盜跖

I was trying hard to recollect a story from Zhuangzi (莊子) about how to get along with malicious people and advise them to behave. Unfortunately, my memory fails me. Rather, an unrelated piece kept coming back to my mind.

Do not over-interpret.

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孔子與柳下季為友，柳下季之弟名曰盜跖。盜跖從卒九千人，橫行天下，侵暴諸侯，穴室樞戶，驅人牛馬，取人婦女，貪得忘親，不顧父母兄弟，不祭先祖。所過之邑，大國守城，小國入保，萬民苦之。

孔子謂柳下季曰：「夫為人父者，必能詔其子；為人兄者，必能教其弟。若父不能詔其子，兄不能教其弟，則无貴父子兄弟之親矣。今先生，世之才士也，弟為盜跖，為天下害，而弗能教也，丘竊為先生羞之。丘請為先生往說之。」

柳下季曰：「先生言為人父者必能詔其子，為人兄者必能教其弟，若子不聽父之詔，弟不受兄之教，雖今先生之辯，將柰之何哉？且跖之為人也，心如涌泉，意如飄風，強足以距敵，辯足以飾非，順其心則喜，逆其心則怒，易辱人以言。先生必无往。」

《雜篇第二十九·盜跖》

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強足以距敵，辯足以飾非，順其心則喜，逆其心則怒，易辱人以言。

What a vivid description.

PS. I shall not provide a modern translation here. Interested readers could refer to http://www.tx5c.com/sxmd/zzbj/bhzz/