Chinese Proverbs [pp. 82-85]

CHINESE PRO VERBS.
CHRISTMAS EVE: I872.
Peace in thy snowy breast,
O cloud from storm at rest!
Peace in the winds that sleep
Upon the deep.
Peace in the starry height:
Peace infinite,
Through all the worlds that move
Within Ilis love.
O! all sad hearts, that be
On land or on the sea,
God's peace with you rest light
This Christmas night!
And with the souls that stand
In that dear land
Where pain and all tears cease,
Most perfect peace!
CHINESE PROVERBS.
ON INTIMACY AND FRIENDSHIP.
ONFUCIUS said: To dwell with
a good man is like entering a
house wherein are the fragrant "lan"
flowers; after awhile you may not seem
to smell the fragrance, because you yourself have changed-(your whole person
has become impregnated with the fragrance.)
To dwell with a bad man is like entering a market of abalones (a large shellfish); after awhile you do not notice the
stench, because you yourself have changed-(your garments are saturated with it.)
The vessel in which cinnabar is stored
will have the carnation color: the vessel
which contains black varnish will become black.
Therefore, all ye gentlemen! take great
care with whom ye associate.
Association with good men is like the
fragrance of the lan-wai flower. Let one
man cultivate it, and all people will enjoy its fragrance.
Association with bad men is like carrying a child to the top of a wall: if the
man misses his step, both will meet with
disaster.
In the family sayings of Confucius
it is said: To dwell with a good man is
like walking in a gentle mist: although
your garments do not become suddenly
wet, yet are they all the time imbibing
the moisture.
To dwell with wicked men is like
standing in the midst of knives and
swords: although they may not wound
[JAN.
82