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

THE ANALECTS 67
Again, " There are three attainments of the superior man
which are beyond me—the being sympathetic without anxiety,
wise without scepticism, brave without fear."
" Sir," said Tsz-kung, " that is what you say of yourself."
Whenever Tsz-kung drew comparisons from others, the
Master would say, " Ah, how wise and great you must have
become ! Now I have no time to do that."
Again, " My great concern is, not that men do not know
me, but that they cannot."
Again, " If a man refrain from making preparations against
his being imposed upon, and from counting upon others' want
of good faith towards him, while he is foremost to perceive what
is passing—surely that is a wise and good man."
Wi-shang Mau accosted Confucius, saying, " Kiu, how
comes it that you manage to go perching and roosting in this
way?
now?
Is it not because you show yourself so smart a speaker,
"
" I should not dare do that," said Confucius. " 'Tis that I
am sick of men's immovableness and deafness to reason."
" In a well-bred horse," said he, " what one admires is not its
speed, but its good points."
Some one asked, " What say you of the remark, * Requite
enmity with kindness '? "
" How then," he answered, " would you requite kindness ?
Requite enmity with straightforwardness, and kindness with
kindness."
" Ah ! no one knows me " ! he once exclaimed.
" Sir," said Tsz-kung, " how comes it
knows you?
to pass that no one
"
" While I murmur not against Heaven," continued the Master,
" nor cavil at men ; while I stoop to learn and aspire to
penetrate into things that are high ; yet 'tis Heaven alone
knows what I am."
Liau, a kinsman of the duke, having laid a complaint against
Tsz-lu before Ki K'ang, an officer came to Confucius to inform
him of the fact, and he added, " My lord is certainly having his
mind poisoned by his kinsman Liau, but through my influence
perhaps we may yet manage to see him exposed in the market-
place or the Court."
" If right principles are to have their course, it is so destined,"
said the Master ; " if they are not to have their course, it is so
destined. What can Liau do against Destiny ? "