Confucius answered, That is more than words can do. But men have a saying, To be lord is hard and to be minister is not easy. And if one knew how hard it is to be lord, might not this one saying almost bless a kingdom?
And is there any one saying that can wreck a kingdom?
That is more than words can do, Confucius answered. But men have a saying, My only delight in being lord is that no one withstands what I say. Now if what he says is good, and no one withstands him, is not that good too? But if it is not good, and no one withstands him, might not this one saying almost wreck a kingdom?
16. The Duke of She asked, What is kingcraft?
The Master answered, For those near us to be happy and those far off to come.
17. When he was governor of Chü-fu, Tzu-hsia asked how to rule.
The Master said, Be not eager for haste; look not for small gains. Nothing done in haste is thorough, and looking for small gains big things are left undone.
18. The Duke of She told Confucius, Among the upright men of my clan if the father steals a sheep his son bears witness.
Confucius answered, Our clan's uprightness is unlike that. The father screens his son and the son screens his father. There is uprightness in this.
19. Fan Ch'ih asked, What is love?