Confucius Quotes
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Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life.
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A man should practice what he preaches, but a man should also preach what he practices.
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Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.
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The man who loves his job never works a day in his life.
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If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves.
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Is there any one maxim which ought to be acted upon throughout one's whole life? Surely the maxim of loving kindness is such: Do not unto others what you would not they should do unto you.
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When three persons work together, each can be the teacher in some aspects.
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To throw oneself into strange teachings is quite dangerous.
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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.
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Kong Qiu, or Master Kong as he was known, did not live to see his days of glory. During his lifetime, his views were received with scorn. But that was about two thousand five hundred years ago. A handful of his dedicated followers passed on Confucius' teachings to future generations. After Confucius' death, his followers published his teachings in the book, The Analects of Confucius.
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Do not let a leader lead you on a bad path.
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Study without reflection is a waste of time; reflection without study is dangerous.
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The person of benevolence never worries.
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A man who lacks reliability is utterly useless.
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Virtue is not solitary; it is bound to have neighbors.
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Labor, but slight not meditation; meditate, but slight not labor.
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The inner nature of man is the province of Music.
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A father's and a mother's age must be borne in mind; with joy on the one hand, fear on the other.
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The gentleman has nine cares. In seeing he is careful to see clearly; in hearing he is careful to hear distinctly; in his looks he is careful to be kind, in his manner to be respectful, in his words to be sincere, in his work to be diligent. When in doubt he is careful to ask for information; when angry he has a care for the consequences; and when he sees a chance for gain, he thinks carefully whether the pursuits of it would be right.
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From the loving example of one family a whole State may become loving, and from its courtesies, courteous; while from the ambition and perverseness of the one man the whole State may be thrown into rebellious disorder. Such is the nature of influence.
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To be truly happy and contented, you must let go of what it means to be happy or content.
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Love is like a spice. It can sweeten your life - however, it can spoil it, too.
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A superior man in dealing with the world is not for anything or against anything. He follows righteousness as the standard.
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In speaking, it is best to be clear and say just enough to convey the meaning.