15. The Master said, How can we serve the king with a low fellow, who is itching to get what he wants and trembling to lose what he has? This trembling to lose what he has may lead him anywhere.
16. The Master said, Men of old had three failings, which have, perhaps, died out to-day. Ambitious men of old were not nice; now they are unprincipled. Stern men of old were hard; now they are quarrelsome. Ignorant men of old were straight; now they are false. That is all.
17. The Master said, Smooth words and fawning looks are seldom found with love.
18. The Master said, I hate the ousting of scarlet by purple. I hate the strains of Cheng, confounders of sweet music. I hate a sharp tongue, the ruin of kingdom and home.
19. The Master said, I wish no word were spoken!
Tzu-kung said, Sir, if ye said no word, what could your little children write?
The Master said, What are the words of Heaven? The four seasons pass, the hundred things bear life. What are the words of Heaven?
20. Ju Pei wished to see Confucius. Confucius pleaded sickness; but, as the messenger left his door, he took a lute and sang, so the messenger should hear.
21. Tsai Wo[159] asked about mourning for three years. He thought that one was enough.
If for three years gentlemen forsake courtesy, courtesy must suffer. If for three years they forsake music, music must decay. The old grain passes, the new grain sprouts, the round of woods for the fire-drill is ended in one year.