Confucius Quotes

Reviewing the day's lessons. Isn't it joyful? Friends come from far. Isn't it delightful? One has never been angry at other's misunderstanding. Isn't he a respectable man?

Guide the people by law, subdue them by punishment; they may shun crime, but will be void of shame. Guide them by example, subdue them by courtesy; they will learn shame, and come to be good.

Love of goodness without love of learning degenerates into simple-mindedness. Love of knowledge without love of learning degenerates into utter lack of principle. Love of faithfulness without love of learning degenerates into injurious disregard of consequences. Love of uprightness without love of learning degenerates into harshness. Love of courage without love of learning degenerates into insubordination. Love of strong character without love of learning degenerates into mere recklessness.

It is when those who are not strong enough have made some moderate amount of progress that they fail and give up.

If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others.

The superior man undergoes three changes. Looked at from a distance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his language is firm and decided.

A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled.

If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free from evil.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Slater soaks into the mind as water into low and marshy places, where it becomes stagnant and offensive.

Don't be concerned that you have no position; be concerned how you may fit yourself to occupy one. .

If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me you don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step the man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

Without goodness a man cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The good man is naturally at ease with goodness. The wise man cultivates goodness for its advantage.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

The Master said, "To study, and then in a timely fashion to practice what you have learned - is this not satisfying? To have companions arrive from afar - is this not a joy? To remain unrecognized by others and yet remain free of resentment - is this not the mark of the gentleman?"

A man may not transgress the bounds of major morals, but may make errors in minor morals.

It is better to light one small candle of gratitude than to curse the darkness.

When three persons work together, each can be the teacher in some aspects

First there must be order and harmony within your own mind. Then this order will spread to your family, then to the community, and finally to your entire kingdom. Only then can you have peace and harmony.

Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.

While the gentleman cherishes benign rule, the small man cherishes his native land. While the gentleman cherishes a respect for the law, the small man cherishes generous treatment.

Things that are done, it is needless to speak about...things that are past, it is needless to blame.

Friendship with the upright, with the truthful and with the well informed is beneficial. Friendship with those who flatter, with those who are meek and who compromise with principles, and with those who talk cleverly is harmful.

Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their States were rightly governed. Their States being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy.

Rate the task above the prize; will not the mind be raised? Fight thine own faults, not the faults of others; will not evil be mended?

The wise men of antiquity, when they wished to make the whole world peaceful and happy, first put their own States into proper order. Before putting their States into proper order, they regulated their own families. Before regulating their families, they regulated themselves. Before regulating themselves, they tried to be sincere in their thoughts. Before being sincere in their thoughts, they tried to see things exactly as they really were.

In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations, they first harmonized their families. Wishing to harmonize their families, they first cultivated themselves. Wishing to cultivate themselves, they first rectified their minds. Those who wished to rectify their minds first made their intentions sincere.

To learn and from time to time to apply what one has learned - isn't that a pleasure?

Your eyes are always bigger than your stomach.

The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.

He who works for his own interests will arouse much animosity

To throw oneself into strange teachings is quite dangerous.

Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.

There may be men who act without understanding why. I do not. To listen much, pick out the good and follow it; to see much and ponder it: this comes next to understanding.

The superior man sets his person at rest before he moves; he composes his mind before he speaks.

Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.

It doesn't make a difference how gradually you go so long as you don't stop.

The perfecting of one's self is the fundamental base of all progress and all moral development.

The superior man governs men, according to their nature, with what is proper to them, and as soon as they change what is wrong, he stops.

He who cannot describe the problem will never find the solution to that problem.

When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?

Music is the one thing in which there is no use trying to deceive others or make false pretenses.

The true gentleman does not preach what he practices till he has practiced what he preaches.

Of course you want to be rich and famous. It's natural. Wealth and fame are what every man desires. The question is: What are you willing to trade for it?

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

When things are investigated, then true knowledge is achieved; when true knowledge is achieved, then the will becomes sincere; when the will is sincere, then the heart is set right ; when the heart is set right, then the personal life is cultivated; when the personal life is cultivated, then the family life is regulated; when the family life is regulated, then the national life is orderly; and when the national life is orderly, then there is peace in this world.

There are some with whom we may study in common, but we shall find them unable to go along with us to principles. Perhaps we may go on with them to principles, but we shall find them unable to get established in those along with us. Or if we may get so established along with them, we shall find them unable to weigh occurring events along with us.

The superior man does not mind being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.

Lead the people with administrative injunctions and put them in their place with penal law, and they will avoid punishments but will be without a sense of shame. Lead them with excellence and put them in their place through roles and ritual practices, and in addition to developing a sense of shame, they will order themselves harmoniously

We take greater pains to persuade others that we are happy than in endeavoring to think so ourselves

What is most needed for learning is a humble mind.

First there must be order and harmony within your own mind.

Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself!

I transmit but do not create. I place my trust in the teachings of antiquity.

Not knowing life, how can we know death? Why talk of spirits when you do not understand men?

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.

We should keep the dead before our eyes, and honor them as though still living

What you dislike in your superiors, avoid doing to your inferiors. What you dislike in your inferiors, avoid doing when working for your superiors. What you hate in those who are in front of you, do not do to those behind you.