CHAP. XXXVIII. 1. The Kung-po Liao, having slandered Tsze-lu
to Chi-sun, Tsze-fu Ching-po informed Confucius of it, saying, 'Our
master is certainly being led astray by the Kung-po Liao, but I have
still power enough left to cut Liao off, and expose his corpse in the
market and in the court.'
2. The Master said, 'If my principles are to advance, it is so
ordered. If they are to fall to the ground, it is so ordered. What can
the Kung-po Liao do where such ordering is concerned?'

CHAP. XXXIX. 1. The Master said, 'Some men of worth retire
from the world.
2. Some retire from particular states.
3. Some retire because of disrespectful looks.
4. Some retire because of contradictory language.'
CHAP. XL. The Master said, 'Those who have done this are
seven men.'
CHAP. XLI. Tsze-lu happening to pass the night in Shih-man,
the gatekeeper said to him, 'Whom do you come from?' Tsze-lu said,
'From Mr. K'ung.' 'It is he,-- is it not?'-- said the other, 'who knows
the impracticable nature of the times and yet will be doing in
them.'
CHAP. XLII. 1. The Master was playing, one day, on a musical
stone in Wei, when a man, carrying a straw basket, passed the door

of the house where Confucius was, and said, 'His heart is full who so
beats the musical stone.'
2. A little while after, he added, 'How contemptible is the
one-ideaed obstinacy those sounds display! When one is taken no
notice of, he has simply at once to give over his wish for public
employment. "Deep water must be crossed with the clothes on;