Confucius Quotes

The man who is master of himself drinks gravely and wisely.

The end of the day is near when small men make long shadows.

If Language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant. If what is said is not what is meant, then what ought to be done, remains undone.

Reading without thinking will confuse you.Thinking without reading will place you in danger.

The funniest people are the saddest once

If a man is not good, what has he to do with the rules of propriety? If he is not good, what has he to do with music?

At fifteen my mind was directed to study, and at thirty I knew where to stand.

The young should be dutiful at home, modest abroad, careful and true, overflowing in kindness for all, but in brotherhood with love. And if they have strength to spare they should spend it on the arts.

To be poor without murmuring is difficult. To be rich without being proud is easy.

If you did not do so for the sake of riches,You must have done so for the sake of novelty.

A father's and a mother's age must be borne in mind; with joy on the one hand, fear on the other.

When you locate good in yourself, approve of it with determination. When you locate evil in yourself, despise it as something detestable.

If you try to do too much, you will not achieve anything.

To learn and from time to time to apply what one has learned - isn't that a pleasure?

The superior man does what is proper to the station in which he is; he does not desire to go beyond this.

A reasonable man adjusts himself to the world. An unreasonable man expects the world to adjust itself to him. Therefore all progress is made by unreasonable people.

We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things.

A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace.

Music is the one thing in which there is no use trying to deceive others or make false pretenses.

The way of the superior man may be compared to what takes place in traveling, when to go to a distance we must first traverse the space that is near, and in ascending a height, when we must begin from the lower ground.

The Master said, If out of the three hundred songs I had to take one phrase to cover all my teachings, I would say 'Let there be no evil in your thoughts.'

There are three sorts of pleasures which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Finding pleasure in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music, finding pleasure in discussing the good points in the conduct of others, and finding pleasure in having many wise friends, these are advantageous. But finding pleasure in profligate enjoyments, finding pleasure in idle gadding about, and finding pleasure in feasting, these are injurious.

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

How transcendent is the virtue of the middle conduct! Rare for a long time has been its practice among the people.

It is man that makes truth great, and not truth that makes man great.

All wisdom is rooted in learning to call things by the right name. When things are properly identified, they fall into natural categories and understanding becomes orderly.

The superior person gathers his weapons together in order to provide against the unforeseen.

The inner nature of man is the province of Music.

Have no friends not equal to yourself.

When there are duties to perform [true] servants and sons serve their labors.

In a hamlet of ten households, there are bound to be those who are my equal in doing their best for others and in being trustworthy in what they say, but they are unlikely to be as eager to learn as I am.

He who needs only coarse food, water and drink, and as pillow his folded arms will find happiness without further search.

Plan ahead or find trouble on the doorstep.

The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.

If a man remembers what is right at the sign of profit, is ready to lay down his life in the face of danger, and does not forget sentiments he has repeated all his life when he has been in straitened circumstances for a long time, he may be said to be a complete man.

When abroad, behaveto everyone as if interviewing an honored guest; in directing the people, act as if you were assisting at a great sacrafice; DO NOT DO TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD NOT LIKE DONE TO YOURSELF: so there will be no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family; your public life will arouse no ill-will nor your private life any resentment.

To find the Tao, there is nowhere you need to search. If it is not inside you, it is not the Tao.

What is necessary is to rectify names.

The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.

Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.

When a man is guided by the principles of reciprocity and consciousness, he is not far from the moral law. Whatever you don't wish for yourself don't do unto others.

Men do not stumble over mountains, but over mole hills.

To know that one knows what one knows, and to know that one doesn't know what one doesn't know, there lies true wisdom.

Return good for good; return evil with justice.

The master said, 'Quietly to store up knowledge in my mind, to learn without flagging, to teach without growing weary, these present me with no difficulties.'

If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.