“The exemplary person helps others complete what is good and does not help them complete what is harmful. The petty person does the opposite.” The sentence appears in the Yan Yuan chapter of the Analects. The chapter records this statement without a particular conversational setting. Here, “complete” means to help bring something about, while “good” and “harmful” concern conduct rather than aesthetic taste.
It does not ask us to comply with every wish. If a friend proposes a worthwhile but incomplete plan, adding evidence and pointing out risks may help the good action take shape. Concealing or strengthening conduct known to harm others does the reverse. The useful restraint today is that supporting a person does not require supporting everything they do. Genuine assistance includes judgement and, when necessary, refusal to cooperate.
https://ctext.org/analects/yan-yuan
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