“Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.”

—  Confucius

The quote "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles." is famous quote by Confucius (-551–-479 BC), Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher.

Variant: Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things.
Source: The Analects

Last update April 18, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Confucius photo
Confucius 269
Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher -551–-479 BC

Related quotes

James Legge photo
James Anthony Froude photo

“It was brought home to me that two men may be as sincere, as earnest, as faithful, as uncompromising, and yet hold opinions far asunder as the poles.”

Confessions Of A Sceptic
The Nemesis of Faith (1849)
Context: It was brought home to me that two men may be as sincere, as earnest, as faithful, as uncompromising, and yet hold opinions far asunder as the poles. I have before said that I think the moment of this conviction is the most perilous crisis of our lives; for myself, it threw me at once on my own responsibility, and obliged me to look for myself at what men said, instead of simply accepting all because they said it. I begin to look about me to listen to what had to be said on many sides of the question, and try, as far as I could, to give it all fair hearing.

Alberto Moravia photo

“When you aren't sincere you need to pretend, and by pretending you end up believing yourself; that's the basic principle of every faith.”

Alberto Moravia (1907–1990) Italian writer and journalist

Quando non si è sinceri bisogna fingere, a forza di fingere si finisce per credere; questo è il principio di ogni fede.
Source: Gli indifferenti (1929; repr. Milano: Corbaccio, 1974) p. 238; Tami Calliope (trans.) The Time of Indifference (South Royalton, Vt.: Steerforth Press, 2000) p. 207.

“Be a sincere effort never so misguided, to laugh at it is a breach of faith with decency.”

Henry S. Haskins (1875–1957)

Source: Meditations in Wall Street (1940), p. 82

Bill Hybels photo

“Stirner … holds to a joy-principle rather than to a pleasure-principle.”

John Carroll (1944) Australian professor and author

Source: Break-Out from the Crystal Palace (1974), p. 143

Thomas Carlyle photo

“I should say sincerity, a deep, great, genuine sincerity, is the first characteristic of all men in any way heroic.”

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher

1840s, Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840), The Hero as Prophet

“A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in acquisition is entitled to that holding.”

Source: Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974), Ch. 7 : Distributive Justice, Section I, The Entitlement Theory, p. 151
Context: 1. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in acquisition is entitled to that holding.
2. A person who acquires a holding in accordance with the principle of justice in transfer, from someone else entitled to the holding, is entitled to the holding.
3. No one is entitled to a holding except by (repeated) applications of 1 and 2.

Clayton M. Christensen photo

“It’s easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98% of the time.”

Clayton M. Christensen (1952–2020) Mormon academic

Intro (2012 edition)
1990s, The Innovator's Dilemma (1997)
Source: How Will You Measure Your Life?

Related topics