Duke Ding asked, "Is there such a thing as a single saying that can bring a state to flourish?" Confucius replied, "No saying can be counted on to that extent, yet something comes close. People say: 'To be a ruler is difficult; to be a minister is no easy matter.' If one truly understands the difficulty of being a ruler, is that not close to a single saying that can make a state flourish?" The Duke asked, "Is there such a thing as a single saying that can bring a state to ruin?" Confucius replied, "No saying can be counted on to that extent, yet something comes close. People say: 'I find no pleasure in being a ruler, except that no one dares to contradict what I say.' If what he says is good and no one contradicts him, that is well enough. But if what he says is not good, and no one dares to contradict him, is that not close to a single saying that can bring a state to ruin?"
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子问公叔文子于公明贾曰：「信乎？夫子不言，不笑，不取乎？」公明贾对曰：「以告者过也。夫子时然后言，人不厌其言；乐然后笑，人不厌其笑；义然后取，人不厌其取。」子曰：「其然？岂其然乎？」
11.26子路、曾皙、冉有、公西华侍坐。子曰：「以吾一日长乎尔，毋吾以也。居则曰：『不吾知也！』如或知尔，则何以哉？」子路率尔而对曰：「千乘之国，摄乎大国之间，加之以师旅，因之以饥馑；由也为之，比及三年，可使有勇，且知方也。」夫子哂之。「求！尔何如？」对曰：「方六七十，如五六十，求也为之，比及三年，可使足民。如其礼乐，以俟君子。」「赤！尔何如？」对曰：「非曰能之，愿学焉。宗庙之事，如会同，端章甫，愿为小相焉。」「点！尔何如？」鼓瑟希，铿尔，舍瑟而作。对曰：「异乎三子者之撰。」子曰：「何伤乎？亦各言其志也。」曰：「莫春者，春服既成。冠者五六人，童子六七人，浴乎沂，风乎舞雩，咏而归。」夫子喟然叹曰：「吾与点也！」三子者出，曾皙后。曾皙曰：「夫三子者之言何如？」子曰：「亦各言其志也已矣。」曰：「夫子何哂由也？」曰：「为国以礼，其言不让，是故哂之。」「唯求则非邦也与？」「安见方六七十如五六十而非邦也者？」「唯赤则非邦也与？」「宗庙会同，非诸侯而何？赤也为之小，孰能为之大？」
14.3子曰：「邦有道，危言危行；邦无道，危行言孙。」