Confucius Quotes
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We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.
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I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue would esteem nothing above it.
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A blemish may be removed from a diamond by careful polishing, but evil words once spoken cannot be effaced.
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He who chases two rabbits, catches none.
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Charity, like the sun, brightens every object on which it shines.
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Table your mistakes, learn from them, then move on.
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Love of goodness without love of learning degenerates into simple-mindedness. Love of knowledge without love of learning degenerates into utter lack of principle. Love of faithfulness without love of learning degenerates into injurious disregard of consequences. Love of uprightness without love of learning degenerates into harshness. Love of courage without love of learning degenerates into insubordination. Love of strong character without love of learning degenerates into mere recklessness.
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Do not worry about not holding high position; worry rather about playing your proper role. Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.
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Expect much from yourself and little from others and you will avoid incurring resentments.
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In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations, they first harmonized their families. Wishing to harmonize their families, they first cultivated themselves. Wishing to cultivate themselves, they first rectified their minds. Those who wished to rectify their minds first made their intentions sincere.
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Look closely into his aims, observe the means by which he pursues them, discover what brings him content - and can the man's real worth remain hidden from you?
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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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Those who break down the dikes will themselves be drowned in the inundation.
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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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An inch of time on the sundial is worth more than a foot of jade.
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The tongue must be heavy indeed, because so few people can hold it.
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Although your father and mother are dead, if you propose to yourself any good work, only reflect how it will make their names illustrious, and your purpose will be fixed.
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Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness and yet live, his escape from death is mere good fortune.
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The gentleman calls attention to the good points in others; he does not call attention to their defects. The small man does just the reverse of this.
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What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.
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I am not an originator but a transmitter.
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How transcendent is the virtue of the middle conduct! Rare for a long time has been its practice among the people.
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The people may be made to follow a path of action but they may not be made to understand it.
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If a man remembers what is right at the sign of profit, is ready to lay down his life in the face of danger, and does not forget sentiments he has repeated all his life when he has been in straitened circumstances for a long time, he may be said to be a complete man.