1.1  Master Kong¹ said: Is it not a pleasure to learn and to repeat or practice from time to time what has been learned? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar? Is one not a superior man if he does not feel hurt even though he is not recognized?

子曰：「學而時習之，不亦說乎？有朋自遠方來，不亦樂乎？人不知而不慍，不亦君子乎？」

1.2  Youzi² said: Few of those who are filial sons and respectful brothers will show disrespect to superiors, and there has never been a man who is not disrespectful to superiors and yet creates disorder. A superior man is devoted to the fundamentals (the root). When the root is firmly established, the moral law (Dao 道) will grow. Filial piety and brotherly respect are the root of humanity (ren 仁).

有子曰：「其為人也孝弟，而好犯上者，鮮矣；不好犯上，而好作亂者，未之有也。君子務本，本立而道生。孝弟也者，其為仁之本與！」

1.3  Master Kong said: A man with clever words and an ingratiating appearance is seldom a man of humanity.

子曰：「巧言令色，鮮矣仁！」

1.4  Zengzi³ said: Every day I examine myself on three points: whether in counseling others I have not been loyal; whether in intecourse with my friends I have not been faithful; and whether I have not repeated again and again and practiced the instructions of my teacher.

曾子曰：「吾日三省吾身：為人謀而不忠乎？與朋友交而不信乎？傳不習乎？」

1.6  Master Kong said: Young men should be filial when at home and respectful to their elders when away from home. They should be earnest and faithful. They should love all extensively and be intimate with men of humanity. When they have any energy to spare after the performance of moral duties, they should use it to study literature and the arts (wen 文).

子曰：「弟子入則孝，出則弟，謹而信，汎愛眾，而親仁。行有餘力，則以學文。」

1.8  Master Kong said: If the superior man is not grave, he will not inspire awe, and his learning will not be on a firm foundation. Hold loyalty and faithfulness to be fundamental. Have no friends who are not as good as yourself. When you have made mistakes, don't be afraid to correct them.

子曰：「君子不重則不威，學則不固。主忠信，無友不如己者，過則勿憚改。」

1.11  Master Kong said: When a man’s father is alive, look at the bent of his will. When his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years [of mourning] he does not change from the way of his father, he may be called filial.

子曰：「父在，觀其志；父沒，觀其行；三年無改於父之道，可謂孝矣。」

1.12  Youzi said: Among the functions of propriety (li 禮) the most valuable is that it establishes harmony. The excellence of the ways of ancient kings consists of this. It is the guiding principle of all things great and small. If things go amiss, and you, understanding harmony, try to achieve it without regulating it by the rules of propriety, they will still go amiss.

有子曰：「禮之用，和為貴。先王之道斯為美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以禮節之，亦不可行也。」

1.14  Master Kong said: The superior man does not seek fulfillment of his appetite nor comfort in his lodging. He is diligent in his duties and careful in his speech. He associates with men of moral principles and thereby realizes himself. Such a person may be said to love learning.

子曰：「君子食無求飽，居無求安，敏於事而慎於言，就有道而正焉，可謂好學也已。」

1.15  Zigong⁴ said: What do you think of a man who is poor and yet does not flatter, and the rich man who is not proud?

Master Kong replied: They will do. But they are not as good as the poor man who is happy and the rich man who loves the rules of propriety (li 禮).

Zigong said: The Book of Odes says: “As a thing is cut and filed, as a thing is carved and polished. . .”⁵ Does that not mean what you have just said?

Kongzi said: Ah! Zi. Now I can begin to talk about the odes with you. When I have told you what has gone before, you know what is to follow.

子貢曰：「貧而無諂，富而無驕，何如？」子曰：「可也。未若貧而樂1，富而好禮者也。」子貢曰：「《詩》云：『如切如磋，如琢如磨。』其斯之謂與？」子曰：「賜也，始可與言詩已矣！告諸往而知來者。」

1.16  Master Kong said: [A good man] does not worry about not being known by others but rather worries about not knowing them.

子曰：「不患人之不己知，患不知人也。」