CHAPTER 10

Yen K'ew said, "It is not that I do not delight in your doctrines, but my strength is insufficient." The Master said, "Those whose strength is insufficient give over in the middle of the way, but now you limit yourself."

8. LAMENT OF CONFUCIUS OVER THE MORTAL SICKNESS OF PIH-NEW. Pih-new, 'elder or uncle New', was the denomination of 再耕, who had an honourable place among the disciples of the sage. In the old interpr., his sickness is said to have been 恶疾, 'an evil disease', by which name leprosy, called 癞, is intended, though that char. is now employed for 'itch'. Suffering from such a disease, Pih-new would not see people, and Confucius took his hand through the window. A differ. Explanation of that circumstance is given by Choo He. He says that sick persons were usually placed on the north side of the apartment, but when the prince visited them, in order that he might appear to them with his face to the south (see ch.1), they were moved to the south. On this occasion, Pihnew's friends wanted to receive Conf. after this royal fashion, which he avoided by not entering the house. 亡appears as an act, verb亡之, 'It is killing him', 夫, low.1st tone, generally an initial particle= 'now'. It is here final, and= 'alas!'

9. THE HAPPINESS OF HWUY INDEPENDENT OF POVERTY. The 箪 was simply a piece of the stem of a bamboo, and the 瓢 half of a gourd cut into two. 食, See II.8. The eulogy turns much on 其 in 其乐, as opposed to 其忧, 'his joy', the delight which he had in the doctrines of his master, contrasted with the grief others would have felt under such poverty.

10. A HIGH AIM AND PERSEVERANCE PROPER TO A STUDENT. Conf. would not admit K'ew's apology for not attempting more than he did. 'Give over in the middle of the way', i.e., they go as long and as far as they can, they are pursuing when they stop.