一天，
                                          
                                                         孔子的學生子夏問孔子說：「顏回的為人怎樣？」

                                                                    孔子回答說：「顏回的仁義比我強。」
        
                                                                          子夏又問：「子貢的為人怎樣？」

                            
                                                                       孔子說：「子貢的口才是我所不及的。」

                                                                            子夏接著又問：「子路的為人怎樣？」

                                                                           孔子說：「子路的勇敢是我所不如的。」

                                                                             子夏再問：「子張的為人怎樣？」

                                                                                孔子說：「子張的莊重勝過我。」

                                                                                        子夏聽了有些糊塗，

                                                                                                站起來問道：

                                           「既然他們都比你強，他們為什麼都願意拜你做老師又向你學習呢？」

                                                                                                        孔子說：
                     
                                                                                  「你坐下來，讓我告訴你。

                                                                                     顏回講仁義但不懂得變通；

                                                                                     子貢口才好但不謙虛；

                                                                                   子路很勇敢但不懂得退讓；

                                                                                 子張雖然莊重但與人合不來。

                                                     他們四人各有所長，也各有所短，所以都願意拜我為師，跟我學習。」