Confucius - Man Quotes

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I used to take on trust a man's deeds after having listened to his words. Now having listened to a man's words I go on to observe his deeds.

Confucius
I have yet to meet a man as fond of high moral conduct as he is of outward appearances.

Confucius
The superior man extensively studies literature and restrains himself with the rules of propriety. Thus he will not violate the Way.

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
Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.

Confucius
Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.

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
A man should demand much from himself, but little from others. When you meet a man of worth, think how you may attain to his excellence. When you meet an unworthy one, then look within and examine yourself.

Confucius
The way of the superior man is threefold, but I have not been able to attain it. The man of wisdom has no perplexities; the man of humanity has no worry; the man of courage has no fear.

Confucius
The superior man is distressed by his want of ability.

Confucius
Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.

Confucius
The small man thinks that small acts of goodness are of no benefit, and does not do them; and that small deeds of evil do no harm, and does not refrain from them. Hence, his wickedness becomes so great that it cannot be concealed, and his guilt so great that it cannot be pardoned.

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
When you see a good man, try to emulate his example, and when you see a bad man, search yourself for his faults.

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

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

Confucius
Great as heaven and earth are, men still find some things in them with which to be dissatisfied. Thus it is that, were the superior man to speak of his way in all its greatness, nothing in the world would be found able to embrace it, and were he to speak of it in its minuteness, nothing in the world would be found able to split it.

Confucius
The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right.

Confucius
The superior man is broadminded but not partisan; the inferior man is partisan but not broadminded.

Confucius
Let every man consider virtue as what devolves on himself. He may not yield the performance of it even to his teacher.

Confucius
When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?

Confucius
The man of wisdom delights in water; the man of humanity delights in mountains. The man of wisdom is active; the man of humanity is tranquil. The man of wisdom enjoys happiness; the man of humanity enjoys long life.

Confucius
The commander of three armies may be taken away but the will of even a common man may not be taken away from him.

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

Confucius
If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if, in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere — although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.

Confucius
A man may not transgress the bounds of major morals, but may make errors in minor morals.

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
The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him.

Confucius