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Analects 4:16

Confucius said

The chun tzu says yes to yi ; the hsiao jen says yes to gain.


The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain. L


The nobler sort of man is proficient in the know­ledge of his duty; the inferior man is proficient only in money-making. G


A wise man sees what is right in a question; a fool, what is advantageous to him self. K


The wise man is informed in what is right. The inferior man is informed in what will pay. S


The superior man is influenced by the love of rectitude, the mean man by the love of gain. C


The gentleman regards what is right; the cad regards what will pay. (Sir Chaloner Alabaster)


A gentleman considers what is right; the vulgar consider what will pay. H

Commentary

The chun tzu earnestly applies his self and time to yi rather than to the pursuit of mere indiscriminate, vain, and selfish gain and biases.

Though other people might possess the chun tzu ’s zeal, insatiability, learning, application, or abilities, they do not direct it towards yi the way the chun tzu does.