Confucian Analects · Analects 17.25
The Master said, 'Of all people, girls and servants are the most difficult to behave to. If you are familiar with them, they lose their humility. If you maintain a reserve towards them, they are discontented.'
Chinese · source text【廿五章】子曰、唯女子與小人、為難養也、近之則不孫、遠之則怨。
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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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