Confucius Quotes

236 Sourced Quotes

Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.

Confucius
He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.

Confucius
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
I daily examine myself on three points: In planning for others, have I failed in conscientiousness? In intercourse with friends, have I been insincere? And have I failed to practice what I have been taught?

Confucius
The parents age must be remembered, both for joy and anxiety.

Confucius
Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.

Confucius
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.

Confucius
The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.

Confucius
Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant.

Confucius
The Master said, If out of the three hundred songs I had to take one phrase to cover all my teachings, I would say 'Let there be no evil in your thoughts.'

Confucius
In carrying on your government, why should you use killing [the unprincipled for the good of the unprincipled] at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows across it.

Confucius
The young should be dutiful at home, modest abroad, careful and true, overflowing in kindness for all, but in brotherhood with love. And if they have strength to spare they should spend it on the arts.

Confucius
If I am virtuous and worthy, for whom should I not maintain a proper concern?

Confucius
The gentleman calls attention to the good points in others; he does not call attention to their defects. The small man does just the reverse of this.

Confucius
If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.

Confucius
Only by perfect virtue can the perfect path, in all its courses, be made a fact.

Confucius
It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.

Confucius
They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.

Confucius
The really faithful lover of learning holds fast to the Good Way till death.

Confucius
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.

Confucius
Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be sufficient.

Confucius
The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.

Confucius
Sincerity is the end and beginning of things; without sincerity there would be nothing.

Confucius
Everyone calls his son his son, whether he has talents or has not talents.

Confucius
The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler.

Confucius