Legge Translation (1861)

The men who have retired to privacy from the world have been Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Yu Zhong, Yi Yi, Zhu Zhang, Hui of Liuxia, and Shao Lian.

The Master said: "Refusing to surrender their wills, or to submit to any taint in their persons; — such were Bo Yi and Shu Qi."

It may be said of Hui of Liuxia and of Shao Lian, that they surrendered their wills, and submitted to taint in their persons, but their words corresponded with right principles and their actions were such as could be expected from them. The result of their whole character was only this.

It may be said of Yu Zhong and Yi Yi, that, while they hid themselves in their seclusion, they gave a license to their words; but, in their persons, they succeeded in preserving their purity, and, in their retirement, they acted according to the exigency of the times.

With me it is different from all these. I have no 'it may' or 'it may not.'"