “To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for the people; and the employment of them at the proper seasons.”

VI. The Master said, “A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies.”

VII. Tsze-hea said, “If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if, in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere: — although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.” . . .

[Book II]

III. 1. The Master said, “If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame.

2. “If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good.”. . .

V. 1. Măng E asked what filial piety was. The Master said, “It is not being disobedient.”

2. Soon after, as Fan Ch‘e was driving him, the Master told him, saying, “Măng-sun asked me what filial piety was, and I answered him — ‘Not being disobedient.’”

3. Fan Ch‘e said, “What did you mean?” The Master replied, “That parents, when alive, should be served according to propriety; that when dead, they should be buried according to propriety; and that they should be sacrificed to according to propriety.”

VI. Măng Woo asked what filial piety was. The Master said, “Parents are anxious lest their children should be sick.”

VII. Tsze-yew asked what filial piety was. The Master said, “The filial piety of now-a-days means the support of one’s parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support; — without reverence, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the other?”

VIII. Tsze-hea asked what filial piety was. The Master said, “The difficulty is with the countenance. If, when their elders have any troublesome affairs, the young take the toil of them, and if, when the young have wine and food, they set them before their elders, is THIS to be considered filial piety?”. . .

XIX. The Duke Gae asked, saying, “What should be done in order to secure the submission of the people?” Confucius replied, “Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the people will submit. Advance the crooked and set aside the upright, then the people will not submit.”

XX. Ke K‘ang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful to him, and to urge themselves to virtue. The Master said, “Let him preside over them with gravity; — then they will reverence him. Let him be filial and kind to all; — then they will be faithful to him. Let him advance the good and teach the incompetent; — then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous.” . . .

[Book IV]

II. The Master said, “Those who are without virtue cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue.”

III. The Master said, “It is only the truly virtuous man who can love, or who can hate, others.”

IV. The Master said, “If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness.”

V. 1. The Master said, “Riches and honors are what men desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be avoided.

2. “If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfill the requirements of that name?

3. “The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.”

VI. 1. The Master said, “I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue would esteem nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practice virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person.

2. “Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient.

3. “Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it.”

VII. The Master said, “The faults of men are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a man’s faults, it may be known that he is virtuous.” . . .

X. The Master said, “The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.”

XI. The Master said, “The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favors which he may receive.”

XII. The Master said, “He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.”

XIII. The Master said, “If a prince is able to govern his kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety, what difficulty will he have? If he cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has he to do with the rules of propriety?” . . .

XVI. The Master said, “The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain.”

XVII. The Master said, “When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”

James Legge, ed., The Life and Teachings of Confucius (London: N. Trübner & Co., 1872), 118, 122–123, 125–126, 134–137.

READING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS