Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 27.djvu/385

 19. Kung-nî said, "Formerly, when the duke of Kâu was administering the government, he did so while he (continued to) go up by the eastern steps. He (also) set forth the rules for a crown prince in (his dealing with) Po-khin, and it was thus that he secured the excellence of king Khǎng. I have heard it said, 'A minister will sacrifice himself to benefit his ruler, and how much more will he swerve from the ordinary course to secure his excellence!' This was what the duke of Kââm did with ease and unconcern.

20. Therefore he who knows how to show himself what a son should be can afterwards show himself what a father should be; he who knows how to show himself what a minister should be can afterwards show himself what a ruler should be; he who knows how to serve others can afterwards employ them. King Khǎng, being quite young, could not discharge the duties of the government. He had no means of learning how to show himself what the crown prince should be. On this account the rules for a crown prince were exhibited in (the treatment of) Po-khin, and he was made to live with the young king that the latter might thus understand all that was right between father and son, ruler and minister, elders and youngers ."