第480章

Zilu, who had fallen behind while following the Master, encountered an old man carrying a weed-cutter over his shoulder on a staff. Zilu asked: "Have you seen my Master?" The old man said: "You who never toil with your four limbs, who cannot tell one grain from another — who is your master?" He then planted his staff in the ground and began hoeing. Zilu stood to one side with hands respectfully folded. The old man invited Zilu to stay the night, killed a chicken and prepared millet to feed him, and brought out his two sons to be introduced. The next morning Zilu caught up with the Master and told him what had happened. The Master said: "He is a recluse." He sent Zilu back to see the man again. When Zilu arrived, the old man had already gone out. Zilu then said: "To refuse to serve in office is to forsake righteousness. The proper distinctions between young and old cannot be set aside; how then can the duty between ruler and minister be set aside? In wishing to keep himself unsullied, he throws into disorder the most important of human relationships. When a gentleman takes office, he does so to fulfill this duty of righteousness. That the Way is not prevailing — this we have long known."