Confucius - Analects

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With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow—I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.

Confucius
Boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination.

Confucius
He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.

Confucius
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
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.

Confucius
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.

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

Confucius
Does Heaven say anything? The four seasons run their course and all things are produced. Does Heaven say anything?

Confucius
I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.

Confucius
When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.

Confucius
The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.

Confucius
The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting.

Confucius
Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.

Confucius
Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music.

Confucius
It is man that can make the Way great, and not the Way that can make man great.

Confucius
Is it not a pleasure to learn and to repeat or practice from time to time what has been learned? Is it not delightful to have friends coming from afar? Is one not a superior man if he does not feel hurt even though he does not feel recognized?

Confucius
Women and servants are most difficult to deal with. If you are familiar with them, they cease to be humble. If you keep a distance from them, they resent it.

Confucius
There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth... lust. When he is strong... quarrelsomeness. When he is old... covetousness.

Confucius
To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue.... [They are] gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.

Confucius
A gentleman, in his plans, thinks of the Way; he does not think how he is going to make a living. Even farming sometimes has a shortage; and even learning may incidentally bring a salary. A gentleman is concerned with the progress of the Way; he is not anxious about poverty.

Confucius
As in the case of making a mound, if, before the very last basketful, I stop, then I shall have stopped. As in the case of leveling the ground, if, though tipping only one basketful, I am going forward, then I shall be making progress.

Confucius
Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men.

Confucius
In a hamlet of ten households, there are bound to be those who are my equal in doing their best for others and in being trustworthy in what they say, but they are unlikely to be as eager to learn as I am.

Confucius
The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration.

Confucius
It is when those who are not strong enough have made some moderate amount of progress that they fail and give up...

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
Things that are done, it is needless to speak about... things that are past, it is needless to blame.

Confucius
The man who in the view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends — such a man may be reckoned a complete man.

Confucius