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Confucian Analects · Analects 5.7

1. Mang Wu asked about Tsze-lu, whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, 'I do not know.' 2. He asked again, when the Master replied, 'In a kingdom of a thousand chariots, Yu might be employed to manage the military levies, but I do not know whether he be perfectly virtuous.' 3. 'And what do you say of Ch'iu?' The Master replied, 'In a city of a thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots, Ch'iu might be employed as governor, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.' 4. 'What do you say of Ch'ih?' The Master replied, 'With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch'ih might be employed to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.'
Chinese · source text【第七章】【一節】孟武伯問子路仁乎。子曰、不知也。【二節】又問。子曰、由也、千乘之國、可使治其賦也、不知其仁也。【三節】求也何如。子曰、求也、千室之邑、百乘之家、可使為之宰也、不知其仁也。【四節】赤也何如。子曰、赤也、束帶立於朝、可使與賓客言也、不知其仁也。
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Confucius · English translation by James Legge · bilingual transcription
James Legge, The Chinese Classics, Volume 1: Confucian Analects · Project Gutenberg #4094
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