子张曰：「士见危致命，见得思义，祭思敬，丧思哀，其可已矣。」
Zi Zhang said, "The scholar, trained for public duty, seeing threatening danger, is prepared to sacrifice his life. When the opportunity of gain is presented to him, he thinks of righteousness. In sacrificing, his thoughts are reverential. In mourning, his thoughts are about the grief which he should feel. Such a man commands our approbation indeed."
子张曰：「执德不弘，信道不笃，焉能为有？焉能为亡？」
Zi Zhang said, "When a man holds fast to virtue, but without seeking to enlarge it, and believes in right principles, but without firm sincerity, what account can be made of his existence or non-existence?"
子夏之门人问交于子张。子张曰：「子夏云何？」对曰：「子夏曰：『可者与之，其不可者拒之。』」子张曰：「异乎吾所闻：君子尊贤而容众，嘉善而矜不能。我之大贤与，于人何所不容？我之不贤与，人将拒我，如之何其拒人也？」
The disciples of Zi Xia asked Zi Zhang about the principles that should characterize mutual intercourse. Zi Zhang asked, "What does Zi Xia say on the subject?" They replied, "Zi Xia says: 'Associate with those who can advantage you. Put away from you those who cannot do so.'" Zi Zhang observed, "This is different from what I have learned. The superior man honors the talented and virtuous, and bears with all. He praises the good, and pities the incompetent. Am I possessed of great talents and virtue? - who is there among men whom I will not bear with? Am I devoid of talents and virtue? - men will put me away from them. What have we to do with the putting away of others?"
子夏曰：「虽小道，必有可观者焉；致远恐泥，是以君子不为也。」
Zi Xia said, "Even in inferior studies and employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be attempted to carry them out to what is remote, there is a danger of their proving inapplicable. Therefore, the superior man does not practice them."
子夏曰：「日知其所亡，月无忘其所能，可谓好学也已矣。」
Zi Xia said, "He, who from day to day recognizes what he has not yet, and from month to month does not forget what he has attained to, may be said indeed to love to learn."
子夏曰：「博学而笃志，切问而近思，仁在其中矣。」
Zi Xia said, "There are learning extensively, and having a firm and sincere aim; inquiring with earnestness, and reflecting with self-application - virtue is in such a course."
子夏曰：「百工居肆以成其事，君子学以致其道。」
Zi Xia said, "Mechanics have their shops to dwell in, in order to accomplish their works. The superior man learns, in order to reach to the utmost of his principles."
子夏曰：「小人之过也必文。」
Zi Xia said, "The mean man is sure to gloss his faults."
子夏曰：「君子有三变：望之俨然，即之也温，听其言也厉。」
Zi Xia said, "The superior man undergoes three changes. Looked at from a distance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his language is firm and decided."
子夏曰：「君子信而后劳其民，未信则以为厉己也；信而后谏，未信则以为谤己也。」
Zi Xia said, "The superior man, having obtained their confidence, may then impose labors on his people. If he have not gained their confidence, they will think that he is oppressing them. Having obtained the confidence of his prince, one may then remonstrate with him. If he have not gained his confidence, the prince will think that he is vilifying him."
子夏曰：「大德不逾闲，小德出入可也。」
Zi Xia said, "When a person does not transgress the boundary line in the great virtues, he may pass and repass it in the small virtues."
子游曰：「子夏之门人小子，当洒扫、应对、进退，则可矣。抑末也，本之则无。如之何？」
Zi You said, "The disciples and followers of Zi Xia, in sprinkling and sweeping the ground, in answering and replying, in advancing and receding, are sufficiently accomplished.
子夏闻之曰：「噫！言游过矣！君子之道，孰先传焉？孰后倦焉？譬诸草木，区以别矣。君子之道，焉可诬也？有始有卒者，其惟圣人乎！」
But these are only the branches of learning, and they are left ignorant of what is essential. How can they be acknowledged as sufficiently taught?" Zi Xia heard of the remark and said, "Alas! Yan You is wrong. According to the way of the superior man in teaching, what departments are there which he considers of prime importance, and delivers? what are there which he considers of secondary importance, and allows himself to be idle about? But as in the case of plants, which are assorted according to their classes, so he deals with his disciples. How can the way of a superior man be such as to make fools of any of them? Is it not the sage alone, who can unite in one the beginning and the consummation of learning?"
子夏曰：「仕而优则学，学而优则仕。」
Zi Xia said, "The officer, having discharged all his duties, should devote his leisure to learning. The student, having completed his learning, should apply himself to be an officer."
子游曰：「丧致乎哀而止。」
Zi You said, "Mourning, having been carried to the utmost degree of grief, should stop with that."
子游曰：「吾友张也，为难能也。然而未仁。」
Zi You said, "My friend Zhang can do things which are hard to be done, but yet he is not perfectly virtuous."
曾子曰：「堂堂乎张也，难与并为仁矣。」
The philosopher Zeng said, "How imposing is the manner of Zhang! It is difficult along with him to practice virtue."
曾子曰：「吾闻诸夫子：人未有自致者也，必也亲丧乎！」
The philosopher Zeng said, "I heard this from our Master: 'Men may not have shown what is in them to the full extent, and yet they will be found to do so, on the occasion of mourning for their parents."
曾子曰：「吾闻诸夫子：孟庄子之孝也，其他可能也；其不改父之臣，与父之政，是难能也。」
The philosopher Zeng said, "I have heard this from our Master: 'The filial piety of Meng Zhuang, in other matters, was what other men are competent to, but, as seen in his not changing the ministers of his father, nor his father's mode of government, it is difficult to be attained to.'"
孟氏使阳肤为士师，问于曾子。曾子曰：「上失其道，民散久矣。如得其情，则哀矜而勿喜。」
The chief of the Meng family having appointed Yang Fu to be chief criminal judge, the latter consulted the philosopher Zeng. Zeng said, "The rulers have failed in their duties, and the people consequently have been disorganized, for a long time. When you have found out the truth of any accusation, be grieved for and pity them, and do not feel joy at your own ability."
子贡曰：「纣之不善，不如是之甚也。是以君子𫫇居下流，天下之𫫇皆归焉。」
Zi Gong said, "Zhou's wickedness was not so great as that name implies. Therefore, the superior man hates to dwell in a low-lying situation, where all the evil of the world will flow in upon him."
子贡曰：「君子之过也，如日月之食焉：过也，人皆见之；更也，人皆仰之。」
Zi Gong said, "The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he changes again, and all men look up to him."
卫公孙朝问于子贡曰：「仲尼焉学？」
Gong Sun Zhao of Wei asked Zi Gong, saying, "From whom did Zhong Ni get his learning?"
子贡曰：「文武之道，未坠于地，在人。贤者识其大者，不贤者识其小者，莫不有文武之道焉。夫子焉不学？而亦何常师之有？」
Zi Gong replied, "The doctrines of Wen and Wu have not yet fallen to the ground. They are to be found among men. Men of talents and virtue remember the greater principles of them, and others, not possessing such talents and virtue, remember the smaller. Thus, all possess the doctrines of Wen and Wu. Where could our Master go that he should not have an opportunity of learning them? And yet what necessity was there for his having a regular master?"
叔孙武叔语大夫于朝，曰：「子贡贤于仲尼。」
Shu Sun Wu Shu observed to the great officers in the court, saying, "Zi Gong is superior to Zhong Ni."
子服景伯以告子贡。子贡曰：「譬之宫墙，赐之墙也及肩，窥见室家之好。
Zi Fu Jing Bo reported the observation to Zi Gong, who said, "Let me use the comparison of a house and its encompassing wall. My wall only reaches to the shoulders. One may peep over it, and see whatever is valuable in the apartments.
夫子之墙数仞，不得其门而入，不见宗庙之美，百官之富。
The wall of my Master is several fathoms high. If one do not find the door and enter by it, he cannot see the ancestral temple with its beauties, nor all the officers in their rich array.
得其门者或寡矣。夫子之云，不亦宜乎！」
But I may assume that they are few who find the door. Was not the observation of the chief only what might have been expected?"
叔孙武叔毁仲尼。子贡曰：「无以为也，仲尼不可毁也。他人之贤者，丘陵也，犹可逾也；仲尼，日月也，无得而逾焉。人虽欲自绝，其何伤于日月乎？多见其不知量也！」
Shu Sun Wu Shu having spoken revilingly of Zhong Ni, Zi Gong said, "It is of no use doing so. Zhong Ni cannot be reviled. The talents and virtue of other men are hillocks and mounds which may be stepped over. Zhong Ni is the sun or moon, which it is not possible to step over. Although a man may wish to cut himself off from the sage, what harm can he do to the sun or moon? He only shows that he does not know his own capacity."
陈子禽谓子贡曰：「子为恭也，仲尼岂贤于子乎？」
Chen Zi Qin, addressing Zi Gong, said, "You are too modest. How can Zhong Ni be said to be superior to you?"
子贡曰：「君子一言以为知，一言以为不知，言不可不慎也。
Zi Gong said to him, "For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We ought to be careful indeed in what we say.
夫子之不可及也，犹天之不可阶而升也。
Our Master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as the heavens cannot be gone up by the steps of a stair.
夫子之得邦家者，所谓立之斯立，道之斯行，绥之斯来，动之斯和。其生也荣，其死也哀，如之何其可及也。」
Were our Master in the position of the ruler of a state or the chief of a family, we should find verified the description which has been given of a sage's rule: he would plant the people, and forthwith they would be established; he would lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; he would make them happy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he would stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. While he lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterly lamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to?"