Page:The sayings of Confucius; a new translation of the greater part of the Confucian analects (IA sayingsofconfuci00confiala).pdf/127

 man who withdraws from prince after prince in succession, would it not be better to follow a man who has withdrawn from the world altogether?—And he went on hoeing without a pause. Tzǔ Lu went back and reported these remarks, whereupon the Master looked surprised and said: We cannot join the company of birds and beasts. If I am not to associate with these men of the ruling class, with whom am I to associate? If right principles prevailed in the Empire, then indeed there would be no need for me to reform it.

Shu-sun Wu-shu, speaking to the ministers at Court, said: Tzǔ Kung is a greater sage than Confucius.—Tzǔ-fu Ching-po repeated this to Tzǔ Kung, who said: Let me use the simile of a house surrounded by a wall. My wall rises only to the height of a man's shoulders, so that any one can look over and see the excellence of