[currently under review]

Trustworthiness is close to rightness; words can be fulfilled. Reverence is close to ritual; keep shame and disgrace far. Not losing those kin upon whom a man depends, also may he take them as guides.

When words bond with trustworthiness and fit what is appropriate, they can assuredly be fulfilled. By showing reverence while attaining its due measure, one can keep shame and disgrace far. As for those upon whom a man depends, if he does not lose the people who are appropriate to keep close,¹ then they may also be taken as guides and counsel him.

This speaks to a man’s words and deeds in his social interactions and connections. In all cases, he should be watchful of these from the beginning and consider the end result. Otherwise, due to being causal and careless in those upon whom he depends, there will be one who is not able to bear the regret of losing himself.

– Zhu Xi 朱熹

言約信而合其宜，則言必可踐矣。致恭而中其節，則能遠恥辱矣。所依者不失其可親之人，則亦可以宗而主之矣。此言人之言行交際，皆當謹之於始而慮其所終，不然，則因仍苟且之間，將有不勝其自失之悔者矣。

Character Notes by Zhu Xi

Xin 信 (“trustworthiness”) is a ‘binding trust’ (約信). Yi 義 (“rightness”) means what is ‘proper for affairs’ (事之宜). Fu 復 (“fulfilled”) is ‘to carry out words’ (踐言). Gong 恭 (“reverence”) is ‘the expression of seriousness’ (致敬). Li 禮 (“ritual”) is ‘regulated by culture’ (節文). Yin 因 (“depend upon”) is ‘as if relying upon’ (猶依). Zong 宗 (“a guide”) is ‘like a ruler’ (猶主).

Jin 近 (“near”) and yuan 遠 (“far”) are both falling tone.

Footnotes

¹ The ancient verse uses the characters for “kin” 親 and “ancestors” 宗, so surely there are overtones of that intended, however Zhu’s commentary interprets it broader. As he says in Recorded Conversations, “Qin 親 is used in the sense of being ‘close with the benevolent’ [quotes Discourses 1.6]. Outstanding people. Below that, it is appropriate to follow one’s kin as a guide.” [Zhuzi Yulei Ch 22]

Comment: This verse describes the secondary virtues of trustworthiness and reverence, which come close to the primary virtues of rightness and ritual. Pragmatically, this provides minimum standards to maintain, since practitioners will inevitably fall short from time to time.