Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. He is the founder of “Confucianism”.
2031. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
2032. The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
2033. Time flows away like the water in the river.
2034. To be wealthy and honored in an unjust society is a disgrace.
2035. The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.
2036. Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean.
2037. The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.
2038. Consideration for others is the basis of a good life. A good society.
1979. Study the past, if you would divine the future.
1980. If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.
1981. When anger rises, think of consequences.
1982. An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.
1983. Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
1984. If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?
1985. Wisdom, compassion, and courage are three universally recognized moral qualities of men.
1986. The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.
1918. They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
1919. Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
1920. The faults of a superior person are like the sun and moon. They have their faults, and everyone sees them; they change and everyone looks up to them.
1921. To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of the wickedness.
1922. He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.
1923. Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou will go near the gods.
1924. We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.
1925. I want you to be everything that's you, deep at the center of your being.
1886. To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.
1887. The object of the superior man is truth.
1888. The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.
1889. When you are laboring for others let it be with the same zeal as if it were for yourself.
1890. A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.
1891. Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perious.
1892. Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices will have neighbors.
1893. Ability will never catch up with the demand for it.
1894. The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
1846. If what one has to say is not better than silence, then one should keep silent.
1847. Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
1848. Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
1849. Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
1850. Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
1851. A lion chased me up a tree, and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top.
1852. To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
1853. In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
1794. Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.
1795. It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.
1796. The man of wisdom is never of two minds: the man of benevolence never worries; the man courage is never afraid.
1797. The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method.
1798. Give a bowl of rice a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life.
1799. The hardest thing of all is find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.
1800. Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
1801. And remember, no matter where you go. there you are.
1732. The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
1733. Study the past if you would define the future.
1734. Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
1735. Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
1736. Respect yourself and others will respect you.
1737. Silence is a true friend who never betrays.
1738. You cannot open a book without learning something.
1739. Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.
1740. What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.
1670. Being in humaneness is good. If we select other goodness and thus are far apart from humaneness, how can we be the wise?
1671. When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
1672. They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it.
1673. To give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.
1674. By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
1675. He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.
1632. To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.
1633. At fifteen my heart was set on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I had no more doubts; at fifty I knew the will of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient; at seventy I could follow my heart's desire without overstepping the boundaries of what was right.
1634. Listen widely to remove your doubts and be careful when speaking about the rest and your mistakes will be few.
1635. If you see what is right and fail to act on it, you lack courage.
1636. If a man has no humaneness what can his propriety be like? If a man has no humaneness what can his happiness be like?
1637. I am not bothered by the fact that I am not understood. I am bothered when I do not know others.
849. The essence of knowledge is, having it, to use it.
850. I slept and dreamt life is beauty, I woke and found life is duty.”
851. The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
852. No matter how busy you make think you are you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.
853. Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
854. Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it.
855. Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
856. If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.
710. The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.
711. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.
712. All people are the same; only their habits differ.
713. Learn avidly. Question it repeatedly. Analyze it carefully. Then put what you have learned into practice intelligently.
714. We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.
715. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.
716. Act with kindness but do not expect gratitude.
717. Worry not that no one knows you; seek to be worth knowing.
588. He who will not economize will have to agonize.
589. Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.
590. If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
591. The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.
592. He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
593. Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
594. Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
595. Silence is a true friend who never betrays.
510. Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety.
511. The funniest people are the saddest ones.
512. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
513. Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
514. In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
515. Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
516. If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?”
378. Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety.
379. The funniest people are the saddest ones.
380. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
381. Silence is a true friend who never betrays.
382. When anger rises, think of the consequences.
383. Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
384. The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.
385. Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.
163. Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
164. Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
165. By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
166. When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.
167. It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.
168. To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.
169. To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.
170. I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability.
