The Master said of Kung-ye Ch'ang that he might be wived; although he was put in bonds, he had not been guilty of any crime.
子谓公冶长:“可妻也,虽在缧绁之中,非其罪也!”
Accordingly, he gave him his own daughter to wife.
以其子妻之。
Of Nan Yung he said that if the country were well governed he would not be out of office, and if it were in governed, he would escape punishment and disgrace.
子谓南容:“邦有道不废;邦无道免于刑戮。”
He gave him the daughter of his own elder brother to wife.
以其兄之子妻之。
The Master said of Tsze-chien, "Of superior virtue indeed is such a man!
子谓子贱:“君子哉若人!
If there were not virtuous men in Lu, how could this man have acquired this character?"
鲁无君子者,斯焉取斯?”
Tsze-kung asked, "What do you say of me, Ts'ze!"
子贡问曰:“赐也何如?”
The Master said, "You are a utensil." "What utensil?" "A gemmed sacrificial utensil."
子曰:“女器也。”曰:“何器也?”曰:“瑚琏也。”
Some one said, "Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue."
或曰:“雍也仁而不佞。”
The Master said, "What is the good of being ready with the tongue?
子曰:“焉用佞?
They who encounter men with smartness of speech for the most part procure themselves hatred.
御人以口给,屡憎于人。
I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue?"
不知其仁,焉用佞?”
The Master was wishing Ch'i-tiao K'ai to enter an official employment.
子使漆雕开仕,
He replied, "I am not yet able to rest in the assurance of this." The Master was pleased.
对曰:“吾斯之未能信。”子说。