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Study as though you cannot catch up to it, and as though you fear you are going to lose it.
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A man without a mustache is a man without a soul.
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Women and people of low birth are very hard to deal with. If you are friendly to them, they get out of hand, and if you keep your distance, they resent it.
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Listen widely to remove your doubts and be careful when speaking about the rest and your mistakes will be few. See much and get rid of what is dangerous and be careful in acting on the rest and your causes for regret will be few. Speaking without fault, acting without causing regret: 'upgrading' consists in this.
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The wise men of antiquity, when they wished to make the whole world peaceful and happy, first put their own States into proper order. Before putting their States into proper order, they regulated their own families. Before regulating their families, they regulated themselves. Before regulating themselves, they tried to be sincere in their thoughts. Before being sincere in their thoughts, they tried to see things exactly as they really were.
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Settle one difficulty, and you keep a hundred away.
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Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.
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It is better to live in peace than in bitterness and strife.
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Never overlook wallflower at dance; may be dandelion in grass.
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How abundantly do spiritual beings display the powers that belong to them! We look for them, but do not see them; we listen to, but do not hear them; yet they enter into all things, and there is nothing without them.
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If one learns from others, but does not think, one will be bewildered. If, on the other hand, one thinks but does not learn from others, one will be in peril.
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Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honors depend upon heaven.
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When the wind blows,the grass bends.
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When prosperity comes, do not use all of it.
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A man without persistence will never make a good shaman or a good physician.
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Silence is the true friend that never betrays.
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The good man does not grieve that other people do not recognize his merits. His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs.
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While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits of the dead...While you do not know life, how can you know about death.
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Rotten wood cannot be carved.
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One dedicated worker is worth a thousand slaves.
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Learning, undigested by thought, is labor lost.
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The mirror reflects all objects without being sullied.
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I used to listen to what others said, and expect them to act accordingly. But nowadays, I listen to what they say, and then observe what they do.
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Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their States were rightly governed. Their States being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy.