Confucius Quotes

236 Sourced Quotes

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
There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower. There are cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced.

Confucius
The path may not be left for an instant. If it could be left, it would not be the path.

Confucius
It is the way of the superior man to prefer the concealment of his virtue, while it daily becomes more illustrious, and it is the way of the mean man to seek notoriety, while he daily goes more and more to ruin.

Confucius
Heaven, in the production of things, is sure to be bountiful to them, according to their qualities. Hence the tree that is flourishing, it nourishes, while that which is ready to fall, it overthrows.

Confucius
When a man comes to me, I accept him at his best, not at his worst. Why make so much ado? When a man washes his hands before paying a visit, and you receive him in that clean state, you do not thereby stand surety for his always having been clean in the past.

Confucius
Some may study side by side, and yet be asunder when they come to the logic of things.

Confucius
The man of perfect virtue, wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others.

Confucius
In vain I have looked for a single man capable of seeing his own faults and bringing the charge home against himself.

Confucius
If the search for riches were sure to be successful, though I should become a groom with a whip in my hand to get them, I will do so. As the search may not be successful, I will follow after that which I love.

Confucius
If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame.

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

Confucius
The superior man governs men, according to their nature, with what is proper to them, and as soon as they change what is wrong, he stops.

Confucius
From the loving example of one family a whole State may become loving, and from its courtesies, courteous; while from the ambition and perverseness of the one man the whole State may be thrown into rebellious disorder. Such is the nature of influence.

Confucius
One who will study for three years. Without thought of reward. Would be hard indeed to find.

Confucius
For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We should be careful indeed what we say.

Confucius
The failure to cultivate virtue, the failure to examine and analyze what I have learned, the inability to move toward righteousness after being shown the way, the inability to correct my faults-these are the causes of my grief.

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
In a State, pecuniary gain is not to be considered to be prosperity, but its prosperity will be found in righteousness.

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 wise man delights in water, the Good man delights in mountains. For the wise move; but the Good stay still. The wise are happy; but the good secure.

Confucius
One who is by nature daring and is suffering from poverty will not long be law-abiding. Indeed, any men, save those that are truly good, if their sufferings are very great, will be likely to rebel.

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
Shall I tell you what knowledge is? It is to know both what one knows and what one does not know.

Confucius
Look closely into his aims, observe the means by which he pursues them, discover what brings him content - and can the man's real worth remain hidden from you?

Confucius
While the gentleman cherishes benign rule, the small man cherishes his native land. While the gentleman cherishes a respect for the law, the small man cherishes generous treatment.

Confucius