Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles.

Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.

Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.

Misery is evil; quarreling, a misfortune. There is only one possibility of avoiding both: a clear division of society. [Otherwise] the strong tyrannize the weak, the intelligent frighten the stupid, the inferior resist the superior, and the young mock the old.

When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm.

If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.

The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.