Tzŭ-lu said, "If a gentleman who was unable to be assiduous
and work hard, or think lightly of death, or endure poverty, were
to say, `I [am able to][2]
do my duty (i),' I would not believe him.
Formerly Shên Pao-hsü stood seven days and nights in the court
at Ch`in weeping without once stopping, and so preserved Ch`u.
Had he not been able to be assiduous and work hard, how could
he have brought this about? Pi-kan in the face of death remonstrated
the more loyally. Although Po-i and Shu-ch`i starved in
Shou-yang, their determination showed but the stronger. Had
they not been able to think lightly of death, how could they
have acted thus? Tsêng-tzŭ, whose coarse clothes and worn
hempen garments
[3]
were never whole, who never got to eat his
fill of his diet of coarse rice and millet,
[4]
still refused to be prime
minister when [the position] was incompatible with his principles
(
i). Had he not been able to endure poverty, how could he have
acted thus? Now if a gentleman wishes to establish himself and
practice the True Way, he will be able to do it only if he pays
no regard to the difficulties involved. If he wishes to fulfill his
duty (
i) and make his name known, he will be able to do it only
if he pays no attention to profit or loss."
The Ode says,[5]
That gentleman there
Is large and generous
Except for a superior man of fine generosity and self-cultivation,
[6]
who can partake of [such praise]?
[7]