Confucius Quotes

But if you do not have the Tao yourself, what business have you spending your time in vain efforts to bring corrupt politicians into the right path?

Can there be a love which does not make demands on its object?

The superior man is firm in the right way and not merely firm.

I have never seen a man as fond of virtue as of women.

Of neighborhoods, benevolence is the most beautiful. How can the man be considered wise who when he had the choice does not settle in benevolence.

There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind.

Among the appliances to transform the people, sound and appearances are but trivial influences.

The true gentleman does not preach what he practices till he has practiced what he preaches.

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

Heaven begat Virtue in me; what can man do unto me?

A disciple having asked for a definition of charity, the Master said LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

The whole end of speech is to be understood.

If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct.

Chi Wen Tzu always thought three times before taking action. Twice would have been quite enough.

When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.

Ask yourself constantly, "What is the right thing to do?" Behave toward everyone as if receiving a great guest.

The contrived language and the flattering attitude rarely come with the virtue.

Wisdom is rooted in watching with affection the way people grow.

Who contains himself goes seldom wrong.

I transmit but do not create. I place my trust in the teachings of antiquity.

Every thoughtful pin on pinterest has beauty. But not everyone can see.

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

To be excellent when engaged in administration is to be like the North Star. As it remains in its one position, all the other stars surround it.

In a district of ten families, there must be someone as honorable and sincere as I, but none as fond of learning.

Who heeds not the future will find sorrow at hand

The more people know, the more they forgive.

If you don't know the life yet, how could be possible for you to know the death?

Tea tempers the spirits and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness, lightens or refreshes the body, and clears the perceptive faculties.

True knowledge is when one knows the limitations of one's knowledge.

Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.

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

When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.

He who is really kind, can never be unhappy

He who flatters a man is his enemy. he who tells him of his faults is his maker.

The gentleman desires to be halting in speech but quick in action.

If either wealth or poverty are come by honesty, there is no shame.

The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.

The virtuous will be sure to speak uprightly; but those whose speech is upright may not be virtuous.

Do not treat others as you yourself would not be treated.

When three persons work together, each can be the teacher in some aspects

A person of character takes as much trouble to discover what is right as the lesser men take to discover what will pay.

Which demands a lot of himself and some others, will be free from hatred.

If what one has to say is not better than silence, then one should keep silent.

Ceremonies are the first thing to be attended to in the practice of government.

One who has accumulated virtue will certainly also possess eloquence; but he who has eloquence doe not necessarily possess virtue.

Girl who sit on Judge's lap get honorable discharge.

A gentleman is calm and spacious: the vulgar are always fretting.

Past scholars studied to improve themselves; Today's scholars study to impress others.

Behind every smile there's teeth.

The superior man is anxious lest he should not get the truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him.