Confucius Quotes
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It is the way of the superior man to prefer the concealment of his virtue, while it daily becomes more illustrious, and it is the way of the mean man to seek notoriety, while he daily goes more and more to ruin.
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That a man lives is because he is straight. That a man who dupes others survives is because he has been fortunate enough to be spared.
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Ceremonies are the first thing to be attended to in the practice of government.
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Friendship with the upright, with the truthful and with the well informed is beneficial. Friendship with those who flatter, with those who are meek and who compromise with principles, and with those who talk cleverly is harmful.
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If you try to do too much, you will not achieve anything.
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There are 3 elements essential in the matters of the State, Food, Military equipment, and Confidence of the people in the ruler. Of these 3, Military Equipment is the least important, Food being the 2nd important, and Confidence of the people being the MOST important. All men rather die of starvation than in war, but nevertheless all men do die of old age. Lacking in Confidence from the people, a state cannot survive.
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Never hesitate to ask a lesser person.
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Make faithfulness and truth thy masters: have no friends unlike thyself: be not ashamed to mend thy faults.
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Clever talk and domineering manner have little to with being a Man at His Best.
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You must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.
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He who wished to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.
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He who needs only coarse food, water and drink, and as pillow his folded arms will find happiness without further search.
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Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.
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It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.
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Thought, unassisted by learning, is dangerous.
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We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.
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When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.
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When music and courtesy are better understood and appreciated, there will be no war.
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Those who break down the dikes will themselves be drowned in the inundation.
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Knowledge is recognizing what you know and what you don't.
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Look for an occupation that you like, and you will not need to labor for a single day in your life.
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Things that are done, it is needless to speak about...things that are past, it is needless to blame.
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True wisdom is knowing what you don't know.
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Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety.