The philosopher Tsang being ill, Meng Chang went to ask how he was.
曾子有疾，孟敬子问之。
Tsang said to him, "When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good.
曾子言曰：“鸟之将死，其鸣也哀；人之将死，其言也善。
"There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially important:
君子所贵乎道者三：
that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness;
动容貌，斯远暴慢矣；
that in regulating his countenance he keep near to sincerity;
正颜色，斯近信矣；
and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety.
出辞气，斯远鄙倍矣。
As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels, there are the proper officers for them."
笾豆之事，则有司存。”

The philosopher Tsang said, "Gifted with ability, and yet putting questions to those who were not so;
曾子曰：“以能问于不能；
possessed of much, and yet putting questions to those possessed of little;
以多问于寡；
having, as though he had not; full, and yet counting himself as empty; offended against, and yet entering into no altercation;
有若无，实若虚，犯而不校。
formerly I had a friend who pursued this style of conduct."
昔者吾友尝从事于斯矣。”
The philosopher Tsang said, "Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with the charge of a young orphan prince,
曾子曰：“可以托六尺之孤，
and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred li,
可以寄百里之命，
and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles: is such a man a superior man? He is a superior man indeed."
临大节而不可夺也。君子人与？君子人也。”