Confucius Quotes
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People with virtue must speak out; People who speak are not all virtuous.
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You will never know how sharp a sword is unless it's drawn from its sheath.
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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 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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The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come.
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A Nation's character is typified by its dancers.
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Only after Winter comes do we know that the pine and the cypress are the last to fade.
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The main object of conciliation lies in reaching a solution to a case based upon morals and with a warm heart.
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There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth ... lust. When he is strong ... quarrelsomeness. When he is old ... covetousness.
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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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It is when those who are not strong enough have made some moderate amount of progress that they fail and give up.
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One who can move mountains start with the little stones.
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But if you do not have the Tao yourself, what business have you spending your time in vain efforts to bring corrupt politicians into the right path?
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What is necessary is to rectify names.
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Even four harnessed horses cannot bring imprudent words back into the mouth.
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The tongue must be heavy indeed, because so few people can hold it.
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If you did not do so for the sake of riches,You must have done so for the sake of novelty.
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An angry person is always full of poison.
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To rein a kingdom efficiently it is necessary, before all, to put into good order the family. It's impossible for a man who doesn't know how to lead his own family to know how to lead a country.
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Knowledge is recognizing what you know and what you don't.
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Love makes a spot beautiful: who chooses not to dwell in love, has he got wisdom?
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To learn without thinking is labour in vain, to think without learning is desolation.
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Listen much, keep silent when in doubt, and always take heed of the tongue; thou wilt make few mistakes. See much, beware of pitfalls, and always give heed to thy walk; thou wilt have little to rue. If thy words are seldom wrong, thy deeds leave little to rue, pay will follow.
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The superior man loves his soul; the inferior man loves his property.