Chinese and Arabian Literature - E. Wilson - The Search For Mecca

86
CONFUCIUS
a fowl and prepared some millet, entertained him, and brought
his two sons out to see him.
On the morrow Tsz-lu went on his way, and told all this to the
Master, who said, " He is a recluse," and sent Tsz-lu back to
see him again. But by the time he got there he was gone.
Tsz-lu remarked upon this, " It is not right he should evade
official duties. If he cannot allow any neglect of the terms on
which elders and juniors should live together, how is it that he
neglects to conform to what is proper as between prince and
public servant ? He wishes for himself personally a pure life,
yet creates disorder in that more important relationship. When
a gentleman undertakes public work, he will carry out the
and he knows beforehand that right princi-
duties proper to it ;
ples may not win their way."
Among those who have retired from public life have been
Peh-I and Shuh-Ts'i, Yu-chung, I-yih, Chu-chang, Hwui of
Liuhia, and Shau-lien.
" Of these," said the Master, " Peh-I and Shuh-Ts'i may be
characterized, I should say, as men who never declined from
their high resolve nor soiled themselves by aught of disgrace.
" Of Hwui of Liu-hia and Shau-lien, if one may say that they
did decline from high resolve, and that they did bring disgrace
upon themselves, yet their words were consonant with established
principles, and their action consonant with men's
thoughts and wishes ; and this is all that may be said of them.
" Of Yu-chung and I-yih, if it be said that when they retired
into privacy they let loose their tongues, yet in their aim at
personal purity of life they succeeded, and their defection was
also successful in its influence.
" My own rule is different from any adopted by these : I will
take no liberties, I will have no curtailing of my liberty."
The chief music-master went ofif to Ts'i. Kan, the conduc-
tor of the music at the second repast, went over to Ts'u. Liau,
conductor at the third repast, went over to Ts'ai. And Kiueh,
who conducted at the fourth, went to Ts'in.
Fang-shuh, the drummer, withdrew into the neighborhood of
the Ho. Wu the tambourer went to the Han. And Yang the
junior music-master, and Siang who played on the musical
stone, went to the sea-coast.
Anciently the Duke of Chow, addressing his son the Duke of
Lu, said, " A good man in high place is not indifferent about