The superior person prioritizes surrounding themselves with virtuous people over accumulating wealth. This reflects the Confucian conviction that virtue is more valuable than material success, and that character is contagious.
Bad companions corrupt; good companions elevate. A person is shaped by their associations. Therefore, the wise person is selective about relationships and community.
This also implies trust in providence: if you are virtuous and surround yourself with virtuous people, material needs will be met. Anxiety about poverty is a distraction from the true work of moral cultivation.
Commentary
The superior person prioritizes surrounding themselves with virtuous people over accumulating wealth. This reflects the Confucian conviction that virtue is more valuable than material success, and that character is contagious.
Bad companions corrupt; good companions elevate. A person is shaped by their associations. Therefore, the wise person is selective about relationships and community.
This also implies trust in providence: if you are virtuous and surround yourself with virtuous people, material needs will be met. Anxiety about poverty is a distraction from the true work of moral cultivation.