子曰：「雍也可使南面。」
The Master said: "Yong is fit to sit facing south." [i.e., fit to rule as a lord…
仲弓问子桑伯子，子曰：「可也，简。」仲弓曰：「居敬而行简，以临其民，不亦可乎？居简而行简，无乃大简乎？」子曰：「雍之言然…
Zhonggong asked about Zisang Bozi. The Master said, "He is capable enough—he is …
哀公问：「弟子孰为好学？」孔子对曰：「有颜回者好学，不迁怒，不贰过。不幸短命死矣。今也则亡，未闻好学者也。」
Duke Ai asked, "Among your disciples, who is the most devoted to learning?" Conf…
子华使于齐，冉子为其母请粟，子曰：「与之釜。」请益，曰：「与之庾。」冉子与之粟五秉。子曰：「赤之适齐也，乘肥马，衣轻裘。…
When Zihua was sent on a mission to Qi, Ran Qiu asked on behalf of Zihua's mothe…
原思为之宰，与之粟九百，辞。子曰：「毋以与尔邻里乡党乎！」
Yuan Si was appointed steward of Confucius's household, and was offered nine hun…
子谓仲弓曰：「犁牛之子骍且角，虽欲勿用，山川其舍诸？」
The Master, speaking of Zhonggong, said: "If the calf of a plow-ox is ruddy of c…
子曰：「回也，其心三月不违仁，其余则日月至焉而已矣。」
The Master said: "Ah, Hui! His heart did not depart from humaneness for three mo…
季康子问：「仲由可使从政也与？」子曰：「由也果，于从政乎何有？」曰：「赐也可使从政也与？」曰：「赐也达，于从政乎何有？」…
Ji Kangzi asked: "Can Zhongyou be employed in government?" The Master said: "You…
季氏使闵子骞为费宰。闵子骞曰：「善为我辞焉。如有复我者，则吾必在汶上矣。」
The Ji clan sent a messenger to ask Min Ziqian to serve as the steward of Bi. Mi…
伯牛有疾。子问之，自牖执其手，曰：「亡之，命矣夫！斯人也而有斯疾也！斯人也而有斯疾也！」
Boniu was ill. The Master went to inquire after him and, reaching through the wi…
子曰：「贤哉，回也！一箪食，一瓢饮，在陋巷，人不堪其忧，回也不改其乐。贤哉，回也！」
The Master said: "What a man of virtue Yan Hui was! With a single bamboo bowl of…
冉求曰：「非不说子之道，力不足也。」子曰：「力不足者，中道而废，今女画。」
Ran Qiu said: "It is not that I do not delight in the Master's way, but that my …
子谓子夏曰：「女为君子儒，毋为小人儒。」
The Master said to Zixia: "Be a gentleman among scholars, not a petty man among …
子游为武城宰。子曰「女得人焉尔乎？」曰：「有澹台灭明者，行不由径。非公事，未尝至于偃之室也。」
Ziyou was serving as the magistrate of Wucheng. The Master asked: "Have you foun…
子曰：「孟之反不伐，奔而殿，将入门，策其马，曰：『非敢后也，马不进也。』」
The Master said: "Meng Zhifan was not one to boast. In retreat, he brought up th…
子曰：「不有祝鮀之佞，而有宋朝之美，难乎免于今之世矣。」
The Master said: "Without the glib tongue of Zhu Tuo, yet possessing only the fa…
子曰：「谁能出不由户？何莫由斯道也？」
The Master said: "Who can leave a room without passing through the door? Why the…
子曰：「质胜文则野，文胜质则史。文质彬彬，然后君子。」
The Master said: "When substance prevails over refinement, one becomes boorish; …
子曰：「人之生也直，罔之生也幸而免。」
The Master said: "A person's life is sustained by integrity. That those lacking …
子曰：「知之者不如好之者，好之者不如乐之者。」
The Master said: "Those who know it are not the equal of those who love it, and …
子曰：「中人以上，可以语上也；中人以下，不可以语上也。」
The Master said: "Those of above-average capacity may be taught the most elevate…
樊迟问知，子曰：「务民之义，敬鬼神而远之，可谓知矣。」问仁，曰：「仁者先难而后获，可谓仁矣。」
Fanchi asked about wisdom. The Master said: "Devoting oneself to what is right a…
子曰：「知者乐水，仁者乐山。知者动，仁者静。知者乐，仁者寿。」
The Master said: "The wise delight in water; the humane delight in mountains. Th…
子曰：「齐一变，至于鲁；鲁一变，至于道。」
The Master said: "Let Qi make one transformation and it will reach the level of …
子曰：「觚不觚，觚哉！觚哉！」
The Master said: "A gu that is no longer a proper gu — is it still a gu? Is it s…
宰我问曰：「仁者，虽告之曰『井有仁焉』，其从之也？」子曰：「何为其然也？君子可逝也，不可陷也；可欺也，不可罔也。」
Zaiwo asked: "If someone with benevolence were told, 'There is a benevolent pers…
子曰：「君子博学于文，约之以礼，亦可以弗畔矣夫！」
The Master said: "When a gentleman learns widely from literature and restrains h…
子见南子，子路不说。夫子矢之曰：「予所否者，天厌之！天厌之！」
The Master went to see Nanzi, and Zilu was displeased. The Master swore an oath,…
子曰：「中庸之为德也，其至矣乎！民鲜久矣。」
The Master said: "The virtue of the mean — is it not the highest? Yet among the …
子贡曰：「如有博施于民而能济众，何如？可谓仁乎？」子曰：「何事于仁！必也圣乎！尧舜其犹病诸！夫仁者，己欲立而立人，己欲达…
Zigong said: "Suppose there were someone who gave generously to the people and w…