Famous Quotes by Confucius |Short Quotes by Confucius| Famous Peoples English Quotes
- I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity and earnest in seeking it there.
- The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
- The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.
- The Three Armies can be deprived of their commanding officer, but even a common man cannot be deprived of his purpose.
- If an urn lacks the characteristics of an urn, how can we call it an urn?
- A man who reviews the old so as to find out the new is qualified to teach others.
- If I cannot get men who steer a middle course to associate with, I would far rather have the impetuous and hasty. For the impetuous at any rate, assert themselves.
- A gentleman, in his plans, thinks of the Way; he does not think about how he is going to make a living. Even farming sometimes has a shortage, and even learning may incidentally bring a salary. A gentleman is concerned with the progress of the Way; he is not anxious about poverty.
- When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it—this is knowledge.
- Women and servants are most difficult to deal with. If you are familiar with them, they cease to be humble. If you keep a distance from them, they resent it.
- If a superior man abandons virtue, how can he fulfill the requirements of that name?
- Music is the one thing in which there is no use trying to deceive others or make false pretenses.
- Who expects to be able to go out of a house except by the door? How is it then that no one follows this Way of ours?
- Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! Virtue is at hand.
- The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
- It is the man that can make the Way great, and not the Way that can make a man great.
- When a man’s knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.
- There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind.
- Is it not a pleasure to learn and to repeat or practice from time to time what has been learned? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar? Is one not a superior man if he does not feel hurt even though he does not feel recognized?
- In your promises cleave to what is right, and you will be able to fulfill your word.
- There are three degrees of filial piety. The highest is being a credit to our parents, the second is not disgracing them; the lowest is being able simply to support them.
- It was by music that the ancient kings gave elegant expression to their joy. By their armies and axes, they gave the same to their anger.
- When we have intelligence resulting from sincerity, this condition is to be ascribed to nature; when we have sincerity resulting from intelligence, this condition is to be ascribed to instruction. But given the sincerity, and there shall be the intelligence; given the intelligence, and there shall be the sincerity.
- That a man lives is because he is straight. That a man who dupes others survives is because he has been fortunate enough to be spared.
- Only the most intelligent and the most stupid do not change.
- As in the case of making a mound, if, before the very last basketful, I stop, then I shall have stopped. As in the case of leveling the ground, if, though tipping only one basketful, I am going forward, then I shall be making progress.
- If you did not do so for the sake of riches, you must have done so for the sake of novelty.
- Look closely into his aims, observe the means by which he pursues them, discover what brings him content – and can the man’s real worth remain hidden from you?
- Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
- Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music.
- Women and people of low birth are very hard to deal with. If you are friendly to them, they get out of hand, and if you keep your distance, they resent it.
- Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.
- Behave when away from home as though you were in the presence of an honored guest. Employ the people as though you were assisting at an important sacrifice. Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no feelings of opposition to you, whether it is the affairs of a state that you are handling or the affairs of a family.
- The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived.
- Set your will on the Way. Have a firm grasp on virtue. Rely on humanity. Find recreation in the arts.
- Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.
- To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.
- From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides.
- The good man does not grieve
that other people do not recognize his merits.
His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs. - If there were an honorable way to get rich, I’d do it, even if it meant being a stooge standing around with a whip. But there isn’t an honorable way, so I just do what I like.
