The benevolent are not anxious, the wise are not confused, and the courageous are not afraid.
Words must be carried out, and actions must yield results. To be stubborn and rigid like a petty person is inferior, yet it may still be considered a secondary virtue.
If the multitude hates a person, one must examine them; if the multitude loves a person, one must also examine them.
Hear much and reserve what is doubtful, speaking carefully of the rest, and errors will be few. See much and shun what is dangerous, acting carefully with the rest, and regrets will be few. If words have few errors and actions have few regrets, rank and salary will naturally follow.
As for the sacrifice, from the moment the libation is poured onward, I no longer wish to observe it.
My greatest concern is that I have a body.
Eating coarse grains, drinking water, and resting my bent arm as a pillow, I find joy in it. Wealth and rank obtained through unrighteousness are to me like floating clouds.
How greatly I have declined! It has been a long time since I dreamed of Duke Zhou.
Learning without thinking is bewilderment; thinking without learning is peril.
The petty person is uniform but not harmonious; the gentleman is harmonious but not uniform.
Is this merely benevolence? It must be sainthood! Even Yao and Shun would have found it difficult. The benevolent person, wishing to establish themselves, establishes others; wishing to succeed, succeeds others. Being able to apply by analogy what is near, this may be called the method of benevolence.
Knowing daily what one does not know and monthly not forgetting what one does know, this may be called a love of learning.
Only by learning do we know our insufficiency; only by teaching do we know our difficulties. Knowing our insufficiency allows us to reflect on ourselves; knowing our difficulties allows us to strengthen ourselves.
The gentleman does not seek to be full in his food, nor to be at ease in his dwelling. He is diligent in his affairs and cautious in his speech, and he associates with those who have the Way to correct himself. This may be called a love of learning.
Being too frequent in serving one's ruler leads to insult; being too frequent with friends leads to estrangement.
I cannot claim to be a sage, but I never tire of learning and I never tire of teaching.
Man's life is straight; if it is crooked, he escapes ruin only by luck.
To remain for three years without changing one's father's ways may be called filial piety.
The gentleman has nine reflections: in seeing, he reflects on clarity; in hearing, he reflects on discernment; in his appearance, he reflects on mildness; in his demeanor, he reflects on respect; in his speech, he reflects on loyalty; in his affairs, he reflects on diligence; in his doubts, he reflects on asking; in his anger, he reflects on difficulty; in gaining, he reflects on righteousness.
If you face them with dignity, they will be respectful. If you are filial and compassionate, they will be loyal. If you promote the good and teach the incompetent, they will be encouraged.