Legge Translation (1861)

Ji Ziran asked whether Zhongyou and Ran Qiu could be called great ministers.

The Master said: "I thought you would ask about some extraordinary individuals, and you only ask about Yu and Qiu!

What is called a great minister, is one who serves his prince according to what is right, and when he finds he cannot do so, retires.

Now, as to Yu and Qiu, they may be called ordinary ministers."

Ziran said: "Then they will always follow their chief; — will they?"

The Master said: "In an act of parricide or regicide, they would not follow him."