The Analects of Confucius: Wei Zi
(论语·微子)

微子去之，箕子为之奴，比干谏而死。孔子曰：“殷有三仁焉。”

The Viscount of Wei withdrew from the court. The Viscount of Ji became a slave to Zhou. Bi Gan remonstrated with him and died. Confucius said, “The Yin dynasty possessed these three men of virtue.”

柳下惠为士师，三黜。人曰：“子未可以去乎？” 曰：“直道而事人，焉往而不三黜？枉道而事人，何必去父母之邦？”

Hui of Liu Xia, being chief criminal judge, was thrice dismissed from his office. Some one said to him, “Is it not yet time for you, sir, to leave this?” He replied, “Serving men in an upright way, where shall I go to, and not experience such a thrice-repeated dismissal? If I choose to serve men in a crooked way, what necessity is there for me to leave the country of my parents?”

齐景公待孔子曰：“若季氏，则吾不能。” 以季、孟之间待之，曰：“吾老矣，不能用也。” 孔子行。

The duke Jing of Qi, with reference to the manner in which he should treat Confucius, said, “I cannot treat him as I would the chief of the Ji family. I will treat him in a manner between that accorded to the chief of the Ji, and that given to the chief of the Meng family.” He also said, “I am old; I cannot use his doctrines.” Confucius took his departure.

齐人归女乐，季桓子受之，三日不朝，孔子行。”

The people of Qi sent to Lu a present of female musicians, which Ji Huan received, and for three days no court was held. Confucius took his departure.

楚狂接舆歌而过孔子曰：“凤兮凤兮，何德之衰？往者不可谏，来者犹可追。已而已而，今之从政者殆而！” 孔子下，欲与之言，趋而辟之，不得与之言。

The madman of Chu, Jie Yu, passed by Confucius, singing and saying, “O Feng! O Feng! How is your virtue degenerated! As to the past, reproof is useless; but the future may still be provided against. Give up your vain pursuit. Give up your vain pursuit. Peril awaits those who now engage in affairs of government.” Confucius alighted and wished to converse with him, but Jie Yu hastened away, so that he could not talk with him.

长沮、桀溺耦而耕，孔子过之，使子路问津焉。长沮曰：“夫执舆者为谁？” 子路曰：“为孔丘。” 曰：“是鲁孔丘与？” 曰：“是也。” 曰：“是知津矣。” 问于桀溺，桀溺曰：“子为谁？” 曰：“为仲由。” 曰：“是鲁孔丘之徒与？” 对曰：“然。” 曰：“滔滔者天下皆是也，而谁以易之？且而与其从辟人之士也，岂若从辟世之士？” 耰而不辍。子路行以告，夫子怃然曰：“鸟兽不可与同群，吾非斯人之徒与而谁与？天下有道，丘不与易也。”

Chang Zu and Jie Ni were at work in the field together, when Confucius passed by them, and sent Zi Lu to inquire for the ford. Chang Zu said, “Who is he that holds the reins in the carriage there?” Zi Lu told him, “It is Kong Qiu.’, “Is it not Kong Qiu of Lu?” asked he. “Yes,” was the reply, to which the other rejoined, “He knows the ford.” Zi Lu then inquired of Jie Ni, who said to him, “Who are you, sir?” He answered, “I am Zhong You.” “Are you not the disciple of Kong Qiu of Lu?” asked the other. “I am,” replied he, and then Jie Ni said to him, “Disorder, like a swelling flood, spreads over the whole empire, and who is he that will change its state for you? Rather than follow one who merely withdraws from this one and that one, had you not better follow those who have withdrawn from the world altogether?” With this he fell to covering up the seed, and proceeded with his work, without stopping. Zi Lu went and reported their remarks, when the Master observed with a sigh, “It is impossible to associate with birds and beasts, as if they were the same with us. If I associate not with these people – with mankind – with whom shall I associate? If right principles prevailed through the empire, there would be no use for me to change its state.”

子路从而后，遇丈人，以杖荷蓧。

Zi Lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, when he met an old man, carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds.

子路问曰：“子见夫子乎？”

Zi Lu said to him, “Have you seen my master, sir?”

丈人曰：“四体不勤，五谷不分，孰为夫子？”

The old man replied, “Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain – who is your master?”

植其杖而芸，子路拱而立。止子路宿，杀鸡为黍而食之，见其二子焉。

With this, he planted his staff in the ground, and proceeded to weed. Zi Lu joined his hands across his breast, and stood before him. The old man kept Zi Lu to pass the night in his house, killed a fowl, prepared millet, and feasted him. He also introduced to him his two sons.

明日，子路行以告，子曰：“隐者也。” 使子路反见之，至则行矣。

Next day, Zi Lu went on his way, and reported his adventure. The Master said, “He is a recluse,” and sent Zi Lu back to see him again, but when he got to the place, the old man was gone.

子路曰：“不仕无义。长幼之节不可废也，君臣之义如之何其废之？欲洁其身而乱大伦。君子之仕也，行其义也，道之不行已知之矣。”

Zi Lu then said to the family, “Not to take office is not righteous. If the relations between old and young may not be neglected, how is it that he sets aside the duties that should be observed between sovereign and minister? Wishing to maintain his personal purity, he allows that great relation to come to confusion. A superior man takes office, and performs the righteous duties belonging to it. As to the failure of right principles to make progress, he is aware of that.”

逸民：伯夷、叔齐、虞仲、夷逸、朱张、柳下惠、少连。子曰：“不降其志，不辱其身，伯夷、叔齐与！” 谓：“柳下惠、少连降志辱身矣，言中伦，行中虑，其斯而已矣。” 谓：“虞仲、夷逸隐居放言，身中清，废中权。我则异于是，无可无不可。”

The men who have retired to privacy from the world have been Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Hui of Liu Xia, and Shao Lian. The Master said, “Refusing to surrender their wills, or to submit to any taint in their persons – such, I think, were Bo Yi and Shu Qi. “It may be said of Hui of Liu Xia, and of Shao Lian, that they surrendered their wills, and submitted to taint in their persons, but their words corresponded with reason, and their actions were such as men are anxious to see. This is all that is to be remarked in them. “It may be said of Yu Zhong and Yi Yi, that, while they hid themselves in their seclusion, they gave a license to their words; but in their persons, they succeeded in preserving their purity, and, in their retirement, they acted according to the exigency of the times. “I am different from all these. I have no course for which I am predetermined, and no course against which I am predetermined.”

太师挚适齐，亚饭干适楚，三饭缭适蔡，四饭缺适秦，鼓方叔入于河，播鼗武入于汉，少师阳、击磬襄入于海。

The grand music master, Zhi, went to Qi. Gan, the master of the band at the second meal, went to Chu. Liao, the band master at the third meal, went to Cai. Que, the band master at the fourth meal, went to Qin. Fang Shu, the drum master, withdrew to the north of the river. Wu, the master of the hand drum, withdrew to the Han. Yang, the assistant music master, and Xiang, master of the musical stone, withdrew to an island in the sea.

周公谓鲁公曰：“君子不施其亲，不使大臣怨乎不以，故旧无大故则不弃也，无求备于一人。”

The duke of Zhou addressed his son, the duke of Lu, saying, “The virtuous prince does not neglect his relations. He does not cause the great ministers to repine at his not employing them. Without some great cause, he does not dismiss from their offices the members of old families. He does not seek in one man talents for every employment.”

周有八士：伯达、伯适、仲突、仲忽、叔夜、叔夏、季随、季騧。

To Zhou belonged the eight officers, Bo Da, Bo Kuo, Zhong Tu, Zhong Hu, Shu Ye, Shu Xia, Ji Sui, and Ji Gua.