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Confucius -
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79 Sourced Quotes
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The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
Confucius
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When the multitude detests a man, inquiry is necessary; when the multitude likes a man, inquiry is equally necessary.
Confucius
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If we are not yet able to serve man, how can we serve spiritual beings?…If we do not yet know about life how can we know about death?
Confucius
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A man who reviews the old so as to find out the new is qualified to teach others.
Confucius
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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
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A man may not transgress the bounds of major morals, but may make errors in minor morals.
Confucius
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A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled.
Confucius
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The good man does not grieve
that other people do not recognize his merits.
His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs.
Confucius
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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
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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
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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
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Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness, and yet live, his escape from death is the effect of mere good fortune.
Confucius
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Let every man consider virtue as what devolves on himself. He may not yield the performance of it even to his teacher.
Confucius
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The superior man is broadminded but not partisan; the inferior man is partisan but not broadminded.
Confucius
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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
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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
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The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
Confucius
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If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
Confucius
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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
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When you see a good man, try to emulate his example, and when you see a bad man, search yourself for his faults.
Confucius
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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.
Confucius
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The superior man, even when he is not moving, has a feeling of reverence, and while he speaks not, he has the feeling of truthfulness.
Confucius
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Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.
Confucius
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The superior man is distressed by his want of ability.
Confucius
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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
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Quote of the day
Time and trouble will tame an advanced young woman, but an advanced old woman is uncontrollable by any earthly force.
Dorothy L. Sayers
Confucius
Born:
September 28, 551 BC
Died:
479 BC
(aged 72)
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