2.1. 子曰：“為政以德，譬如北辰，居其所而眾星共之。”
A prince, said the Master, should rule his state by virtue as the polar star which keeps its place among the stars turning around it.
2.2. 子曰：“《詩》三百，一言以蔽之，曰：‘思無邪’。”
There are three hundred poems in the Book of Poetry , said the Master. In a word, there is nothing improper.
2.3. 子曰：“道之以政，齊之以刑，民免而無恥。道之以德，齊之以禮，有耻且格。”
If the people are governed by laws, said the Master, and order is kept by punishment, they would be obedient but not conscientious. If they are led by virtue and order is kept by the rites, they would be conscientious and act in agreement with what is right.
2.4. 子曰：“吾十有五而志於學，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳順，七十而從心所欲，不逾矩。
At fifteen, said the Master, I was fond of learning. At thirty, I was established. At forty, I did not waver. At fifty, I knew my sacred mission. At sixty, I had a discerning ear. At seventy, I could do what I would without going beyond what is right.
2.5. 孟懿子問孝，子曰：“無違。”樊遲禦，子告之曰：“孟孫問孝於我，我對曰‘無違’。”樊遲曰：“何謂也？”子曰：“生，事之以禮；死，葬之以禮，祭之以禮。”
When Meng Yi Zi asked about filial duty, the Master said,“Do nothing in disagreement with the rites.” When Fan Chi was driving his carriage for him, the Master told him how he answered the question of Meng Yi Zi. When Fan Chi asked for an explanation, the Master said, “Parents should be served in agreement with the rites while alive; when dead, they should be buried and the sacrifice be offered in agreement with the rites.”
2.6. 孟武伯問孝。 子曰：“父母唯其疾之憂。”
When the son of Meng Yi Zi asked about filial duty, the Master said, “Do not let your parents worry about their health!”
2.7. 子遊問孝，子曰：“今之孝者，是謂能養。至於犬馬，皆能有養。不敬，何以別乎？”
When Zi You asked about filial duty, the Master said,“Filial sons of today only take care their parents are well fed. But even dogs and horses are well fed now. What is the difference if their parents are fed without reverence?”
2.8. 子夏問孝。 子曰：“色難。有事，弟子服其勞；有酒食，先生饌，曾是以為孝乎？”
When Zi Xia asked about filial duty, the Master said,“It is difficult to appear happy in trouble. If the young serve the old and feed them with wine and food before themselves, but with troubled looks, could they be called filial sons?”
2.9. 子曰：“吾與回言終日，不違，如愚。退而省其私，亦足以發，回也不愚。”
When I talked with Yan Hui all day long, said the Master, he never disagreed with me as if he were stupid. When he retired to do his work all by himself, I found nothing in disagreement with my teaching. Hui is not stupid at all.
2.10. 子曰：“視其所以，觀其所由，察其所安，人焉廋哉？人焉廋哉？”
See what a man does, said the Master, examine why he has done so, and observe whether he is content. Can his character remain hidden? Can it remain hidden?
2.11. 子曰：“溫故而知新，可以為師矣。”
One who can learn something new while reviewing what he has learned, said the Master, is fit to be a teacher.
2.12. 子曰：“君子不器。”
An intelligentleman, said the Master, is not a mere implement.
2.13. 子貢問君子。 子曰：“先行其言而後從之。”
When Zi Gong asked about the intelligentleman, the Master said,“One whose deeds precede his words.”
2.14. 子曰：“君子周而不比，小人比而不周。”
An intelligentleman, said the Master, cares for the whole more than for the parts, while an uncultured man cares for the parts rather than for the whole.
2.15. 子曰：“學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆。”
To learn without thinking, said the Master, risks to be blind, while to think without learning risks to be impractical.
2.16. 子曰：“攻乎异端，斯害也已！”
To antagonize a different view, said the Master, would reveal one’s own weakness.
2.17. 子曰：“由，誨汝，知之乎！知之為知之，不知為不知，是知也。”
Shall I teach you what knowledge is? said the Master to Zi Lu, to admit what you know and what you do not know, that is knowledge.
2.18. 子張學干祿。 子曰：“多聞闕疑，慎言其餘，則寡尤；多見闕殆，慎行其餘，則寡悔。言寡尤，行寡悔，祿在其中矣。”
When Zi Zhang asked about official emolument, the Master said,“Hear much and put aside what is doubtful, and be cautious in speaking of the rest, then you would be less to blame. See much and put aside what is risky, and be cautious in doing the rest, then you would regret the less. If your words are seldom blamed and your deeds seldom regretful, then you need not worry about official emolument.”
2.19. 哀公問曰：“何為則民服？”孔子對曰：“舉直錯諸枉，則民服；舉枉錯諸直，則民不服。”
When Duke Ai asked how to win the support of the people, the Master replied, “If honest men are employed and dishonest ones discarded, then people will support you. If dishonest men replace the honest, you will lose the support of the people.”
2.20. 季康子問：“使民敬、忠以勸，如之何？”子曰：“臨之以莊，則敬；孝慈，則忠；舉善而教不能，則勸。”
When Ji Kang Zi asked how the people could be induced to be respectful and faithful, the Master replied, “If you maintain dignity, people will respect you. If you are dutiful towards your parents and kind towards all, they will have faith in you. If the worthy are employed and the incompetent are trained, they will be induced to be respectful and faithful.”
2.21. 或謂孔子曰：“子奚不為政？”子曰：“《書》雲：‘孝乎惟孝，友於兄弟，施於有政。’是亦為政，奚其為為政？”
When asked why he is not occupied with state affairs, Confucius answered, “It is said in the Book of History about filial duty that respect for parents and fraternity towards brothers are family affairs. If these are practised in the state towards the old and the young, it is state affair. Thus engaged in family affairs, am I not occupied with state affairs too?”
2.22. 子曰：“人而無信，不知其可也。大車無輗，小車無軏，其何以行之哉？”
How can an untrustworthy man be employed? said the Master. Could a large cart go without a yoke-bar or small cart without a cross-bar?
2.23. 子張問：“十世可知也？”子曰：“殷因於夏禮，所損益，可知也；周因於殷禮，所損益，可知也。其或繼周者，雖百世，可知也。”
When Zi Zhang asked if the ritual systems of ten generations to come could be foreseen, the Master said, “The Yin dynasty followed and modified the ritual system of the Xia, and its modified system was known. The Zhou dynasty followed and altered the ritual system of the Yin, and its altered system is also known. So we may predict the system of the successors of the Zhou can be foreseen even a hundred generations later.”
2.24. 子曰：“非其鬼而祭之，諂也；見義不為，無勇也。”
To worship other ancestors than one’s own, said the Master, reveals pretentions. Not to right the wrong shows the lack of courage.