"The trouble of the superior man will be his own want of ability: it
will be no trouble to him that others do not know him.

"Such a man thinks it hard to end his days and leave a name to be no
longer named.

"The superior man is exacting of himself; the common man is exacting of
others.

"A superior man has self-respect, and does not strive; is sociable, yet
no party man.

"He does not promote a man because of his words, or pass over the words
because of the man."

Tsz-kung put to him the question, "Is there one word upon which the
whole life may proceed?"

The Master replied, "Is not Reciprocity such a word?--what you do not
yourself desire, do not put before others."

"So far as I have to do with others, whom do I over-censure? whom do I
over-praise? If there be something in them that looks very praiseworthy,
that something I put to the test. I would have the men of the present
day to walk in the straight path whereby those of the Three Dynasties
have walked.

"I have arrived as it were at the annalist's blank page.--Once he who
had a horse would lend it to another to mount; now, alas! it is not so.