Famous Quotes by Confucius |Short Quotes by Confucius| Famous Peoples English Quotes
- The way of the superior man is threefold, but I have not been able to attain it. The man of wisdom has no perplexities; the man of humanity has no worry; the man of courage has no fear.
- Just as lavishness leads easily to presumption, so does frugality to meanness. But meanness is a far less serious fault than presumption.
- The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.
- Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.
- The superior man is distressed by his want of ability.
- Instead of being concerned that you have no office, be concerned to think how you may fit yourself for office. Instead of being concerned that you are not known, seek to be worthy of being known.
- The commander of three armies may be taken away but the will of even a common man may not be taken away from him.
- When you see a good man, try to emulate his example, and when you see a bad man, search yourself for his faults.
- Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.
- Be versed in ancient lore, and familiarize yourself with the modern; then may you become teachers.
- To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue…. [They are] gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
- Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.
- He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.
- How abundantly do spiritual beings display the powers that belong to them! We look for them, but do not see them; we listen to but do not hear them, yet they enter into all things, and there is nothing without them.
- I daily examine myself on three points: In planning for others, have I failed in conscientiousness? In intercourse with friends, have I been insincere? And have I failed to practice what I have been taught?
- The parents age must be remembered, both for joy and anxiety.
- Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.
- Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
- The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.
- Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant.
- The Master said If out of the three hundred songs I had to take one phrase to cover all my teachings, I would say ‘Let there be no evil in your thoughts.’
- In carrying on your government, why should you use killing [the unprincipled for the good of the unprincipled] at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relationship between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows across it.
- The young should be dutiful at home, modest abroad, careful and true, overflowing in kindness for all, but in brotherhood with love. And if they have the strength to spare they should spend it on the arts.
- If I am virtuous and worthy, for whom should I not maintain a proper concern?
- The gentleman calls attention to the good points in others; he does not call attention to their defects. The small man does just the reverse of this.
- If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
- Only by perfect virtue can the perfect path, in all its courses, be made a fact.
- It is not the failure of others to appreciate the abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.
- They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
- The really faithful lover of learning holds fast to the Good Way till death.
- Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
- Is anyone able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be sufficient.
- The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.
- Sincerity is the end and beginning of things; without sincerity, there would be nothing.
- Everyone calls his son his son, whether he has talents or has no talents.
- The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, the sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler.
- Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it
- Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.
- The small man thinks that small acts of goodness are of no benefit and do not do them, and that small deeds of evil do no harm and do not refrain from them. Hence, his wickedness becomes so great that it cannot be concealed, and his guilt so great that it cannot be pardoned.
- In a state, pecuniary gain is not to be considered to be prosperity, but its prosperity will be found in righteousness.
