Confucius Quotes
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A lack of patience in trifling matters might lead to the disruption of great project.
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Not feeling compassion for a stranger is like not feeling when one's foot has caught fire.
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All things are nourished together without their injuring one another. The courses of the seasons, and of the sun and moon, are pursued without any collision among them. The smaller energies are like river currents; the greater energies are seen in mighty transformations. It is this which makes heaven and earth so great.
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Be loyal to yourself, charitable to neighbours, nothing more.
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You cannot open a book without learning something.
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Heaven means to be one with God.
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To lead uninstructed people to war is to throw them away.
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When anger rises, think of the consequences.
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Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
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If a man is not good, what has he to do with the rules of propriety? If he is not good, what has he to do with music?
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If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
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A man should demand much from himself, but little from others. When you meet a man of worth, think how you may attain to his excellence. When you meet an unworthy one, then look within and examine yourself.
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It is the obligation of the ruler to continually renew himself in order to renew the people by his example.
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The Superior Man is aware of Righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage.
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Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
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The general of a large army may be defeated, but you cannot defeat the determined mind of a peasant.
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Happiness does not consist in having what you want, but in wanting what you have.
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Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!
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If my mind be not engaged in worship, it is as though I worshipped not.
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If you don't know the life yet, how could be possible for you to know the death?
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The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.
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The superior man is easy to serve, but difficult to please ... The inferior man is difficult to serve, but easy to please.
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When a person should be spoken with, and you don't speak with them, you lose them. When a person shouldn't be spoken with and you speak to them, you waste your breath. The wise do not lose people, nor do they waste their breath.
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What the great learning teaches, is to illustrate illustrious virtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence.