Confucius Quotes

“They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it.”

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

“If we don’t know life, how can we know death?”

“Leave the table while you still feel you could eat a little more.”

“At fifteen my heart was set on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I had no more doubts; at fifty I knew the mandate of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient; at seventy I could follow my heart’s desire without transgressing the norm.”

“The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.”

“To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.”

“The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”

“There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers are not yet settled, he guards against lust. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against quarrelsomeness. When he is old, and the animal powers are decayed, he guards against covetousness.”

“The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.”

“Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.”

“Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.”

“Men’s natures are alike. It’s their habits that separate them.”

“When the Superior Man eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in his work and careful in speech. He avails himself to people of the Tao and thereby corrects himself. This is the kind of person of whom you can say, ‘he loves learning.’”

“When anger rises, think of the consequences.”

“Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame.”

“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.”

“The object of the superior man is truth.”

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.”

“If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.”

“Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.”

“The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.”

“The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.”

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”

“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.”

“Respect yourself and others will respect you.”

“A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.”

“If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?”

“Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.”

“There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.”

“The faults of a superior person are like the sun and moon. They have their faults, and everyone sees them; they change and everyone looks up to them.”

“The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.”

“He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.”

“To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.”

“The superior man thinks only of virtue - the common man thinks only of comfort.”

“The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.”

“The superior man is aware of righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage.”

“The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete.”

“With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow - I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.”

“Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.”

“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”

“To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.”

“The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.”

“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.”

“To see what is right and not do it is a lack of courage.”

“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.”

“Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.”

“What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.”

“Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! Virtue is at hand.”

“When you see a good person, think of becoming like her or him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.”