The Master said, Let officers act first; overlook small faults, lift up brains and worth.
Chung-kung said, How shall I get to know brains and worth to lift them up?
Lift up those thou dost know, said the Master; and those thou dost not know, will other men pass by?
3. Tzu-lu said, The lord of Wei[125] waits for you, Sir, to govern. How shall ye begin?
Surely, said the Master, by putting names right.
Indeed, said Tzu-lu, that is far-fetched, Sir. Why put them right?
What a savage Yu[126] is! said the Master. A gentleman is tongue-tied when he does not understand. If names are not right, words do not fit. If words do not fit, affairs go wrong. If affairs go wrong, neither courtesy nor music thrive. If courtesy and music do not thrive, law and justice fail. And if law and justice fail them, the people can move neither hand nor foot. So a gentleman must be ready to put names into speech and words into deed. A gentleman is nowise careless of his words.
4. Fan Ch'ih asked to be taught husbandry.
The Master said. An old husbandman knows more than I do.
He asked to be taught gardening.