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[Chapter 4: Dwelling in Virtue]\n\nThe Master said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighbourhood. If a person in selecting a residence, does not fix on one where such prevail, how can one be wise?"\nThe Master said, "Those who are without virtue, cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue."\nThe Master said, "It is only the truly virtuous person, who can love, or who can hate, others."\nThe Master said, "If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness."\nThe Master said, "Riches and honours are what people desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what people dislike. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be avoided. If a superior person abandon virtue, how can one fulfil the requirements of that name? The superior person does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, one cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, one cleaves to it."\nThe Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. One who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. One who hated what is not virtuous, would practise virtue in such a way that one would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach one's person. Is anyone able for one day to apply one's strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which one's strength would be insufficient. Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it."\nThe Master said, "The faults of people are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a person's faults, it may be known that one is virtuous."\nThe Master said, "If a person in the morning hear the right way, one may die in the evening without regret."\nThe Master said, "A scholar, whose mind is set on truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to be discoursed with."\nThe Master said, "The superior person, in the world, does not set one's mind either for anything, or against anything; but what is right one will follow."\nThe Master said, "The superior person thinks of virtue; the small person thinks of comfort. The superior person thinks of the sanctions of law; the small person thinks of favours which one may receive."\nThe Master said, "One who acts with a constant view to one's own advantage will be much murmured against."\nThe Master said, "Is a prince able to govern one's kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety, what difficulty will one have? If one cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has one to do with the rules of propriety?"\nThe Master said, "A person should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known."\nThe Master said, "Shen, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Zeng replied, "Yes." The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Zeng said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others—this and nothing more."\nThe Master said, "The mind of the superior person is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean person is conversant with gain."\nThe Master said, "When we see people of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see people of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves."\nThe Master said, "In serving one's parents, a child may remonstrate with them, but gently; when one sees that they do not incline to follow one's advice, one shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon one's purpose; and should they punish one, one does not allow oneself to murmur."\nThe Master said, "While one's parents are alive, the child may not go abroad to a distance. If one does go abroad, one must have a fixed place to which one goes."\nThe Master said, "If the child for three years does not alter from the way of one's father, one may be called filial."\nThe Master said, "The years of parents may by no means not be kept in the memory, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear."\nThe Master said, "The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up to them."\nThe Master said, "The cautious seldom err."\nThe Master said, "The superior person wishes to be slow in one's words and earnest in one's conduct."\nThe Master said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. One who practises it will have neighbours."\nZiyou said, "In serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace. Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant."