Confucius - Analects

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

Confucius
I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue would esteem nothing above it.

Confucius
A gentleman can withstand hardships; it is only the small man who, when submitted to them, is swept off his feet.

Confucius
Without recognizing the ordinances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man.

Confucius
Instead of being concerned that you have no office, be concerned to think how you may fit yourself for office. Instead of being concerned that you are not known, seek to be worthy of being known.

Confucius
Set your will on the Way. Have a firm grasp on virtue. Rely on humanity. Find recreation in the arts.

Confucius
What the superior man seeks is in himself. What the mean man seeks is in others.

Confucius
At fifteen, my mind was bent on learning.
At thirty, I stood firm.
At forty, I had no doubts.
At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven.
At sixty, my ear was receptive to truth.
At seventy, I could follow my heart's desires without sin.

Confucius
The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.

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

Confucius
Women and people of low birth are very hard to deal with. If you are friendly to them, they get out of hand, and if you keep your distance, they resent it.

Confucius
To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.

Confucius
Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.

Confucius
When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.

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

Confucius
A knight whose heart is set upon the Way, but who is ashamed of wearing shabby clothes and eating coarse food, is not worth calling into counsel.

Confucius
The superior man understands righteousness; the inferior man understands profit.

Confucius
If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things.

Confucius
A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias.
The small man is biased and can see a question only from one side.

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

Confucius
To rank the effort above the prize may be called love.

Confucius