1. The Kung-pih, Leaou, having slandered Tsze-loo to Ke-sun, Tsze-fuk Khing-pih informed Confucius of it, saying, "Our master is certainly being led astray by the Kung-pih, Leaou, but I have still power enough left to cut Leaou off, and expose his corpse in the market and in the court."

2. The Master said, "If my principles are to advance, it is so ordered. If they are to fall to the ground, it is so ordered. What can the Kung-pih, Leaou, do, where such ordering is concerned?"

38. HOW CONFUCIUS RESTED, AS TO THE PROGRESS OF HIS DOCTRINES, ON THE ORDERING OF HEAVEN:—ON OCCASION OF TSZE-LOO'S BEING SLANDERED. 1. Leaou, called Kung-pih (lit., duke's uncle), probably from an affinity with the ducal house, is said by some to have been a disciple of the sage, but that is not likely, as we find him here slandering Tsze-loo, that he might not be able, in his official connection with the Ke family, to carry the Master's lessons into practice. 景was the hon. ep. of Tsze-fuh Pih, an officer of Loo.夫子 refers to Ke-sun.有惑志,—'is having his will deceived'. Exposing the bodies(陈尸) of criminals, after their execution, was called 肆. The bodies of 'great officers' were so exposed in the court, and those of meaner criminals in the marketplace. 市朝 came to be employed together, though the exposure could take place only in one place, just as we have been兄弟 used generally for 'brothers'. 2. 与 makes the preceding clause conditional,= 'if'. 命=天命, 'Heaven's ordering'.