Confucius Quotes
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Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.
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The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.
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All men are born good.
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In his dealings with the world, the gentleman is not invariably for or against anything. He is on the side of what is moral.
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Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.
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When strict with oneself, one rarely fails.
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A man who has committed a mistake and does not correct it is committing another mistake.
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The wise man delights in water, the Good man delights in mountains. For the wise move; but the Good stay still. The wise are happy; but the good secure.
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First and foremost, be faithful to your superiors, keep all promises, refuse the friendship of all who are not like you; and if you have made a mistake, do not be afraid of admitting the fact and amending your ways.
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The Superior Man has nothing to compete for. But if he must compete, he does it in an archery match, wherein he ascends to his position, bowing in deference. Descending, he drinks the ritual cup.
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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.
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The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.
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A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.
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At 15 I set my heart on learning; At 30 I firmly took my stand; At 40 I had no delusions; At 50 I knew the Mandate of Heaven; At 60 my ear was attuned; At 70 I followed my heart's desire without overstepping the boundaries of right.
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Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.
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I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.
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He who requires much from himself and little from others, will keep himself from being the object of resentment.
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A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart.
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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.
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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.
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Heaven sends down its good and evil symbols and wise men act accordingly.
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Not to alter one's faults is to be faulty indeed.
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I used to take on trust a man's deeds after having listened to his words. Now having listened to a man's words I go on to observe his deeds.
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If proper in their own conduct, what difficulty would they have in governing? But if not able to be proper in their own conduct, how can they demand such conduct from others?