Confucius Quotes
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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 virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit.
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Plan ahead or find trouble on the doorstep.
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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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Even four harnessed horses cannot bring imprudent words back into the mouth.
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They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
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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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Ceremonies are the first thing to be attended to in the practice of government.
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Guide the people by law, subdue them by punishment; they may shun crime, but will be void of shame. Guide them by example, subdue them by courtesy; they will learn shame, and come to be good.
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Just as lavishness leads easily to presumption, so does frugality to meanness. But meanness is a far less serious fault than presumption.
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To be fond of learning is near to wisdom.
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To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.
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A picture is poem without words.
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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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Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in.
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Ability will never catch up with the demand for it.
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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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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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What is God-given is called nature; to follow nature is called Tao (the Way); to cultivate the way is called culture. Before joy, anger, sadness and happiness are expressed, they are called the inner self; when they are expressed to the proper degree, they are called harmony. The inner self is the correct foundation of the world, and the harmony is the illustrious Way. When a man has achieved the inner self and harmony, the heaven and earth are orderly and the myriad of things are nourished and grow thereby.
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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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When frying small fish, disturb them little.
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Expect much from yourself and little from others and you will avoid incurring resentments.
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The tongue must be heavy indeed, because so few people can hold it.
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There are three things to beware of through life: when a man is young, let him beware of his appetites; when he is middle-aged, of his passions; and when old, of covetousness, especially.