4.2  Master Kong said: One who is not a man of humanity cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The man of humanity is naturally at ease with humanity. The man of wisdom cultivates humanity for its advantage.

子曰：「不仁者不可以久處約，不可以長處樂。仁者安仁，知者利仁。」

4.3  Master Kong said: Only the man of humanity knows how to love people and hate people.¹

子曰：「唯仁者能好人，能惡人。」

4.4  Master Kong said: If you set your mind on humanity, you will be free from evil.

子曰：「苟志於仁矣，無惡也。」

4.5  Master Kong said: Wealth and honor are what every man desires. But if they have been obtained in violation of moral principles, they must not be kept. Poverty and humble station are what every man dislikes. But if they can be avoided only in violation of moral principles, they must not be avoided. If a superior man departs from humanity, how can he fulfill that name? A superior man never abandons humanity even for the lapse of a single meal. In moments of haste, he acts according to it. In times of difficulty or confusion, he acts according to it.

子曰：「富與貴是人之所欲也，不以其道得之，不處也；貧與賤是人之所惡也，不以其道得之，不去也。君子去仁，惡乎成名？君子無終食之間違仁，造次必於是，顛沛必於是。」

4.6  Master Kong said: I have never seen one who really loves humanity or one who really hates inhumanity. One who really loves humanity will not place anything above it. One who really hates inhumanity will practice humanity in such a way that inhumanity will have no chance to get at him. Is there any one who has devoted his strength to humanity for as long as a single day? I have not seen any one without sufficient strength to do so. Perhaps there is such a case, but I have never seen it.

子曰：「我未見好仁者，惡不仁者。好仁者，無以尚之；惡不仁者，其為仁矣，不使不仁者加乎其身。有能一日用其力於仁矣乎？我未見力不足者。蓋有之矣，我未之見也。」

4.8  Master Kong said: In the morning, hear the Way; in the evening, die content!

子曰：「朝聞道，夕死可矣。」

4.10  Master Kong said: A superior man in dealing with the world is not for anything or against anything. He follows righteousness as the standard.

子曰：「君子之於天下也，無適也，無莫也，義之與比。」

4.11  Master Kong said: The superior man thinks of virtue; the inferior man thinks of possessions. The superior man thinks of sanctions; the inferior man thinks of personal favors.

子曰：「君子懷德，小人懷土；君子懷刑，小人懷惠。」

4.12  Master Kong said: If one’s acts are motivated by profit, he will have many enemies.

子曰：「放於利而行，多怨。」

4.15  Master Kong said: Zeng, there is one thread that runs through my doctrines.

Zengzi said: Yes.

After Master Kong had left, the disciples asked him: What did he mean?

Zengzi replied: The Way of our Master is none other than conscientiousness (zhong 忠) and altruism (shu 恕).

子曰：「參乎！吾道一以貫之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。門人問曰：「何謂也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」

4.16  Master Kong said: The superior man understands righteousness (yi 義); the inferior man understands profit (li 利).

子曰：「君子喻於義，小人喻於利。」

4.18  Master Kong said: In serving his parents, a son may gently remonstrate with them. When he sees that they are not inclined to listen to him, he should resume an attitude of reverence and not abandon his effort to serve them. He may feel worried, but does not complain.

子曰：「事父母幾諫。見志不從，又敬不違，勞而不怨。」

4.19  Master Kong said: When his parents are alive, a son should not go far abroad; or if he does, he should let them know where he goes.

子曰：「父母在，不遠遊。遊必有方。」

4.21  Master Kong said: A son should always keep in mind the age of his parents. It is an occasion for joy [that they are enjoying long life] and also an occasion for anxiety [that another year is gone].

子曰：「父母之年，不可不知也。一則以喜，一則以懼。」

4.24  Master Kong said: The superior man wants to be slow in word but diligent in action.

子曰：「君子欲訥於言，而敏於行。」