1. The Master said, "The men of former times in the matters of ceremonies and music were rustics, it is said, while the men of these latter times, in ceremonies and music, are accomplished gentlemen.

2. "If I have occasion to use those things, I follow the men of former times."

3. The Master said, "Of those who were with me in Ch'an and Ts'ai, there are none to be found to enter my door."

4. Distinguished for their virtuous principles and practice, there were Yen Yuan, Min Tsze-ch'ien, Zan Po-niu, and Chung-kung; for their ability in speech, Tsai Wo and Tsze-kung; for their administrative talents, Zan Yu and Chi Lu; for their literary acquirements, Tsze-yu and Tsze-hsia.

5. The Master said, "Hui gives me no assistance. There is nothing that I say in which he does not delight."

6. The Master said, "Filial indeed is Min Tsze-ch'ien! Other people say nothing of him different from the report of his parents and brothers."

7. Nan Yung was frequently repeating the lines about a white scepter stone. Confucius gave him the daughter of his elder brother to wife.

8. Chi K'ang asked which of the disciples loved to learn. Confucius replied to him, "There was Yen Hui; he loved to learn. Unfortunately his appointed time was short, and he died. Now there is no one who loves to learn, as he did."

9. When Yen Yuan died, Yen Lu begged the carriage of the Master to sell and get an outer shell for his son's coffin.

10. The Master said, "Every one calls his son his son, whether he has talents or has not talents. There was Li; when he died, he had a coffin but no outer shell. I would not walk on foot to get a shell for him, because, having followed in the rear of the great officers, it was not proper that I should walk on foot."

11. When Yen Yuan died, the Master said, "Alas! Heaven is destroying me! Heaven is destroying me!"

12. When Yen Yuan died, the Master bewailed him exceedingly, and the disciples who were with him said, "Master, your grief is excessive!"

13. "Is it excessive?" said he. "If I am not to mourn bitterly for this man, for whom should I mourn?"

14. When Yen Yuan died, the disciples wished to give him a great funeral, and the Master said, "You may not do so."

15. The disciples did bury him in great style.

16. The Master said, "Hui behaved towards me as his father. I have not been able to treat him as my son. The fault is not mine; it belongs to you, O disciples."

17. Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said, "While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?" Chi Lu added, "I venture to ask about death?" He was answered, "While you do not know life, how can you know about death?"

18. The disciple Min was standing by his side, looking bland and precise; Tsze-lu, looking bold and soldierly; Zan Yu and Tsze-kung, with a free and straightforward manner. The Master was pleased.

19. He said, "Yu, there!-he will not die a natural death."

20. Some parties in Lu were going to take down and rebuild the Long Treasury.

21. Min Tsze-ch'ien said, "Suppose it were to be repaired after its old style;-why must it be altered and made anew?"

22. The Master said, "This man seldom speaks; when he does, he is sure to hit the point."

23. The Master said, "What has the lute of Yu to do in my door?"

24. The other disciples began not to respect Tszelu. The Master said, "Yu has ascended to the hall, though he has not yet passed into the inner apartments."

25. Tsze-kung asked which of the two, Shih or Shang, was the superior. The Master said, "Shih goes beyond the due mean, and Shang does not come up to it."

33 more verses…