Confucius Quotes

The funniest people are the saddest ones

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.

If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.

It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather you...

What you do not want others to do to you do not do to others.

he who will not economize will have to agonize

How to play music may be known. At the commencement of the piece, all the parts should sound togethe...

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

The Master said, “What a worthy man was Yan Hui! Living in a narrow alley, subsisting upon meager bi...

If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? Wha...

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All go...

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.

Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of man.

What you do not want done to yourself do not do to others.

Wenn du weißt, behaupte, dass du es weißt. Und wenn du etwas nicht weißt, gib zu, dass du es nicht w...

Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

If your desire is for good, the people will be good.

The way of a superior man is threefold: Virtuous he is free from anxieties wise he is free from p...

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, ...

To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage, or of principle.

The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method?

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.

Time flows away like the water in the river.

Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes b...

The Master said, “A true teacher is one who, keeping the past alive, is also able to understand the ...

Even when walking in the company of two other men, I am bound to be able to learn from them. The goo...

The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.

A youth, when at home, should be filial and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest ...

I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and ear...

Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps tho...

Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.

Study the past, if you would divine the future.

The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability he is not distressed by the fact th...

A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake.

The Man who says he can, and the man who says he can not.. Are both correct

Learning without thought is labor lost.

Study the past if you would define the future.

When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you...

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All go...

If one should desire to know whether a kingdom is well governed, if its morals are good or bad, the ...

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps...

The gem cannot be polished without friction nor man perfected without trials.

I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me I will be concerned at my own want of ability....

The superior man understands what is right the inferior man understands what will sell.

The expectations of life depend upon diligence the mechanic that would perfect his work must first s...

The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments o...

Respect yourself and others will respect you.

He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which ke...

He who searches for evil, must first look at his own reflection.

Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.

Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it

To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it.

The cautious seldom err.

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Words are the voice of the heart.

Have no friends not equal to yourself.

It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.

He who will not economize will have to agonize.

Where words lose their meaning, people lose their lives.

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.

A man whose strength gives out collapses along the course. In your case you set the limits beforehan...

The Master is cordial yet stern, awe-inspiring yet not fierce and respectful yet at ease.

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.

Nothing is more visible than things hidden; Nothing is more manifest than things minute; Therefore, ...

The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.

A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our pres...

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

The Master said, “The gentleman does not serve as a vessel.”(Analects 2.12)

For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a distant mission and observe his degree of loyal...

The Master said, “The gentleman understands what is right, whereas the petty man understands profit....

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

The way of the superior person is threefold; virtuous, they are free from anxieties; wise they are f...

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

Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of...

To lead an untrained people to war is to throw them away.

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

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

We should keep the dead before our eyes, and honor them as though still living

What the superior man seeks is in himself what the small man seeks is in others.

Die Wahrheit hat keinen Erfolg.

Wenn man noch nicht den Menschen dienen kann, wie sollte man den Geistern dienen können?

Wenn man noch nicht das Leben kennt, wie sollte man den Tod kennen.

The gentleman does not promote people merely on the basis of their words, nor does he reject words m...

The gentleman understands what is moral. The small man understands what is profitable.

The superior man is modest in his speech but excels in his actions.

Learning without thought is labor lost thought without learning is perilous.

He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.

The Master said of Gong Yechang, “He is marriageable. Although he was once imprisoned and branded as...

There are three marks of a superior man: being virtuous he is free from anxiety being wise he is ...

The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of s...

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

Heaven means to be one with God.

Lead the people with administrative injunctions and put them in their place with penal law, and they...