A prince’s utmost excellence consists in benevolence; a minister’s in respect; a child’s in dutifulness; a father’s in affectionate regard; and the utmost excellence of a member of society consists in fidelity:—these valuable qualities were found in the King Wen.
The Odes say, “See yonder, by the banks of the Ki, how beautiful and abundant are the verdant trees! so beautiful was it to behold the learned Wu-kung, King of Wei. As the ivory is pared and smoothes; as gems are cut and polished!—so, how venerable, how determined, and how great was the learned Prince!—to the latest ages he will not be forgotten. As the workman smoothes the ivory, so did he the path of reason; as the marble is polished, so he adorned himself with virtue. His venerable appearance commanded respect; his determines conduct [commanded] an attention to justice and propriety—such was the learned Prince; he will never be forgotten: his eminent virtue, his boundless goodness, by the people who loved him can never be forgotten!”
The Odes say, “Behold the ancient
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