The Master replied, "He was pure."
子曰:“清矣。”
"Was he perfectly virtuous?"
曰:“仁矣乎?”
"I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?"
曰:“未知,焉得仁?”
Chi Wan thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, "Twice may do."
季文子三思而后行,子闻之曰:“再斯可矣。”
The Master said, "When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Wu acted the part of a wise man.
子曰:“宁武子,邦有道则知,
When his country was in disorder, he acted the part of a stupid man.
邦无道则愚。
Others may equal his wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity."
其知可及也,其愚不可及也。”
When the Master was in Ch'an, he said, "Let me return! Let me return!
子在陈,曰:“归与!归与!
The little children of my school are ambitious and too hasty.
吾党之小子狂简,
They are accomplished and complete so far, but they do not know how to restrict and shape themselves."
斐然成章,不知所以裁之。”
The Master said, "Po-i and Shu-ch'i did not keep the former wickednesses of men in mind, and hence the resentments directed towards them were few."
子曰:“伯夷、叔齐不念旧恶,怨是用希。”
The Master said, "Who says of Weishang Kao that he is upright?
子曰:“孰谓微生高直?
One begged some vinegar of him, and he begged it of a neighbor and gave it to the man."
或乞醯焉,乞诸其邻而与之。”