Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it.

There are three things against which the wise man guards: lust when young, quarrels when strong, and covetousness when old.

He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains in place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.

In vain I have looked for a single man capable of seeing his own faults and bringing the charge home against himself.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

The superior man is slow in his words and earnest in his conduct.

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.