Confucius Quotes
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Though Confucius served the Duke of Lu, a Chinese state, he made many enemies with the nobles of the land. His views antagonized the powerful nobles, who wanted the Duke to be a puppet in their hands. Confucius was exiled from the State of Lu for more than two decades. He lived in the countryside, spreading his teachings.
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What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.
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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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Music is the one thing in which there is no use trying to deceive others or make false pretenses.
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The object of the superior man is truth.
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The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
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The perfecting of one's self is the fundamental base of all progress and all moral development.
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He who chases two rabbits, catches none.
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To learn and from time to time to apply what one has learned - isn't that a pleasure?
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There are some with whom we may study in common, but we shall find them unable to go along with us to principles. Perhaps we may go on with them to principles, but we shall find them unable to get established in those along with us. Or if we may get so established along with them, we shall find them unable to weigh occurring events along with us.
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Exemplary people concern themselves with virtue, small people concern themselves with territory. The ruling class thinks of punishment, the lower classes hope for benevolence.
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If you would one day renovate yourself, do so from day to day.
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The superior man does not mind being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.
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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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The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.
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Of course you want to be rich and famous. It's natural. Wealth and fame are what every man desires. The question is: What are you willing to trade for it?
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One who is by nature daring and is suffering from poverty will not long be law-abiding. Indeed, any men, save those that are truly good, if their sufferings are very great, will be likely to rebel.
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When a man comes to me, I accept him at his best, not at his worst. Why make so much ado? When a man washes his hands before paying a visit, and you receive him in that clean state, you do not thereby stand surety for his always having been clean in the past.
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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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Care not for want of place; care for thy readiness to fill one. Care not for being unknown, but seek to be worthy of note.
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The strongest memory is not as strong as the weakest ink.
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I could see peace instead of this.
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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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Study the past, if you would divine the future.