Quotation Explorer - 'Confucius'

The superior man...does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow. - Confucius
It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs. - Confucius
Vergiss Kränkungen, doch Vergiss Freundlichkeiten nie. - Confucius
Words are the voice of the heart. - Confucius
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius
The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method? - Confucius
When anger rises, think of the consequences. - Confucius
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius
It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them. - Confucius
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. - Confucius
There is nothing more real than what cannot be seen and there is nothing more certain than what cannot be heard. - Confucius
Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge. - Confucius
Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. - Confucius
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. - Confucius
Have no friends not equal to yourself. - 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
To rank the effort above the prize may be called love. - Confucius
Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of man. - Confucius
all things have beauty, but not everyone sees it - Confucius
The Master said, A true teacher is one who, keeping the past alive, is also able to understand the present.(Analects 2.11) - Confucius
Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. - Confucius
Humankind differs from the animals only by a little, and most people throw that away. - Confucius
The gentleman does not promote people merely on the basis of their words, nor does he reject words merely because of the person who uttered them. - Confucius
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. - 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
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others. - 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
The Master said, The gentleman does not serve as a vessel.(Analects 2.12) - Confucius
The gentleman understands what is moral. The small man understands what is profitable. - Confucius
What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. - Confucius
It is only the benevolent man who is capable of liking or disliking other men. - Confucius
It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop. - Confucius
I am not concerned that I am not known; I seek to be worthy to be known. - Confucius
The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large. - Confucius
Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts? - Confucius
The man who in 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
Wenn du weißt, behaupte, dass du es weißt. Und wenn du etwas nicht weißt, gib zu, dass du es nicht weißt. Das ist Wissen. - Confucius
Time flows away like the water in the river. - Confucius
If one should desire to know whether a kingdom is well governed, if its morals are good or bad, the quality of its music will furnish the answer. - Confucius
To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage. - Confucius
You cannot open a book without learning something. - Confucius
Oh, Confucius, "real knowledge" is to know we will ever be able to measure the extent of our, or one's, ignorance. - Lúcia Ramos
Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it. - Confucius
If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake. - 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
The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress. - 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
There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth...lust. When he is strong...quarrelsomeness. When he is old...covetousness. - Confucius
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. - Confucius
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. - Confucius
The man of wisdom is never of two minds;the man of benevolence never worries;the man of courage is never afraid. - Confucius
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
If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand. - Confucius
He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior. - Confucius
It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family. - Confucius
Things that are done, it is needless to speak about...things that are past, it is needless to blame. - 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
Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established. - Confucius
He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good. - Confucius
he who will not economize will have to agonize - Confucius
[The superior man] acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions. - Confucius
The cautious seldom err. - Confucius
The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat. - Confucius
No lake so still but it has its wave.No circle so perfect but that it has its blur.I would change things for you if I could; As I can't you must take them as they are. - Confucius
Writing cannot express all words, words cannot encompass all ideas. - Confucius
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. - Confucius
To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness. - Confucius
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous. - Confucius
The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action. - Confucius
He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it. - Confucius
The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it. - Confucius
Where words lose their meaning, people lose their lives. - Confucius
Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses. - Confucius
The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue. - Confucius
The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete. - Confucius
A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present? - Confucius
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do. - Confucius
To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it. - Confucius
Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it. - Confucius
Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life. - Confucius
He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions. - Confucius
To study and constantly, is this not a pleasure? To have friends come from far away places, is this not a joy? If people do not recognize your worth, but this does not worry you, are you not a true gentleman? - Confucius
I hear and I forget. I see and I believe. I do and I understand. - Confucius
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance. - Confucius
He who merely knows right principles is not equal to him who loves them. - Confucius
Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! Virtue is at hand. - Confucius
The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. - Confucius
Think of tomorrow, the past can't be mended. - Confucius
When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves. - Confucius
If a man remembers what is right at the sign of profit, is ready to lay down his life in the face of danger, and does not forget sentiments he has repeated all his life when he has been in straitened circumstances for a long time, he may be said to be a complete man. - Confucius
Respect yourself and others will respect you. - Confucius
It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get. - Confucius
When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it - this is knowledge. - Confucius
Study the past if you would define the future. - Confucius
You can force the people to obey; you cannot force them to understand. - Confucius
Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire. - Confucius
Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star. - Confucius
If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character.If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home.If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nations.When there is order in the nations, there will peace in the world. - Confucius
Wherever you go, go with all your heart. - Confucius
The Master said, What a worthy man was Yan Hui! Living in a narrow alley, subsisting upon meager bits of rice and water—other people could not have borne such hardship, and yet it never spoiled Hui’s joy. What a worthy man was Hui!(Analects 6.11) - Confucius
By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart. - Confucius
Learning without thought is labor lost. Thought without learning is intellectual death. - Confucius
Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace. - Confucius
While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits [of the dead]?...While you do not know life, how can you know about death? - Confucius
To see what is right, and not to do it, is want of courage or of principle. - Confucius
He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger. - Confucius
The superior man is modest in his speech, but excels in his actions. - Confucius
Men's natures are alike, it is their habits that carry them far apart. - Confucius
I "love" reading.It makes me feel like I am swallowing up Christ, Homer, Confucius, Newton, Franklin, Socrates, Caesar, and the whole world into one gigantic invincible Sir Moffat. Mine is creative reading. I read building empires in mind. I pray I won't read and read and forget to marry. - Moffat Machingura
Learning without reflection is a waste. Reflection without learning is dangerous. - Confucius
In his errors a man is true to type. Observe the errors and you will know the man. - 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
Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. - Confucius
He who who says he can and he who says he can’t are both usually right - Confucius
The Master said, If your conduct is determined solely by considerations of profit you will arouse great resentment. - Confucius
If your desire is for good, the people will be good. - Confucius
To govern is to correct. If you set an example by being correct, who would dare remain incorrect? - Confucius
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. - Confucius
Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it - Confucius
The Master said, The gentleman understands what is right, whereas the petty man understands profit.(Analects 4.16) - Confucius
Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know more. - Confucius
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. - Confucius
When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points. - Confucius
The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions. - 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
Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished. - Confucius
He who searches for evil, must first look at his own reflection. - Confucius
We should keep the dead before our eyes, and honor them as though still living - Confucius
The Master said, A true gentleman is one who has set his heart upon the Way. A fellow who is ashamed merely of shabby clothing or modest meals is not even worth conversing with.(Analects 4.9) - Confucius
Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness. - Confucius
What the superior man seeks is in himself. What the mean man seeks is in others. - 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
We all have two lives. The second one begins when you realize you only have one. - Confucius
Yet the stupid believe they are awake, busily and brightly assuming they understand things, calling this man ruler, that one herdsman how dense! Confucius and you are both dreaming! And when I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming, too. Words like these will be labeled the Supreme Swindle. - Zhuangzi
Success depends upon previous preparation. - Confucius
A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it, is committing another mistake. - Confucius
Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue. - Confucius
He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful may be called intelligent indeed. - Confucius
The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar. - Confucius
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius
When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them. - Confucius
Shall I teach you what knowledge?When you know a thing, say that you know it;when you do not know a thing,admit that you do not know it.That is knowledge - Confucius
Tsze-Kung asked, saying, 'Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not Reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." - Confucius
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. - Confucius
The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration. - Confucius
If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand - Confucius
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it: by confucius NOT andy warhol - Confucius
Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes. - Confucius
The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved. - Confucius
Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors. - Confucius
To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short. - Confucius
They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. - Confucius
The funniest people are the saddest ones - Confucius
The Man who says he can, and the man who says he can not.. Are both correct - Confucius
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