Confucius Quotes
Most popular Confucius Quotes
Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that carry them apart.
He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.
The cautious seldom err.
Heaven means to be one with God.
One joy dispels a hundred cares.
It is better to play than do nothing.
When the wind blows, the grass bends.
Have no friends not equal to yourself.
He who will not economize will agonize.
Learning without thought is labor lost.
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
Seek not every quality in one individual.
To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.
Silence is a true friend who never betrays.
Do unto others what you want done unto you.
Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.
Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
When prosperity comes, do not use all of it.
If we don't know life, how can we know death?
Respect yourself and others will respect you.
Study the past if you would divine the future.
Study the past if you would define the future.
Always and in everything let there be reverence.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
The grass must bend when the wind blows across it.
The Essence of Knowledge is, having it, to use it.
Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.
You cannot open a book without learning something.
Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
Better a diamond with flaws than a pebble without.
When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
Settle one difficulty, and you keep a hundred away.
And remember, no matter where you go, there you are.
Everything has its beauty but not every man sees it.
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues.
The superior man is distressed by his want of ability.
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
Do not to others as you would not like done to yourself.
Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.
A truly great man never puts away the simplicity of a child.
To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
To be wealthy and honoured in an unjust society is a disgrace.
To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.
The superior man is firm in the right way, and not merely firm.
The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.
The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.
Eat at your own table as you would eat at the table of the king.
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability.
Heaven will be inherited by every man who has heaven in his soul.
Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men.
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination.
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger.
They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes.
Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than oneself.
If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work another day in your life.
Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society.
It is a man who makes truth great, not truth which makes a man great.
Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon or star.
Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.
If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.
To see what is right and not do it is want of courage, or of principle.
Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.
To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.
By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.
It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
Virtue is never left to stand alone. He who has it will have neighbours.
The wise man wishes to be slow in his words, and earnest in his conduct.
He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.
I want you to be everything that's you, deep at the center of your being.
Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
One who merely knows right principles is not equal to those who love them.
Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?
Every one calls his son his son, whether he has talents or has not talents.
Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.
You will never know how sharp a sword is unless it's drawn from its sheath.
The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.
He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.
The superior man wishes to be slow in his words, and earnest in his conduct.
The nature of men is always the same; it is their habits that separate them.
Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it shall have neighbors.
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.
If a man takes no thought about the distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.
If what one has to say is not better than silence, then one should keep silent.
What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.
Learning without thinking is time wasted; Thinking without learning is dangerous.
The gentleman understands what is right, whereas the petty man understands profit.
Don't worry that other people don't know you; worry that you don't know other people.
Men may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.
When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.
Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honours depend upon heaven.
Don't complain about the snow on your neighbour's roof when your own doorstep is unclean.
There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life - reciprocity.
Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.
A true teacher is one who, keeping the past alive, is also able to understand the present.
Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you may become a teacher of others.
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance.
The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm.
He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
Men of principle are sure to be bold, but those who are bold may not always be men of principle.
The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.
Those who are meant to hear will understand. Those who are not meant to understand will not hear.
If you would one day renovate yourself, do so from day to day. Yea, let there be daily renovation.
The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.
If your conduct is determined solely by considerations of profit you will arouse great resentment.
If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.
In old days, men studied for the sake of self-improvement nowadays men study to impress other people.
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.
Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness—do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.
We take greater pains to persuade others that we are happy than in endeavouring to think so ourselves.
To know that we know what we know, and that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge.
A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present?
Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.
Fix your mind on truth, hold firm to virtue, rely on loving kindness, and find your recreation in the Arts.
The heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror, which reflects every object without being sullied by any.
Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.
If the wise man achieves something, it is well; if he achieves nothing, it is also well; he recognizes destiny.
If I am building a mountain and stop before the last basketful of earth is placed on the summit, I have failed.
Women — if you are friendly with them, they get out of hand. And if you keep them at a distance, they resent it.
If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others.
The man of wisdom is never of two minds; the man of benevolence never worries; the man of courage is never afraid.
The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does.
Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.
When you see a worthy person, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy person, then examine your inner self.
The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?
Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself!
That which is proven by time cannot be assailed by man, while that which is disproved by time cannot be justified by man.
No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.
They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it.
Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.
Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life.
If names are not correct and language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.
He who is really good can never be unhappy. He who is really wise can never be perplexed. He who is really brave is never afraid.
It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.
In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it: this is knowledge.
If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.
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 he has.
He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.
Women and people of low birth are very hard to deal with. If you are friendly with them, they get out of hand, and if you keep your distance, they resent it.
I am not concerned that I have no place; I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known; I seek to be worthy to be known.
There are three marks of a superior man: being virtuous, one is free from anxiety; being wise, one is free from perplexity; being brave, one is free from fear.
Shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, say that you know it; when you do not know a thing, admit that you do not know it. That is knowledge.
To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.
It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.
In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself.
Instead of being concerned that you have no office, be concerned to think how you may fit yourself for office. Instead of being concerned that you are not known, be worthy of being known.
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.
To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
Lead the people with administrative injunctions and put them in their place with penal law, and they will avoid punishments but will be without a sense of shame. Lead them with excellence and put them in their place through roles and ritual practices, and in addition to developing a sense of shame, they will order themselves harmoniously.
To see what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.
To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.
Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know more.
Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.
A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?
Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would he in fear of losing it.
In a country well-governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it—this is knowledge.
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
