Confucius Quotes

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.

To conceal resentment against a person, and appear friendly with him; - Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of such conduct.

A ruthless man extends his ruthlessness from those he does not love to those he loves.

I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue would esteem nothing above it.

Words are the voice of the heart.

The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm.

A noble minded person is not an implement.

Not feeling compassion for a stranger is like not feeling when one's foot has caught fire

Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.

An educated woman is a worthless woman.

Heaven gives long life to the just and the intelligent.

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.

Care not for want of place; care for thy readiness to fill one. Care not for being unknown, but seek to be worthy of note.

The Way is not for, but from, man; if we take the Way as something superhuman, beyond man, this is not the real Way.

The man who is master of himself drinks gravely and wisely.

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

The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting.

Stars are holes in the sky from which the light of the infinite shines.

The Master said, 'Can men refuse to assent to the words of strict admonition? But it is reforming the conduct because of them which is valuable. Can men refuse to be pleased with words of gentle advice? But it is unfolding their aim which is valuable. If a man be pleased with these words, but does not unfold their aim, and assents to those, but does not reform his conduct, I can really do nothing with him.

The rich fool is like a pig that is choked by its own fat.

At seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what I desired no longer overstepped the boundaries of right.

Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society.

Be versed in ancient lore, and familiarize yourself with the modern; then may you become teachers.

Confucius say wife who put husband in doghouse soon find him in cathouse.

The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method?

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.

Think no vice so small that you may commit it, and no virtue so small that you may over look it.

A gentleman is calm and spacious: the vulgar are always fretting.

The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends - such a man may be reckoned a complete man.

The person of benevolence never worries.

He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful may be called intelligent indeed.

The vices come as passengers, visit us as guest and stay as masters.

Respect the gods, but have as little to do with them as possible.

Everyone calls his son his son, whether he has talents or has not talents.

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.

Wealth and rank are what people desire, but unless they are obtained in the right way they may not be possessed.

A man who reviews the old so as to find out the new is qualified to teach others.

There are 3 elements essential in the matters of the State, Food, Military equipment, and Confidence of the people in the ruler. Of these 3, Military Equipment is the least important, Food being the 2nd important, and Confidence of the people being the MOST important. All men rather die of starvation than in war, but nevertheless all men do die of old age. Lacking in Confidence from the people, a state cannot survive.

To see what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.

Wisdom is rooted in watching with affection the way people grow.

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.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Is it not indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and constantly to exercise oneself therein?

He who studies but does not think is lost; he who thinks but does not study is dangerous.

The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.

Don't worry about being acknowledged by others; worry about failing to acknowledge them.

A wise man has dignity without pride; a fool has pride without dignity.

The Master said, If your conduct is determined solely by considerations of profit you will arouse great resentment.

Tell people - and they may forget ...
show them - they may remember ...
but involve them and they will understand.

When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps far from shame and disgrace.

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.

Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.

Balance is the perfect state of still water. Let that be our model. It remains quiet within and is not disturbed on the surface.

Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in.

To love a thing means wanting it to live.

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.

The gentleman prefers to be slow in word but diligent in action.

The really faithful lover of learning holds fast to the Good Way till death.

To see what's right and not do it is cowardice.

What the wise seek is in themselves

What the great learning teaches, is to illustrate illustrious virtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence.

You cannot open a book without learning something.

The Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one
who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteem
nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practice
virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not
virtuous to approach his person.
"Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have
not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient.
"Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it.

The gentleman is calm and at ease. The gentleman is dignified but not proud; the small man is proud but not dignified.

Virtue is never left to stand alone. He who has it will have neighbors.

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.

The superior man, even when he is not moving, has a feeling of reverence, and while he speaks not, he has the feeling of truthfulness.

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 anxious lest he should not get the truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him.

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

If you yourself desire establishment, then help others to get establishment; if you yourself want success, then help others to attain success.

Tzu Chang asked Confucius about jen. Confucius said, "If you can practice these five things with all the people, you can be called jen."
Tzu Chang asked what they were.
Confucius said, "Courtesy, generosity, honesty, persistence, and kindness.
If you are courteous, you will not be disrespected;
if you are generous, you will gain everything.
If you are honest, people will rely on you.
If you are persistent you will get results.
If you are kind, you can employ people.

The scholar doesn't consider gold and jade as his precious treasures,but knowledge and faith.

A man who does not forget an agreement is resolved and honorable man.

The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.

To know and not do, is to not yet know.

When you have become one with the Great Universal, you will have no partiality, and when you are part of the process of transformation, you will have no rigidity.

Do not use a cannon to kill a mosquito.

A man of humanity is one who, in seeking to establish himself, finds a foothold for others and who, in desiring attaining himself, helps others to attain.

When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens.

The noble-minded are all-encompassing, not stuck in doctrines. Little people are stuck in doctrines.

The whole end of speech is to be understood.

They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.

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.

The gods should certainly be revered, but kept at a distance ... The way is not beyond man; he who creates a way outside of man cannot make it a true way. A good man is content with changing man, and that is enough for him.

I never instruct those who aren't full of passion, and I never enlighten those who aren't struggling to explain themselves. If I show you one corner and you can't show me the other three, I'll say nothing more.

A gentleman, in his plans, thinks of the Way; he does not think 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.

Silence is the true friend that never betrays.

The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does.

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.

When a person should be spoken with, and you don't speak with them, you lose them. When a person shouldn't be spoken with and you speak to them, you waste your breath. The wise do not lose people, nor do they waste their breath.

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.

I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty.

A man should practice what he preaches, but a man should also preach what he practices.

Where words lose their meaning, people lose their lives.

American beer like sex on boat. Both fucking close to water.

Many seek happiness higher than men; others beneath him. But happiness is the same height as man.

Ji Wenzi always thought thrice before acting. Hearing this the Master said, "Twice is enough.

A man who lacks reliability is utterly useless.