Confucius: Trending quotes

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Confucius: 538 quotes101 likes

“The way of the superior man may be found, in its simple elements, in the intercourse of common men and women; but in its utmost reaches, it shines brightly through Heaven and Earth.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“Well governed, poverty, ill governed, wealth a disgrace.”

Confucius

The Ethics of Confucius https://books.google.ca/books?id=dYfFFik3e0YC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false, Cosimo Inc, 2005, p. 318 of Index under "People, the Nourishment of".<br>:Variation: To be wealthy in an unjust society is a disgrace. <br class="br">Attributed

“The kingdom, its states, and its families, may be perfectly ruled; dignities and emoluments may be declined; naked weapons may be trampled under the feet; but the course of the Mean cannot be attained to.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“If you would govern a state of a thousand chariots (a small-to-middle-size state), you must pay strict attention to business, be true to your word, be economical in expenditure and love the people. You should use them according to the seasons (i. e. You should not enlist farmers during seeding or harvest time).”

Confucius

The Analects, Chapter I

“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, so as to pursue the course of the Mean. He cherishes his old knowledge, and is continually acquiring new. He exerts an honest, generous earnestness, in the esteem and practice of all propriety. Thus, when occupying a high situation he is not proud, and in a low situation he is not insubordinate. When the kingdom is well governed, he is sure by his words to rise; and when it is ill governed, he is sure by his silence to command forbearance to himself.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.”

Confucius

Variant: Learning without reflection is a waste, reflection without learning is dangerous.
Source: The Analects, Chapter II

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”

Confucius

Atwood H. Townsend, editor of Good Reading, various editions from at least 1960
Misattributed, Not Chinese

“Being in humaneness is good. If we select other goodness and thus are far apart from humaneness, how can we be the wise?”

Confucius

The opening phrase of this chapter after which the chapter is named in Chinese.
Source: The Analects, Chapter IV

“Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.”

Confucius

Source: The Analects, Chapter II

“The superior man, even when he is not moving, has a feeling of reverence, and while he speaks not, he has the feeling of truthfulness.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“How abundantly do spiritual beings display the powers that belong to them! We look for them, but do not see them; we listen to, but do not hear them; yet they enter into all things, and there is nothing without them.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration.”

Confucius

Variant: The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration: this may be called perfect virtue.
Source: The Analects, Other chapters

“Be loyal and trustworthy. Do not befriend anyone who is lower than yourself in this regard. When making a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.”

Confucius

Source: The Analects, Chapter I

“To throw oneself into strange teachings is quite dangerous.”

Confucius

The word translated "strange teachings" means literally another end [of textile]. There are two different understandings about "strange teachings" or heretical. One possible understanding is "strange from the authentic teaching", another understanding is simply different subjects, just as two authors or two scholastic fields literature and politics.
Source: The Analects, Chapter II

“Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Mean! Rare have they long been among the people, who could practice it!”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“To no one but the Son of Heaven does it belong to order ceremonies, to fix the measures, and to determine the written characters.”

Confucius

Source: The Doctrine of the Mean

“A young man should serve his parents at home and be respectful to elders outside his home. He should be earnest and truthful, loving all, but become intimate with humaneness. After doing this, if he has energy to spare, he can study literature and the arts.”

Confucius

Source: The Analects, Other chapters

“A man living without conflicts, as if he never lives at all.”

Confucius

Source: The Analects, Other chapters