Analects 11.24 — Chi Tsze-zan asked whether Chung Yu and Zan…

季jì子zǐ然rán问wèn：“仲zhòng由yóu、冉rǎn求qiú可kě谓wèi大dà臣chén与yú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“吾wú以yǐ子zǐ为wéi异yì之zhī问wèn，曾céng由yóu与yǔ求qiú之zhī问wèn。所suǒ谓wèi大dà臣chén者zhě，以yǐ道dào事shì君jūn，不bù可kě则zé止zhǐ。今jīn由yóu与yǔ求qiú也yě，可kě谓wèi具jù臣chén矣yǐ。”曰yuē：“然rán则zé从cóng之zhī者zhě与yú？”子zǐ曰yuē：“弑shì父fù与yǔ君jūn，亦yì不bù从cóng也yě。”

1Chi Tsze-zan asked whether Chung Yu and Zan Ch'iu could be called great ministers.

2The Master said, 'I thought you would ask about some extraordinary individuals, and you only ask about Yu and Ch'iu!

3'What is called a great minister, is one who serves his prince according to what is right, and when he finds he cannot do so, retires.

4'Now, as to Yu and Ch'iu, they may be called ordinary ministers.'

5Tsze-zan said, 'Then they will always follow their chief;-- will they?'

6The Master said, 'In an act of parricide or regicide, they would not follow him.'

Book 11, Passage 11.24