《梁惠王上 - Liang Hui Wang I》

1:

We should not be motivated by profit and instead, be motivated by benevolence and righteousness. Profit inspires evil – it is finite and people will use each other to attain it. On the other hand, there has never been a person who is both benevolence and righteousness yet is motivated to be evil.

2:

A virtuous person not only enjoys the happiness in life but is the only one who can recognize the happiness in life.

3:

A person who runs 50m and a person who runs 100m away from the enemy are both cowards. How cowardly someone is doesn't matter as much as that they are cowards. There is no difference between slight cowardice and extreme cowardice.

There is no difference between a person who has food watching a man starve and a person stabbing another person to death. Indirectly and directly killing someone are all murder. Indifference and blaming other factors is not an excuse when you have the ability to help.

4:

If a king has fat horses in the stable but starving people in the street then the government is corrupt. Allowing people to starve whilst having the food to prevent it is the same as directly condemning them to death.

5:

Sparing punishments and decreasing taxes will allow people to flourish. When people flourish they will look after the fields better, they will be healthier, they will be better citizens and become more amiable. Happier citizens make a stronger kingdom. Benevolent people have no enemies.

6:

The only way to have peace is to unite kingdoms under a person who finds no pleasure in killing men.

7:

Everyone innately has the capacity for love and empathy. Those who say they are incapable simply say that because they do not want to.

A man who wishes to eat meat wisely stays away from the slaughterhouse because empathy with an animal prevents a man from eating it. To express love and empathy for people, a king must, therefore, first mingle with the people. Indifference is a choice.

《梁惠王下 - LiangHui Wang II》

8:

A good government is one that is inclusive. Just as a meal is more enjoyable when shared with others, just as music is more enjoyable shared with more than less, a government is better when everything is shared.

9:

Perspective is dependent on consequences. If everyone is allowed into a large garden and given freedom to do what they wish, there are no consequences and people will take the large garden for granted and view it as a small garden instead of large. Conversely, if hardly anyone is allowed into a small garden and their actions within the garden are strictly limited with severe consequences for any rules broken, then people will view the small garden as very large. Something small can be seen as big and vice versa regardless of its objective size. What matters most is our perspective.

10:

True valour is not protecting one's reputation but is helping other people protect theirs. True valour is the strong helping the weak. By helping the weak the strong become stronger.

True valour is the weak helping the strong. By helping the strong the weak learn to help themselves.

11:

If people do not enjoy themselves, they weaken the kingdom. Happy citizens make a better kingdom. If the king is happy but the peasants are not then it is a bad kingdom. If the peasants are happy then the king will rejoice in their happiness.

12:

If citizens are allowed to grow rich, their surplus will be shared with the King. If the King restrains the people, they cannot grow rich and the Kings wealth will not be able to replenish.

13:

Forgiveness is essential. Everyone has their faults and if each fault is punished, there will be nobody left unpunished, there will be nobody left to turn the cogs of the machine that is society.

14:

Do not satisfy populist demands. Do not satisfy popular opinion. A man's worth is not deemed by society but by your own perspective. A government is the parent of the people. If parents always listen to their children, then they are not good parents.

15:

It is neither benevolent nor righteous to condemn a king to death.

16:

If you are not an expert then you are unqualified to critique on the process of craftsmanship. After all, a commoner will not dare criticize a jeweller when they cut his gemstone. That is not to say that a common is unqualified to critique the jeweller after the stone has been cut.

17:

A kingdom is only conquered when its citizens accept the victor of their own free volition. War only ends when the citizens yield out of tiredness of war and understanding the useless waste of war. If citizens are coerced into yielding, then they will eventually revolt.

18:

Conquering is advocated as long as it is liberational, as long as the oppositional king is a tyrant. When conquering, a new prince must be appointed and it must be a local citizen who is appointed. With the new prince appointed, the conquering kingdom must withdraw. The liberated kingdom will then become an indebted ally. Ruling through force and foreign customs will only lead to revolt.

19:

The way the citizens are treated is the way the citizens will treat the King. As the government directly rules over the citizens, the King must make sure that the government is benevolent and righteous. The greatest danger to the king is a bad government.

20:

Loyalty is the best defence. If everyone is loyal then they cannot be conquered as they will all die before that happens. A country is not the land but the spirit of the people. Land may be conquered but if the people are loyal, the spirit will never be defeated.

21:

If one does not have to fight then do not fight. If someone attacks you, do not retaliate and instead move away. People will eventually follow men of benevolence and righteousness. It may not be in your generation but if your lineage maintains virtue then it will become known for its charisma. Your descendants will therefore eventually become a king which people follow. A kingdom is not built through violence and conquest but is built through charisma.

22:

If a King is benevolent and righteous then no matter the circumstances the citizens will always love him.

23:

Do not allow others opinions to sway you without understanding the evidence yourself.

《公孫丑上 - GongSun Chou I》

1:

A benevolent and righteous government is always superior to a hegemonic government. Anything achieved by a hegemonic government is short term whereas a benevolent and righteous government will reap rewards everlasting.

2:

A person must learn when to allow his mind to control his passion and vice versa.

Confucius never called himself a sage although others described him as such. How one defines oneself is more important than how others perceive you.

3:

A person who uses force as a pretence for benevolence is only a prince.

A person who attains benevolence through virtue is an emperor.

4:

Do not complain if you yourself have the power to save yourself.

Be in harmony with the ordinances of God so that when Heaven sends down its calamities, it is possible to escape from them.

5:

Five things to become a great emperor without enemies:

1. A meritocracy is established

2. Equal lease for all without added taxation on goods and services

3. Security on imports is tight but there is free trade

4. Require farmers to plough public land in exchange for not being taxed

5. Practise laisez faire in the marketplace.

6:

Everyone is born with the ability to commiserate, however, this ability requires cultivation. Evil is merely the lack of good.

7:

Benevolence is the most honourable dignity conferred by heaven.

People should never be ashamed of what they do, for if they look unto themselves they will find benevolence and reason/justification for their actions.

8:

One must rejoice when criticised because it allows one to cultivate their weakness and improve.

9:

A man of virtue normally would not serve those he does not approve of, nor associate with a friend he does not esteem. A virtuous man would not work for a corrupt government nor speak with a bad man. However, everyone has their faults. Do not turn away a man because of his faults, instead overlook or try to correct them but in spite of his faults never let talent go to waste. Do not define a man by the crowd he is surrounded by since there is a chance that the man is self-possessed. A righteous man is not wicked because he is surrounded by wickedness, in fact, he is more righteous because even though he has the ability to reach for higher standing, he remains and tries to correct the wicked. Nonetheless, a righteous man is not bullied by the wicked either and knows when to leave.

《公孫丑下 - GongSun Chou II》

10:

Opportunities of time vouchsafed by Heaven are not equal to advantages of situation afforded by the Earth, and advantages of situation afforded by the Earth are not equal to the union arising from the accord of Men. If it is Heaven's will then nothing can prevent it. Man is at the mercy of both Heaven and Earth.

If a king is neither benevolent nor righteous, it is Heaven's will for the people to revolt. Heaven is patient, thus even if the people have the right to revolt, they must wait until Earth provides them with the right opportunity, i.e an abundant crop supply to feed an army, an infection that cripples the royalty, etc.

11:

Virtue is more valuable than nobility or age.

12:

A gift is something given when needed – a selfless offer of help without ulterior motives. A bribe is a superfluous gift that is given with expectation of reciprocation.

13:

There is honour in accepting guilt. Everyone is guilty of something and to feign ignorance is what leads to corruption. Guilt if understood with remorse is substitute for any punishment.

14:

If a person is incapable they should honourably retire; if a person is capable but is not valued for their effort they too should leave their position.

15:

Do not speak simply because you can. Save your voice for when it is needed. No information is better than useless information.

16:

A benevolent and righteous man is always filial.

17:

Everyone has the right to be punished as nobody is perfect. Nobody, however, has the right to punish another for all are equally sinful. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. A hypocrite is encouraged to critique and it is his moral duty to do so. Critiquing is a gift as it allows self-cultivation. A hypocrite, however, never has the right to punish.

18:

The only true error is not correcting an error. When something wrong is done, it must be corrected and apologized for. As long as the behaviour is corrected as effort is invested into preventing the same error from happening, then the man is righteous.

19:

Righteousness is showing integrity for the sake of integrity. Money, power and honour should never be motivating factors.

20:

If you judge someone to be disrespectful then it is you who is actually disrespectful. Never judge without first understanding the other person's circumstances.

21:

A kingdom does not improve my selfishly caring for oneself. A kingdom improves by caring for its neighbours which will spur each other on to improve. To help others is to help oneself – never be stingy with what can help.

22:

The superior man does not murmur against Heaven, nor grudge against men. However, the superior man can change his attitude if Heaven does not hold up its promises.

23:

Government officials should not work because of money, however, they should still receive a worthy wage.

《滕文公上 - TengWen Gong I》

1:

Man is inherently good.

We should not put anyone on a pedestal because, in the end, we are all human.

If medicine does not raise a commotion in the patient, then the disease will not be cured.

2:

Children must be filial when parents are alive and remain filial when parents are dead. It is a tradition that builds character.

When someone does not know the answer, they must first look unto themselves and through introspection, it can be found.

3:

Tradition grounds a person. If someone does not have grassroots and do not have a steady foundation, their life will be tumultuous and immoral.

He who seeks to be rich will not be benevolent. He who seeks benevolence will not be rich.

Those with virtue must lead those without virtue. A class system must be set up, however, no class is superior to the other. Workers cannot work efficiently without leaders, and leaders are useless without workers.

1/9th of all land must remain public. The public field must be ploughed before anyone can start ploughing their private fields. Each person's private field must be equal in size.

4:

Some people labour with their minds and some people labour with their strength. While this may not be equal, it is equitable. Trade is encouraged as great people who use their minds offer services which small people with their strength cannot produce by themselves and vice versa.

It is only Heaven that is great. Great people are great because they follow heaven.

It is the nature of things to be of unequal quality. If a small shoe and big shoe cost the same, who would make big shoes?

5:

It is natural for us to have double standards. We treat our friends and family better than strangers, however, once we have learned to be filial, we must use what we have learned and apply it to strangers. We learn to love others by first loving our family.

6:

Never does help a mean person achieve success make them good. Success does not make one good. If someone is mean now, if they are not corrected then they will always be mean. Do not help mean people until they realise that they need to become good.

7:

A great man is one who practices his principles publicly and alone.

8:

If a person has an ability, they have a duty to use it for the public good, they have a duty to take up a position that benefits society. However, this position must be obtained through virtue and not through craftiness or impropriety.

9:

Those who have a surplus must give to those deficient. One day when you are deficient then you may in turn receive surplus. The amount donated is not important, but the intention is very important. Intentions must be renumerated if they are good, if they are bad but the consequences are favourable then the favourable work must be renumerated. A good person may do bad work, but when this occurs, the good intention is what should be repaid. A bad person may do good work, when this occurs, the good work must be repaid.

10:

No man is above the law. A crime committed by a peasant and a crime committed by an emperor must be equally punished. By having a humble Emperor the people will be appeased and follow him. If the people love the Emperor, then there is no fear in this life. If the empire is conquered, as long as the people love the Emperor then all citizens will revolt unto death.

11:

A man does not learn virtue simply by being taught what is virtuous. A man must be surrounded by virtue to passively understand it. Active study is inferior to passive internalization.

12:

A man should be respected for his spirit, not the many accomplishments and the perfunctory manner in which he acts. A man who is integrous but with no material standing is far superior to a man who is acclaimed to be a sage but has nothing to show for it except for accomplishments. An evil man is still evil no matter how many good deeds he does for show. An idiot is still an idiot no matter how many credentials he is proven to have.

13:

There is no time like the present. If something is wrong today, then fix it today. Why wait until tomorrow which may never come?

14:

Sages do not argue for the sake of it. Sages argue because the only thing required for the triumph of evil is for a sage to remain silent.

15:

In the pursuit of virtue, one must not be blinded by the path in front that one forgets his surroundings. Do not betray the sinful to seek selfish salvation for betrayal is a sin in itself. The greatest virtue is not abandoning the wicked to not be tainted but by remaining resolute in one's own righteousness and converting the wicked.

《離婁上 - Li LouI》

1:

True virtue is not isolating oneself in one's virtue but by utilizing one's virtue for the salvation of others. Just as a compass does not work without its needle, a man is not virtuous if he does not use his ability to help others in need.

2:

Either one is virtuous or one is not. Attempting to be virtuous yet giving up before one becomes a sage is equal to having no virtue at all.

3:

Benevolence is the mark that divides whether a kingdom will last or whether it will fall.

4:

When we believe that we are not treated in the way we should be treated, oftentimes we must look unto ourselves as there is usually a problem within us that we have failed to see.

5:

People have this common saying, "The kingdom, the State, the family." The root of the kingdom is in the State. The root of the State is in the family. The root of the family is in the person of its Head.

6:

For a government to flourish it must never upset the powerful families. If the powerful families are upset, they will influence the rest of society. The powerful families are great families. Essentially, never upset a family of virtue because it is virtue that people follow.

7:

If a bad government prevails it is because it is Heaven's will. Those who rebel against Heaven perish. Heaven uses bad governments to teach us a lesson, when the lesson has been learned Heaven will enable people to revolt or the government to reform.

8:

If we abide by Heaven's will then when Heaven brings down calamities we will be safe. Self-inflicted calamities, however, always end in disaster.

9:

A kingdom is gotten and lost through benevolence. People will always follow benevolence. If the king is not benevolent then he loses his people and once the people are lost, so is the kingdom.

10:

People do not simply become wicked. To become wicked, one must choose to not be benevolent. To be lazy and not cultivate oneself is a choice.

11:

To be righteous is one's duty. Righteousness is not hard to attain, it is in the little things every day. Simply do what is right, love one's parents and respect one another.

12:

Sincerity is the way of Heaven. One who is sincere will be trusted by all and will live a life of success.

13:

Those with talent will always follow the benevolent. Those who manage to congregate those with talent will always find success.

14:

Death is not a strong enough punishment for those who are actively evil and still exploit the people when they have been reminded to be benevolent.

15:

Listen to a man's word and look into the pupil of his eye. His eye will reflect the truth.

16:

If a prince appears outwardly nice but is inwardly evil the country will fall to ruin. The people may be tricked but the working of the government will reflect the princes true nature.

17:

There are always exceptions and the right people for the right job. If someone is drowning, how can you expect someone who does not know how to swim to save them?

18:

Friendship and work must be kept separate because arguments between friends can impact efficacy at work and arguments at work can destroy friendships. Friends can work together, but when it is done, they are no longer friends but colleagues.

19:

To be filial is one's greatest duty. To love oneself is one's greatest charge.

20:

Do not rectify the actions but rectify the person instead. Actions stem from a person's will, if a person's will is evil then so will his action be. Rectifying one's actions alone is a band-aid solution.

21:

There are times where praise should not be given just as there are times where reprise should not be given.

22:

People are easily influenced. People should, therefore, not be blamed for what they say offhandedly. People's mouths move faster than their conscious brains can think and will often blurt out things that they do not mean.

23:

The most dangerous part of wicked people is not that they themselves are wicked but that they may then teach others their wicked ways as well.

24:

Preparation is key.

25:

A sage is not swayed by material desires.

26:

To be filial one must have one's parents' approval before marriage.

27:

The richest fruit of benevolence is this: the service of one's parents. The richest fruit of righteousness is this: the obeying one's elder brothers. The richest fruit of wisdom is this: the knowing those two things, and not departing from them. The richest fruit of propriety is this: the ordering and adorning those two things. The richest fruit of music is this: the rejoicing in those two things.

28:

A person who does not cultivate the ability to be filial does not have the ability to be righteous and benevolent.

《離婁下 - Li LouII》

29:

People may die but principles live for eternity.

30:

There is not enough time to please everyone. Instead, use the time to instil moral principles. Change the people, do not change for the people.

31:

When people leave service they must be thanked for the work that they have done, not reprimanded for the reason that they are leaving.

32:

Punishing people who have not been proven of crime will lead to collapse of social stability.

33:

The people reflect the sovereign.

34:

A great man is not perfunctory. A great man does things because they must be done and not for the sake of the action itself.

35:

The problem is not that some people are better than others at certain things, the problem is the attitude regarding the difference. Those with should help those without. If those with scorn those without, then that is where the problem lies.

36:

To know what one must do, one must first know what one must not do.

37:

When one scorns another it is usually because he has been scorned or will inevitably be scorned. Karma.

38:

There is no such thing as being too benevolent or too righteous. Being virtuous to one's limits is what is expected, not what is extraordinary. The bar should be raised higher. Excellence should be regarded as normal.

39:

A great man knows what is righteous and therefore his words are always sincere and resolute.

40:

A great man is one who does not lose his child's heart.

41:

Greatness is not determined halfway, greatness is a comprehensive analysis of life.

42:

The superior man is not one who just learns but also internalizes the lesson.

43:

To understand what is essential, the superior man learns extensively and discusses minutely before reducing what he has learned into a summary and getting rid of the superfluous.

44:

Accomplishments do not subdue men. Nourishing men subdue men. A prince is only a prince if he wins the hearts of the people, not simply the respect of the people.

45:

Words which are not true or obnoxious are inauspicious.

46:

A person's reputation should not be based on merit just as a farmer cannot solely rely on rain to water his crops. A true person's worth comes from his character just like a steady water supply comes from a source.

47:

As soon as we believe we are superior to animals, it is then that we become inferior.

48:

A virtuous man is not tempted by material desires. A virtuous man does not prejudice. A virtuous man treats everyone as if they are wounded. A virtuous man treats everyone equally.

49:

Selflessness is a high form of virtue.

50:

A great man's influence only lasts five generations. Therefore, if one has the ability to be great, it is his duty to do so and not wait on another.

51:

Actions must not be done impulsively as one changes one's mind very fast.

52:

When one surpasses one's teacher, they should never belittle or harm them even under orders by a superior.

53:

An evil man can change his ways and become good. It is never too late to realise one's own wickedness. If an evil man understands that he is evil and is given the opportunity to change but continues to be evil, then that is a different matter.

54:

The problem with wise men is that they adopt a doublespeak form of jargon because they mistakenly believe it makes them intelligent. True intelligence is spreading knowledge in a way that everyone can understand.

55:

One should not be considered disrespectful if one follows the rules. It is the one who breaks the rules to condemn another who follows the rules to be truly disrespectful. If the rules are seemingly the problem then it is not the fault of the person for following them. If the rules are the problem, that should be pointed out instead of blaming the person who is following a set of problematic rules as being disrespectful.

56:

If a superior man is disrespected and looks unto himself multiple times for improvement yet is still disrespected, then the problem does not lie with the superior man – the one who is disrespectful is simply a brute.

57:

When a king's people suffer, the king also suffers. The king and the people are interconnected; therefore, the king cannot isolate himself with wealth to escape the problem. Corruption does not solve the problem but only enlarges it.

58:

Being filial does not mean becoming the slave of one's parents. Discourse and arguments in favour of good with one's parents not only helps deepen the bond but also helps identify problems which one's parents aren't always able to see themselves. Being a parent does not mean one is perfect.

59:

Different outcomes require different behaviours.

60:

Men should not be respected for what they have or what they do. All men are equal and therefore all deserve the same amount of respect.

61:

A white lie is still a lie. Although it is natural to trust and expect to be trusted, one should not use a lie to cover up one's shame. This is merely a diversionary tactic and will eventually lead to mistrust and remorse. One must own up to one's shame and guilt. Only by first addressing that there is a problem can a problem be fixed.

《萬章上 - WanZhang I》

1:

One of the greatest pains for a filial son is when his parents do not approve. No amount of riches, beauty or material possessions can substitute for the approval of one's parents. A filial son who has disapproving parents is therefore unlucky indeed.

2:

A white lie is only a lie that is meant for good but has the possibility of creating sorrow. If a man tells his younger brother that his fish swam into the river when the man actually ate it, it is not a white lie. The pond that the fish was in was connected to the river and fish are happier in the river. Believing the fish was happier and never being able to tell otherwise, the younger brother was not lied to but instead given great joy. A man therefore can eat his younger brothers fish and still make his younger brother happy.

3:

One can both be benevolent and righteous to evil people. If a sage becomes Emperor then it is not benevolent not to allow his younger evil brother to remain a peasant. By raising his evil brother to become a figurehead prince, the sage remains benevolent but simultaneously banishes his younger evil brother to a respected position without power and thus being righteous. The younger evil brother has been offered benevolence yet no power to harm the people which is righteous.

4:

To an emperor, every other person is his minister and advisor.

5:

Sovereignty is decided by Heaven. Heaven instils virtue in a person so that is it obvious that they deserve to be sovereign. Heaven's will is obvious through meritocracy and charisma. If a person excels in office and is loved by the people, then it is because Heaven decided it so.

6:

The principle of righteousness comes from Heaven.

7-9:

Rumours are not necessarily true.

《萬章下 - WanZhang II》

10:

Sages are excellent role models and can be the inspiration one needs.

Heaven's command is that those who learn first have the duty to teach those who come after; those who learn quicker have the duty to teach those who learn slower.

11:

People will be compensated due to the amount of importance attached to their jobs.

12:

Friendship of a man is friendship of his virtue.

13:

The feeling of friendship is the feeling of mutual respect.

Gifts should not be rejected as rejecting them is based on grounds of how they came to be and by suspecting that the gift arose out of evil methods is disrespectful. Therefore, even if a gift was first stolen, it must still be accepted out of respect unless there is proof that it was attained by improper means.

14:

When a person pursues something, it must be for righteous reasons. Do not pursue things because of money or comfort – pursue them because of duty or passion.

15:

A gift must always be accepted until it becomes a subscription. If gifts are a regular form of 'salary' then they must be rejected because the sender of gifts now disrespects the receiver of gifts and treats them like a dependent dog.

16:

A prince must only communicate with his ministers and commoners may only communicate with the prince through his ministers. There can be no friendship between a commoner and a minister as mutual respect is not there. A prince can promote a commoner to a minister, however.

17:

A virtuous scholar has no trouble making friends.

18:

If the prince does not listen to his closest ministers then the ministers ought to dethrone him. If the prince does not listen to his general ministers then those ministers ought to leave the state.

《告子上 - GaoziI》

1:

Benevolence and righteousness do not include violence and calamity

2:

Men have the tendency for good. It is harder to be evil than it is to be good.

3:

Man comes from nature but is different from nature.

4:

Righteousness is an intention, not a consequence. Righteousness is not external.

5:

Righteousness is neither external nor internal, therefore it must be given by Heaven. (look at 4)

6:

Heaven in producing mankind, Gave them their various faculties and relations with their specific laws. These are the invariable rules of nature for all to hold, And all love this admirable virtue.

7:

In good years the children of the people are most of them good, while in bad years the most of them abandon themselves to evil. It is not owing to any difference of their natural powers conferred by Heaven that they are thus different. The abandonment is owing to the circumstances through which they allow their minds to be ensnared and drowned in evil. Heaven made man good, but man makes the choice to become evil.

8:

It is easier to turn evil than it is to return from evil.

9:

Learning is not restricted by intelligence but by whether or not one has passion to learn and if they pay attention or not.

10:

A life without virtue is not a life worth living.

11:

Benevolence is a man's mind and righteousness is a man's path.

12:

People are ignorant of the relative importance of things. People wish to conform when it comes to physical appearance, however, do not wish to put in the effort when it comes to mental cultivation.

13:

It is harder to look unto oneself than it is to look unto anything else.

14:

Just as a man nourishes different parts of his body, he too must nourish other things in life. A man would not choose to nourish a single finger over his shoulder because a finger can be lost and there be more remaining, however, once the shoulder is lost, the entire arm is sacrificed with it.

15:

All men are born equal but depending on what a man nourishes will differentiate between him being great and him being small.

16:

There is a nobility of Heaven, and there is a nobility of man. Benevolence, righteousness, self-consecration, and fidelity, with unwearied joy in these virtues; these constitute the nobility of Heaven. To be a gong, a qing, or a da fu; this constitutes the nobility of man.

17:

A person who is full-on virtue will not be hungry for material things.

18:

Benevolence will always conquer evil, however, just as water dowses fire, a small amount of benevolence cannot stand up to an entire onslaught of evil.

19:

The value of benevolence is based on how much it is nurtured.

20:

A student must follow his master exactly and not cut corners. When the student becomes the master he may then change his style.

《告子下 - Gaozi II》

21:

In the pursuit of perfection, do not end up dying on the road. It is good to have high standards, but one must sustain oneself to progress. To become the best one must first settle to be the worst.

22:

Everyone has the capacity to become a great sage but not everyone cultivates the ability. It is easy to be good – simply do not want to become evil.

23:

One can be filial and still find one's parents wanting. Parents are people and people all have their flaws. To be filial does not mean to worship one's parents but instead to hold them in the utmost respect.

24:

War may be stopped by pointing to loss of profit, but war will definitely stop eventually when lack of virtue is discussed.

25:

When offering a gift to a superior its value must be equal to how much respect they deserve.

26:

If a government is not run by men of virtue and talent then the country will collapse. The acts of a superior man cannot always be understood.

27:

Positions should not be hereditary nor should they be pluralist or focus on advocating positive discrimination.

28:

The slaughter of men is not benevolent, therefore, if war is not for liberation, then it should not be fought.

29:

A minister who aims to increase a sovereigns land and increase the sovereigns wealth is now called a good minister, however, they were previously called robbers of the people because to gain land, another person must lose it; to gain wealth, another person must lose it. The definition of a good minister will change with age, however, what is virtuous will forever remain the same.

30:

Increasing tax and advocating a minimalistic lifestyle is indeed efficient, however, it is the same as only eating congee for the rest of your life.

31:

To be a master is to understand nature. Forcing water into inundation will disrupt the natural flow of water – this is not the way of the master. A master does not bend nature to his will but bends his will to nature.

32:

A scholar who is not sincere and does not trust others and does not have faith is not a true scholar at all.

33:

It does not matter if a man is full of vigour, full of wisdom or full of intelligence if he loves that which is good. A man who loves good is above all the rest.

34:

If a superior man is respected, given food and bedding and listened to, he will not leave.

35:

A great man must first experience suffering and toil. Heaven first tortures a man so that he can stimulate his mind, consolidate his nature and humble him to his incompetencies.

36:

There are lots of ways to teach. Refusing to teach is one of them.

《盡心上 - JinXin I》

1:

He who has exhausted all his mental constitution knows his nature. Knowing his nature, he knows Heaven. To preserve one's mental constitution, and nourish one's nature, is the way to serve Heaven.

2:

Heaven will decide a man's life. It is not proper for a man to die in handcuffs.

3:

If one cannot find the answer within himself and through those around him, it is because he is not yet meant to find the answer.

4:

We are all born with the ability to be perfect. It is up to us, however, whether we wish to cultivate this perfection.

5:

To act without understanding is how the masses act. To be a sage, one must first understand.

6:

Shame is what inspires us to improve. If a person has no shame then it is that that they should be ashamed of.

7:

If a person does not have shame then they have nothing in common with others.

8:

There need be balance between virtue and power. One should not be so absorbed in virtue that they overlook the misuse of power and one should not think oneself too humble to take power and spread virtue. Power is dangerous but not having any power at all is even more so.

9:

If one is poor then virtue can be cultivated on one's own. If one is rich then virtue must be shared with others.

10:

Scholars do not need a leader, they will seek virtue on their own.

11:

If a person who is rich and powerful is not respected it is because he lacks virtue. Virtue is true wealth.

12:

No matter how hard a person works, if they are happy then they will not complain. No matter how a person dies, if it is the way that they want to, then they will not complain.

13:

A prince is acknowledged and loved for the change he brings about; a sovereign is hardly noticed and instils change in such a way that the people themselves believe it was them who brought it about.

14:

Kind words are not as good as kindness. A good government is not as good as good instructions. A good government prospers its people; good instructions wins its people's hearts.

15:

Filial piety stems from benevolence. Respect for one's elders stems from righteousness. Benevolence and righteousness stem from Heaven.

16:

The degree of benevolence is what divides an ordinary person from a scholar and a scholar from a sage.

17:

All a man has to do is follow his intuitive righteousness to live a good life.

18:

People who possess intelligent virtue and prudence in affairs are often those who have suffered most.

19:

Men who rectify themselves and rectify others are great men.

20:

The superior man has three things in which he delights:

1. His friends and family are healthy and happy

2. He lives a life of virtue

3. He helps other attain virtue

A superior man does not want to be Emperor – he wants to live a simple life.

21:

Benevolence, righteousness, propriety and knowledge is what a superior man desires.

22:

A king who knows how to nourish the old will always have followers.

23:

First, the people must be made prosperous, afterwards, they can be made virtuous. In every household there is water and fire; when pulse and grain are as abundant as water and fire then the people will be virtuous. That is the job of the government led by sages.

24:

The path of a sage is taken one step at a time – it cannot be rushed.

25:

The first things a man should think of in the morning is how to be virtuous.

26:

If exceptions are not expected then disaster will happen. Being fair to all is different from being equal to all. If one is equal to all then one is usually righteous, however, to be truly righteous one must understand that fairness requires equity and th expectation for exceptions.

27:

A hungry man will think any food delicious; a thirsty man will think any drink delicious. This is dangerous as desperation tricks the mind. One should not be allowed to be desperate as it will often lead to regret. A desperate person will do anything and this is dangerous indeed.

28:

Some people cannot change without the help of others.

29:

To have clear goals is to fail. If a man's goal is to only dig a well then he might miss the entire reservoir a couple of metres deeper. Only settle for lofty goals. To die in search of something great is better than dying satisfied over mediocre goals.

30:

To become benevolent and righteous, one must first imitate benevolence and righteousness until one's own benevolence and righteousness is awakened. Fake it until you make it.

31:

If a person, regardless of whether they are a peasant or the Emperor, is not benevolent, they may be banished until they become benevolent.

32:

A person who is able but does not work does not deserve to eat. Work of the mind is equal to work of the body.

33:

When a man is benevolent and righteous his business is complete. His business, however, is continuous for when a man attains sagehood, it is not guaranteed forever – he must continually work for it.

34:

A man cannot be righteous if he is a criminal. If a man has atoned then he can be righteous. The greatest crime is being unfilial and unrespectful.

35:

It is better for a sovereign to apologise and abandon a kingdom if he has committed a sin than to hide it and continue ruling. A man with sin in his heart will lead a worse life than a virtuous exile.

36:

Great men are all alike.

37:

If you feed a scholar but do not love him, you are treating him like a pig. If you love a scholar but do not respect him, you are treating him like a pet.

38:

Physical appearance is given by Heaven. Virtue, although also given by Heaven, cannot be seen without cultivation.

39:

If there is no hindrance, a filial son will mourn for the required time. IF there is a hindrance, a filial son will try his best. Never is mourning completely abandoned unless physically impossible.

40:

There are five ways a superior man teaches:

1. He teaches indirectly through his own influence

2. He actively perfects one's virtue

3. He actively perfects one's talents

4. He actively answers questions

5. He passively inspires others to cultivate and rectify themselves

41:

Never lower the bar. If people are unable to catch up, that is their problem. A sage will always be able to reach lofty principles.

42:

When a kingdom is righteous, the people must be obviously righteous. When people lose their righteousness, they too must disappear.

43:

Only in humility can things be achieved. If someone asks for something based on superior rank, they do not have a right to your help. If someone asks for something based on superior talents, they do not have a right to your help. If someone asks for something based on superior age, they do not have a right to your help. If someone asks for something because they once helped you before, they do not have a right to your help. If someone asks for something based on acquaintance, they do not have a right to your help. A man does not owe anyone anything. If someone desires a person's help, they must express correct humility.

44:

To understand a man's true character, one must observe how he treats his subordinates and those he does not view as equal.

45:

A great man respects inferior creatures but does not love them. A great man loves all people but is only affectionate to those close to him. A great man is kind to all.

46:

No man can do everything. Even a sage of wisdom pays more attention to the most important knowledge. Even a sage of benevolence pays more attention to virtue than all else.

《盡心下 - JinXin II》

47:

Benevolence is first treating what you care for with love and then extending to what you don't care for. Benevolence does not start from unfamiliar to familiar.

48:

There is no righteous war except for war of liberation. Hostility is only allowed when helping one become virtuous.

49:

The benevolent man has no enemy under Heaven.

50:

Those who excel at war are great criminals. There is no need for an army. Everyone wishes to be righteous and war does not make one righteous. A state is perfectly capable of self-correction.

51:

A person can give someone a tool but that does not mean they know how to use it.

52:

Suffer now so that you may have success later on. Nothing lasts forever and to toil early will reap great rewards inevitably.

53:

Revenge is unrighteous.

54:

There is a fine line between defending against violence and instigating violence. Violence never solves violence.

55:

If a man is evil how can his wife and children be good? If a man teaches evil, his wife and child will naturally be disobedient even to him.

56:

A bad harvest is not the death of kingdom whose storages are full of grain. Corruption is not a threat to a man of virtue.

57:

A man who loves fame is always selfless until there is only one remaining bowl of soup.

58:

If men of virtue and righteousness are not trusted, the kingdom will fall into ruin.

59:

Evil men can achieve success, but never as much as a benevolent man.

60:

The people are the most important asset of a nation, afterwards comes materials resources and finally the sovereign.

61:

A sage is a teacher of a hundred generations.

62:

Benevolence is the duty of man.

63:

Different places have different customs. A sage must be flexible and adapt.

64:

A superior man's worth is valued by whether or not the prince or ministers listen to him.

65:

Scholars are almost always hated before their benevolence causes people to love them.

66:

A man who is evil cannot make another man good.

67:

Use it or lose it.

68:

Significant proof must be used to satisfy an opinion.

69:

If you always help the same person, they will never learn to help themselves.

70:

It is natural to be swayed by material desires but one does not claim that it is his nature to pursue them. It is by Heaven's appointment that man has virtue but one does not claim it is by appointment of Heaven when cultivating oneself. Whether an inclination is natural or appointed by Heaven, a man still has his will to obey or not.

71:

A popular man who is liked is called a good man; a man who has virtue is called a great man.

72:

If there is disagreement and nobody is convinced, then walk away. There is no point in struggling to live a lifestyle that is uncomfortable.

73:

Greed will cause chaos. One must understand that things must be taken in moderation.

74:

A prince has three precious things: the people, resources and the government affairs. If a prince begins to low treasure more than any of these three then corruption and ruin are sure to lead to calamity.

75:

One should not boast about things that one is incapable of. Conversely, one should not be so humble that talent is wasted.

76:

A great sage will not discriminate against students, anyone is allowed to learn.

77:

Treat the things you hate the same way you treat the things you love is benevolence. Do the things that you hate the same way you do the things that you love is righteousness.

78:

Simple words are often good words. Words that are applicable to everyone are often good words.

Do not spend time criticizing others' mistakes when you should spend that time fixing your own.

79:

Words and actions should be sincere even if they are not righteous. Pretending to be righteous and being insincere is counterintuitive. Righteousness will follow sincerity. If one is benevolent and their words are sincere then they will return from the path of evil.

80:

One should give advice to the people one hates because it is only then that evil can be targeted. There is little to no success in giving advice to one you admire.

81:

To nourish the mind do not give the mind more, but take away desires instead.

82:

Tolerance is the key to understanding truth.

83:

A people pleaser is often a thief of virtue for although they are liked by many, it is precise because they believe themselves to be good that they don't strive for improvement. They have thus stolen the opportunity to be virtuous from themselves and others who wish to imitate him. True virtue is continuous pursuit, not a stage at which one can relax.

84:

History if full of knowledge and the transmission of knowledge is essential with the burden increasing with each generation. IT is imperative that knowledge be passed down for without it there is no progress.