Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.

If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest.

Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.

The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.

The noble person uses things; the lesser man is used by things.

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.

Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.