Confucius Quotes
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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)
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When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path.
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To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.
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If the people are governed by laws and punishment is used to maintain order, they will try to avoid the punishment but have no sense of shame. If they are governed by virtue and rules of propriety are used to maintain order, they will have a sense of shame and will become good as well.
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People with virtue must speak out; People who speak are not all virtuous.
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Faithfulness and sincerity first of all.
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Only by perfect virtue can the perfect path, in all its courses, be made a fact.
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When frying small fish, disturb them little.
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He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
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The higher type of man clings to virtue, the lower type of man clings to material comfort. The higher type of man cherishes justice, the lower type of man cherishes the hope of favors to be received.
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Heaven gives long life to the just and the intelligent.
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Time flows away like the water in the river.
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Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
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The demands that a great man makes are on himself; those of a petty man are upon others.
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We take greater pains to persuade others that we are happy than in endeavoring to think so ourselves.
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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.
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Therefore only through education does one come to be dissatisfied with his own knowledge, and only through teaching others does one come to realize the uncomfortable inadequacy of his knowledge. Being dissatisfied with his own knowledge, one then realizes that the trouble lies with himself, and realizing the uncomfortable inadequacy of his knowledger.
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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.
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Love makes a spot beautiful: who chooses not to dwell in love, has he got wisdom?
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He who wished to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.
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On matters beyond his ken a gentleman speaks with caution. If names are not right, words are misused. When words are misused, affairs go wrong. When affairs go wrong, courtesy and music droop, law and justice fail. And when law and justice fail them, a people can move neither hand nor foot. So a gentleman must be ready to put names in speech, to put words into deeds. A gentleman is nowise careless of words.
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We should worship as though the deity were present.
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Never hesitate to ask a lesser person.
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The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come.