Chapter XVII: Serving the Sovereign

CHAPTER XVII

SERVING THE SOVEREIGN

Confucius said: "A good man always endeavours, while he is in the service of his sovereign, to express the utmost loyalty during audience with his August Master, and thinks at his leisure how to repair any wrong his August Master may have done. He will carry out any praiseworthy schemes projected by his master, and will correct any fault which he may commit. In this way a great affection will be fostered between them.

"Thus in the Shih Ching it is written: "Although the minister may be far away from his master, yet his affection will not be affected by the distance. He is so attached to him that he thinks of him every day."