Confucius said: Jin Wengong is deceitful but not decent, and Qi Huan is just and not deceitful. Zilu asked Confucius for advice: Duke Qi Huan killed his elder brother Gongzi Jie, Guan Zhong and Zhaohu were both retainers of Gongzi Jiu, and Zhaohu committed suicide and martyrdom, but Guan Zhong did not commit suicide and martyrdom; Guan Zhong can't be considered benevolent by doing this, right? Confucius replied: Duke Huan of Qi presided over the alliance between the vassal states many times, and stopped the war without using force, which is all the credit of Guan Zhong! This is his benevolence.

Zigong asked Confucius: Guan Zhong can't be regarded as a benevolent person, right? Qi Huan Gong killed Gongzi Jiao, not only did he not die for Gongzi Jiao, but became the prime minister of Qi Huangong; After hearing this, Confucius replied: When Guan Zhong assisted Duke Huan, Duke Huan dominated the princes and corrected the world, and the common people are still enjoying his benefits to this day; If there is no Guan Zhong, I am afraid that we will also be discarded and reduced to a backward nation; Does Guan Zhong have to be like an ordinary mediocre person, hanging himself in a ravine in order to keep the rules, and no one will ever know? Uncle Wenzi's retainers, because of the recommendation of Uncle Wenzi, became a doctor with him to defend the country, Confucius learned about this and said: After Uncle Wenzi died, he could give him the nickname "Wen".

When Confucius talked about Wei Linggong's immorality, Ji Kangzi asked Confucius: Since Wei Linggong is so unreasonable, why didn't he lose the country? Confucius replied: Because he has Zhong Shu 圉 (yǔ) in charge of diplomacy, Zhu Tuo in charge of the temple sacrifices, and Wang Sun Jia in command of the army, how can he lose the country with such a subordinate? Confucius said: If a person is not ashamed to speak loudly, then it will be very difficult for him to realize these words.

Chen Chengzi killed the Duke of Qi Jian, and after Confucius bathed and fasted, he immediately went up to the court to meet the Duke of Lu Ai, and reported: Chen Heng killed his monarch, please send troops to attack Chen Heng. After hearing this, Lu Aigong said: You go and report to the three doctors of the Ji family! Confucius stepped back and said: Because I used to be a doctor, I didn't dare not report it, but the monarch asked me and Sanhuan to talk. Confucius finally went to Sanhuan to report, but Sanhuan was unwilling to send troops to fight, so Confucius had to reluctantly say: Because I used to be a doctor, I dare not come to report!

Zilu asked Confucius about how to serve the monarch, and Confucius told him that he could not deceive the monarch, but he could speak out. Confucius said: A gentleman leads to benevolence and righteousness upward, and a villain leads to wealth and profit. In ancient times, people studied to improve themselves, while people today study to learn to show others. The virtuous doctor of the country, Yu Boyu, sent an envoy to visit Confucius, and Confucius asked the envoy to sit down, and then asked; What has the sir been up to lately? The messenger replied: Sir wants to reduce his mistakes, but he has not been able to do so; After the envoy left, Confucius exclaimed: What a messenger, what a messenger!

If you're not in that position, don't think about things in that position. Zeng Zi said: The things that a gentleman considers will never go beyond the scope of his position. Confucius said: A gentleman thinks that it is a shameful thing to say too much and do little. Confucius told Zigong: There are three aspects of the way of a gentleman, but unfortunately I have not been able to do them, these three aspects are, the virtuous do not sorrow, the wise do not confuse, and the brave do not fear; After hearing this, Zigong sighed with emotion: This is exactly the teacher's self-expression! Once, when Zigong was commenting on other people's shortcomings, Confucius listened to it and said, "Zigong, are you really that good?" I don't have that time to comment on people. Confucius said: I have never worried that others do not know me, I am just worried that I am not capable enough.

Don't suspect in advance that others will be cheating, and don't speculate that others will be dishonest; However, being able to perceive the fraud and dishonesty of others in advance is a wise man. A hermit named Wei Shengmu of the Lu Kingdom ridiculed Confucius and said, "Confucius, why are you running around lobbying like this all day long? Don't you just want to show your eloquence and rhetoric? After hearing this, Confucius replied: I don't dare to speak flatteringly, I just hate those who are stubborn. Confucius said: What is worthy of praise about Maxima is not its strength, but its morality. Someone asked Confucius for advice: How do you feel about repaying resentment with kindness? After hearing this, Confucius replied: Then what should be used to repay kindness? It should be to repay resentment with integrity, and repay kindness with kindness.

Confucius shouted, "No one understands me!" After hearing this, Zigong asked puzzledly: Master, how can you say that no one understands you? Confucius replied: Don't complain about the fate given by God, don't resent others when you encounter setbacks, and then gain the true meaning of life by learning ordinary knowledge and understanding the philosophy therein; The only one who knows me is God! Gongboliao and Zilu are both retainers of the Ji family, once Gongboliao reported Zilu to Ji Sun, and the master of Lu Guofu Jingbo told Confucius about this matter, and said: Jisun has been confused by Gongboliao, my strength can kill Gongboliao and put his body in the city, what do you think? After hearing this, Confucius replied: The Tao can be promoted, it is determined by the mandate of heaven; The Tao cannot be carried out, and it is also determined by the destiny of heaven; What can Gong Bo Liao do with the Mandate of Heaven?

When a sage escapes from a turbulent society, he chooses to live in seclusion, a sage of the second class chooses to go to another place, a sage of the second class chooses to escape from the ugly faces of others, and a first-class person chooses to avoid the unpleasant words of others. As far as I know, there have been seven people who have done this, they are Boyi, Shuqi, Yu Zhong, Yiyi, Zhu Zhang, Liu Xia Hui, and Shaolian. Once, when Zilu was spending the night at the stone gate, the guards of the city gate asked him, "Where did you come from?" Zilu replied: I am from Kong; When the people guarding the city gate heard this, they immediately asked: Is it the one who knows that he can't do it but still insists on doing it?

When Confucius was defending the country, he was once striking the chime, and a man with a straw basket on his back walked in front of the door of his house, and after hearing the sound of Confucius's chime, he said: This person who struck the chime has a heart! The man listened for a while and then said, "What a contemptible voice!" If no one knows themselves, they don't know themselves; It's like wading through water, the water is deep and you wade through it with your clothes on, and if the water is shallow, you pick up your clothes and wade through, so why bother yourself? After hearing this, Confucius replied: What a simple statement, I have nothing to refute the accusation!

Zizhang asked Confucius for advice: Master, "Shangshu" says, "Gaozong kept a funeral and did not talk about political affairs for three years." What does this mean? Confucius replied: When parents die, even if they are kings, they must mourn for three years and ignore political affairs; Not only kings, but also the ancients were like this; During these three years, the hundred officials of the imperial court had to manage their own affairs well and obey the orders of the highest official, the Tsukasa.