Analects 19.23 — Shu-sun Wu-shu observed to the great…

叔shū孙sūn武wǔ叔shū语yǔ大dà夫fú于yú朝cháo曰yuē：“子zǐ贡gòng贤xián于yú仲zhòng尼ní。”子zǐ服fú景jǐng伯bó以yǐ告gào子zǐ贡gòng。子zǐ贡gòng曰yuē：“譬pì之zhī宫gōng墙qiáng，赐cì之zhī墙qiáng也yě及jí肩jiān，窥kuī见jiàn室shì家jiā之zhī好hào。夫fū子zǐ之zhī墙qiáng数shù仞rèn，不bù得dé其qí门mén而ér入rù，不bù见jiàn宗zōng庙miào之zhī美měi、百bǎi官guān之zhī富fù。得dé其qí门mén者zhě或huò寡guǎ矣yǐ。夫fū子zǐ之zhī云yún，不bù亦yì宜yí乎hū！”

1Shu-sun Wu-shu observed to the great officers in the court, saying, 'Tsze-kung is superior to Chung-ni.'

2Tsze-fu Ching-po reported the observation to Tsze-kung, who said, 'Let me use the comparison of a house and its encompassing wall. My wall only reaches to the shoulders. One may peep over it, and see whatever is valuable in the apartments.

3'The wall of my Master is several fathoms high. If one do not find the door and enter by it, he cannot see the ancestral temple with its beauties, nor all the officers in their rich array.

4'But I may assume that they are few who find the door. Was not the observation of the chief only what might have been expected?'

Book 19, Passage 19.23