Confucius saidThe chun tzu is easy to work for and difficult to please. He uses each individual according to his particular capacity, and he is not pleased by non tao efforts to please him. The hsiao jen is difficult to work for and easy to please. He expects an individual to be fit for everything, and he can be pleased by non tao efforts to please him. The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please. If you try to please him in any way which is not accordant with right, he will not be pleased. But in his employment of men, he uses them according to their capacity. The mean man is difficult to serve, and easy to please. If you try to please him, though it be in a way which is not accordant with right, he may be pleased. But in his employment of men, he wishes them to be equal to everything. L The nobler sort of man is easy to serve yet difficult to please. Who seeks to please him in wrongful ways will not succeed. In exacting service from others, he takes account of aptitudes and limitations. The baser sort of man is difficult to serve yet easy to please. Who seeks to please him in any wrongful way will assuredly succeed. And he requires absolute perfection in those from whom he exacts service. G |
CommentaryPut the right person in the right place, and do not seek every quality in one individual. |