Guide them by edicts, keep them in line with punishments, and the common people will stay out of trouble but will have no sense of shame. Guide them by virtue, keep them in line with the rites, and they will, besides having a sense of shame, reform themselves.

You turn the handle the way it goes, not the way it ought to go

These are the four abuses: desire to succeed in order to make oneself famous; taking credit for the labors of others; refusal to correct one's errors despite advice; refusal to change one's ideas despite warnings.

It is when those who are not strong enough have made some moderate amount of progress that they fail and give up.

The man of upright life is obeyed before he speaks.

The wheel of fortune turns round incessantly, and who can say to himself, I shall today be uppermost.

Let mourning stop when one's grief is fully expressed.