Confucius Quotes

Learning without thought is labor lost.
Confucius
There are three marks of a superior man: being virtuous he is free from anxiety being wise he is free from perplexity being brave he is free from fear.
Confucius
To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.
Confucius
What you do not want done to yourself do not do to others.
Confucius
The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest success comes only later.
Confucius
To lead an untrained people to war is to throw them away.
Confucius
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
Confucius
Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.
Confucius
The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest success comes only later.
Confucius
To lead an untrained people to war is to throw them away.
Confucius
It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
Confucius
Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.
Confucius
Recompense injury with justice and recompense kindness with kindness.
Confucius
Heaven means to be one with God.
Confucius
The way of a superior man is threefold: Virtuous he is free from anxieties wise he is free from perplexities bold he is free from fear.
Confucius
What you do not want others to do to you do not do to others.
Confucius
Have no friends not equal to yourself.
Confucius
To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.
Confucius
If a man take no thought about what is distant he will find sorrow near at hand.
Confucius
A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake.
Confucius
The cautious seldom err.
Confucius
He who will not economize will have to agonize.
Confucius
To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.
Confucius
To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.
Confucius
The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest success comes only later.
Confucius
The gem cannot be polished without friction nor man perfected without trials.
Confucius
The superior man is modest in his speech but excels in his actions.
Confucius
Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.
Confucius
The grass must bend when the wind blows across it.
Confucius
Clever talk, ingratiating looks, fawning reverence: Tso-ch’iu Ming found that shameful, and so do I. Friendly while harboring resentment: Tso-ch’iu Ming found that shameful, too, and so do I.
Confucius
Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.
Confucius
Poor food and water for dinner, a bent arm for a pillow – that is where joy resides. For me, wealth and renown without honor are nothing but drifting clouds.
Confucius
A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace.
Confucius
To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
Confucius
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
Confucius
The Master said of Gong Yechang, “He is marriageable. Although he was once imprisoned and branded as a criminal, he was in fact innocent of any crime.” The Master gave him his daughter in marriage.(Analects 5.1)
Confucius
The way of the superior person is threefold; virtuous, they are free from anxieties; wise they are free from perplexities; and bold they are free from fear.
Confucius
Worthy admonitions cannot fail to inspire us, but what matters is changing ourselves. Reverent advice cannot fail to encourage us, but what matters is acting on it. Encouraged without acting, inspired without changing – there’s nothing to be done for such people.
Confucius
Lord Chi Wen thought three times before taking any action. When the Master heard this, he said: Twice is plenty enough.
Confucius
He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.
Confucius
The Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or onewho hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteemnothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practicevirtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is notvirtuous to approach his person."Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I havenot seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient."Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it.
Confucius
In following the Way, the noble-minded treasure three things: a manner free of violence and arrogance, a countenance full of sincerity and trust, a voice free of vulgarity and impropriety.
Confucius
When everyone hates a person, you should investigate thoroughly, and when everyone loves a person, you should also investigate thoroughly.
Confucius
He who is concerned only with the purity of his own life ruins the great human relations.
Confucius
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
Confucius
The Master said, “Wealth and honor are things that all people desire, and yet unless they are acquired in the proper way I will not abide them. Poverty and disgrace are things that all people hate, and yet unless they are avoided in the proper way I will not despise them. “If the gentleman abandons ren, how can he be worthy of that name? The gentleman does not violate ren even for the amount of time required to eat a meal. Even in times of urgency or distress, he does not depart from it.”(Analects 4.5)
Confucius
The Master said, “The gentleman does not serve as a vessel.”(Analects 2.12)
Confucius
The Master said, “A true gentleman is one who has set his heart upon the Way. A fellow who is ashamed merely of shabby clothing or modest meals is not even worth conversing with.”(Analects 4.9)
Confucius
The Master said, “If your conduct is determined solely by considerations of profit you will arouse great resentment.
Confucius
The Master said, “The gentleman understands what is right, whereas the petty man understands profit.”(Analects 4.16)
Confucius
A gentleman is not a pot.
Confucius
The noble-minded encourage what is beautiful in people and discourage what is ugly in them. Little people do just the opposite.
Confucius
Respect yourself and others will respect you.
Confucius
A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?
Confucius
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
Confucius
The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.
Confucius
If you look at their intentions, examine their motives, and scrutinize what brings them contentment – how can people hide who they are? How can they hide who they really are?
Confucius
The Master is cordial yet stern, awe-inspiring yet not fierce and respectful yet at ease.
Confucius
The gentleman does not promote people merely on the basis of their words, nor does he reject words merely because of the person who uttered them.
Confucius
For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a distant mission and observe his degree of loyalty, will employ him close at hand and observe his degree of respect. He will hand him troublesome affairs and observe how well he manages them, will suddenly ask his advice and observe how wisely he answers. He will exact some difficult promise from him and see how well he keeps it, turn over funds to him and see with what benevolence he dispenses them, inform him of the danger he is in and note how faithful he is to his duties. He will get him drunk with wine and observe how well he handles himself, place him in mixed company and see what effect beauty has upon him. By applying these nine tests, you may determine who is the unworthy man.
Confucius