Confucius Quotes
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To know everything is to know nothing, but to know nothing is to know everything.
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To throw oneself into strange teachings is quite dangerous.
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True knowledge is when one knows the limitations of one's knowledge.
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There are three marks of a superior man: being virtuous, he is free from anxiety; being wise, he is free from perplexity; being brave, he is free from fear.
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The Man who says he can, and the man who says he can not.. Are both correct.
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When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.
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Behave when away from home as though you were in the presence of an honored guest. Employ the people as though you were assisting at an important sacrifice. Do not do to others what you would not like yourself. Then there will be no feelings of opposition to you, whether it is the affairs of a state that you are handling or the affairs of a family.
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When you see a worthy person, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy person, then examine your inner self.
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The failure to cultivate virtue, the failure to examine and analyze what I have learned, the inability to move toward righteousness after being shown the way, the inability to correct my faults-these are the causes of my grief.
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Balance is the perfect state of still water. Let that be our model. It remains quiet within and is not disturbed on the surface.
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A man should practice what he preaches, but a man should also preach what he practices.
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He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains in place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.
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If a man is respectful he will not be treated with insolence. If he is tolerant he will win the multitude. If he is trustworthy in word his fellow men will entrust him with responsibility. If he is quick he will achieve results.
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When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.
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There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower. There are cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced.
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For benefits return benefits; for injuries return justice without any admixture of revenge.
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Kong Qiu, or Master Kong as he was known, did not live to see his days of glory. During his lifetime, his views were received with scorn. But that was about two thousand five hundred years ago. A handful of his dedicated followers passed on Confucius' teachings to future generations. After Confucius' death, his followers published his teachings in the book, The Analects of Confucius.
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Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you may become a teacher of others.
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When three persons work together, each can be the teacher in some aspects.
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From the loving example of one family a whole State may become loving, and from its courtesies, courteous; while from the ambition and perverseness of the one man the whole State may be thrown into rebellious disorder. Such is the nature of influence.
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The superior man... does not set his mind either for or against anything, he will pursue whatever is right. The superior man thinks of virtue, the common man of comfort.
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The gentleman has nine cares. In seeing he is careful to see clearly; in hearing he is careful to hear distinctly; in his looks he is careful to be kind, in his manner to be respectful, in his words to be sincere, in his work to be diligent. When in doubt he is careful to ask for information; when angry he has a care for the consequences; and when he sees a chance for gain, he thinks carefully whether the pursuits of it would be right.
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When there are duties to perform [true] servants and sons serve their labors.
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In speaking, it is best to be clear and say just enough to convey the meaning.