" "How should I dare to die," said he, "while you, sir,
still lived?"
On Ki Tsz-jen putting to him a question anent Tsz-lu and Yen Yu, as to
whether they might be called "great ministers," the Master answered, "I
had expected your question, sir, to be about something extraordinary,
and lo! it is only about these two. Those whom we call 'great ministers'
are such as serve their prince conscientiously, and who, when they
cannot do so, retire. At present, as regards the two you ask about, they
may be called 'qualified ministers.'"
"Well, are they then," he asked, "such as will follow their leader?"
"They would not follow him who should slay his father and his prince!"
was the reply.
Through the intervention of Tsz-lu, Tsz-kau was being appointed governor
of Pi.
"You are spoiling a good man's son," said the Master.
Tsz-lu rejoined, "But he will have the people and their superiors to
gain experience from, and there will be the altars; what need to read
books? He can become a student afterwards."
"Here is the reason for my hatred of glib-tongued people," said the
Master.
On one occasion Tsz-lu, Tsang Sin, Yen Yu, and Kung-si Hwa were sitting
near him. He said to them, "Though I may be a day older than you, do not
(for the moment) regard me as such. While you are living this unoccupied
life you are saying, 'We do not become known.
Pages:
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81