8.5  Zengzi said: Gifted with ability, yet asking those without ability; possessing much, yet asking those who possess little; having, yet seeming to have none; full, yet seeming vacuous; offended, yet not contesting—long ago I had a friend [Kongzi’s most virtuous pupil Yan Hui?] who devoted himself to these ways.

曾子曰：「以能問於不能，以多問於寡；有若無，實若虛，犯而不校，昔者吾友嘗從事於斯矣。」

8.6  Zengzi said: A man who can be entrusted with an orphaned child, delegated with the authority over a whole state of one hundred li,¹ and whose integrity cannot be violated even in the face of a great emergency—is such a man a superior man? He is a superior man indeed!

曾子曰：「可以託六尺之孤，可以寄百里之命，臨大節而不可奪也。君子人與？君子人也。」

8.7  Zengzi said: An officer must be great and strong. His burden is heavy and his course is long. He has taken humanity to be his own burden—is that not heavy? Only with death does his course stop—is that not long?

曾子曰：「士不可以不弘毅，任重而道遠。仁以為己任，不亦重乎？死而後已，不亦遠乎？」

8.8  Master Kong said: Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music.

子曰：「興於詩，立於禮。成於樂。」

8.9  Master Kong said: The common people may be made to follow it (the Way) but may not be made to understand it.

子曰：「民可使由之，不可使知之。」

8.13 Master Kong said: Have sincere faith and love learning. Be not afraid to die for pursuing the good Way. Do not enter a tottering state nor stay in a chaotic one. When the Way prevails in the empire, then show yourself; when it does not prevail, then hide. When the Way prevails in your own state and you are poor and in a humble position, be ashamed of yourself. When the Way does not prevail in your state and you are wealthy and in an honorable position, be ashamed of yourself.

子曰：「篤信好學，守死善道。危邦不入，亂邦不居。天下有道則見，無道則隱。邦有道，貧且賤焉，恥也；邦無道，富且貴焉，恥也。」

8.14  Master Kong said: A person not in a particular government position does not discuss its policies.

子曰：「不在其位，不謀其政。」