Lun Yu – Les Entretiens de Confucius

Houei de Liou hia était préposé à la justice1. Il fut trois fois destitué de sa charge. Quelqu'un lui dit : « Le moment n'est-il pas encore venu de quitter ce pays2 ? – Si je veux servir les hommes en suivant la Voie droite, répondit-il, où irai-je pour n'être pas destitué trois fois ? Si je veux servir les hommes par des voies perverses, qu'ai-je besoin de quitter ma patrie ? »

Couvreur XVIII.2.

How Hûi of Liû-hsiâ, thought often dismissed from office, still clave to his country.
Hûi of Liû-hsiâ, being chief criminal judge, was thrice dismissed from his office. Some one said to him, "Is it not yet time for you, sir, to leave this?" He replied, "Serving men in an upright way, where shall I go to, and not experience such a thrice-repeated dismissal? If I choose to serve men in a crooked way, what necessity is there for me to leave the country of my parents?"

Legge XVIII.2.

Liu Hsia Hui was dismissed three times when he was judge. Someone said, 'Is it not time for you to leave?' 'If, in the service of another, one is not prepared to bend the Way, Where can one go without being dismissed three times? If, in the service of another, one is prepared to bend the 'Way, what need is there to leave the country of one's 'father and mother?'

Lau [18:2]