Confucius Quotes & Sayings
Enjoy the top 100 famous quotes, sayings and quotations by Confucius.
Famous Quotes By Confucius
If a man is not good, what has he to do with the rules of propriety? If he is not good, what has he to do with music? — Confucius
If there were one word that could act as a standard of conduct for one's entire life, perhaps it would be 'thoughtfulness. — Confucius
An orchid in a deep forest sends out its fragrance even if no one is around to appreciate it. — Confucius
Friendship with the upright, with the truthful and with the well informed is beneficial. Friendship with those who flatter, with those who are meek and who compromise with principles, and with those who talk cleverly is harmful. — Confucius
Am I a man of great wisdom? Hardly! Even when a simple person brings me a question, my mind goes utterly blank, I just thrash it out until I've exhausted every possibility. — Confucius
If names are not correct, then language is not in accord with the truth of things. If language is not in accord with the truth of things, then affairs cannot be carried out successfully. — Confucius
The Path is not far from man. When men try to pursue a course, which is far from the common indications of consciousness, this course cannot be considered The Path. — Confucius
Is there any one maxim which ought to be acted upon throughout one's whole life? Surely the maxim of loving kindness is such: Do not unto others what you would not they should do unto you. — Confucius
Virtuous people often revenge themselves for the constraints to which they submit by the boredom which they inspire. — Confucius
There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower. There are cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced. — Confucius
The superior man * * * in regard to his speech * * * is anxious that it should be sincere. — Confucius
When abroad, behaveto everyone as if interviewing an honored guest; in directing the people, act as if you were assisting at a great sacrafice; DO NOT DO TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD NOT LIKE DONE TO YOURSELF: so there will be no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family; your public life will arouse no ill-will nor your private life any resentment. — 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
There are three unfilial acts: the greatest of these is the failure to produce sons. — Confucius
A truly great man never puts away the simplicity of a child. — Confucius
A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses. If you are generous, you will gain everything. — Confucius
He who is really good can never be unhappy. He who is really wise can never be perplexed. He who is really brave is never afraid. — Confucius
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others. — Confucius
The Master said, "Wealth and honor are things that all people desire, and yet unless they are acquired in the proper way I will not abide them. Poverty and disgrace are things that all people hate, and yet unless they are avoided in the proper way I will not despise them.
"If the gentleman abandons ren, how can he be worthy of that name? The gentleman does not violate ren even for the amount of time required to eat a meal. Even in times of urgency or distress, he does not depart from it."
(Analects 4.5) — Confucius
Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others that you would not have them do unto you. — Confucius
He who is really kind, can never be unhappy — Confucius
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
When music and courtesy are better understood and appreciated, there will be no war. — Confucius
Every house guest brings you happiness. Some when they arrive, and some when they are leaving — Confucius
The way of Heaven and Earth may be completely declared in one sentence: They are without any doubleness, and so they produce things in a manner that is unfathomable. — Confucius
Your eyes are always bigger than your stomach. — Confucius
If I do not participate in the sacrifice, it is as if I did not sacrifice at all. — Confucius
The gentleman holds justice to be of highest importance. If a gentleman has courage but neglects justice, he becomes insurgent. If an inferior man has courage but neglects justice, he becomes a thief. — Confucius
The great man is sparing in words but prodigal in deeds. — Confucius
If my mind is not engaged in my worship, it is as though I worshipped not. — Confucius
There may be men who act without understanding why. I do not. To listen much, pick out the good and follow it; to see much and ponder it: this comes next to understanding. — Confucius
If there were an honorable way to get rich, I'd do it, even if it meant being a stooge standing around with a whip. But there isn't an honorable way, so I just do what I like. — Confucius
If one leads them with administrative measures and uses punishments to make them conform, the people will be evasive, but if one leads them with virtue, they will come up to expectations. — Confucius
Wisdom is worried for being slow in its speech and expeditious in its actions. — Confucius
Cultivate the root; the leaves and branches will take care of themselves. — Confucius
Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men. — Confucius
The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later. — Confucius
What is God-given is called nature; to follow nature is called Tao (the Way); to cultivate the way is called culture. Before joy, anger, sadness and happiness are expressed, they are called the inner self; when they are expressed to the proper degree, they are called harmony. The inner self is the correct foundation of the world, and the harmony is the illustrious Way. When a man has achieved the inner self and harmony, the heaven and earth are orderly and the myriad of things are nourished and grow thereby. — Confucius
There is no body but eats and drinks. But they are few who can distinguish flavors. — Confucius
Be strict with yourself but least reproachful of others and complaint is kept afar. — Confucius
The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler. — Confucius
A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words. — Confucius
The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method? — Confucius
It is the law of nature that woman should be held under the dominance of man. — Confucius
The Master said, Guide the people by law, aline them by punishment; they may shun crime, but they will want shame. Guide them by mind, aline them by courtesy; they will learn shame and grow good. — 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
He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against. — Confucius
Love makes a spot beautiful: who chooses not to dwell in love, has he got wisdom? — Confucius
No matter how busy you make think you are you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance — Confucius
Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be sufficient. — Confucius
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
Do not unto another that you would hot have him do unto you. Thou needest this law alone. It is the foundation of all the rest. — Confucius
When a man comes to me, I accept him at his best, not at his worst. Why make so much ado? When a man washes his hands before paying a visit, and you receive him in that clean state, you do not thereby stand surety for his always having been clean in the past. — Confucius
When the multitude detests a man, inquiry is necessary; when the multitude likes a man, inquiry is equally necessary. — Confucius
Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! Virtue is at hand. — Confucius
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. — Confucius
Roads were made for journeys not destinations — Confucius
The cautious seldom err. — Confucius
To know that one knows what one knows, and to know that one doesn't know what one doesn't know, there lies true wisdom. — Confucius
The Master said, 'Subsidiarity.' Tsze-Kung said, 'What the hell are you talking about? — Confucius
The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability — Confucius
Respect the gods and the devils but keep them at a distance — Confucius
The parents age must be remembered, both for joy and anxiety. — Confucius
It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great. — Confucius
Unify your attention. Do not listen with your ears, but with your mind. Do not listen with your mind but with your essence. — Confucius
Eat at your own as you would the table of a king. — Confucius
Humanity is the equity of the heart. — Confucius
Adept Lu spent a night at Stone Date, and the gatekeeper asked: Where are you from? From the House of Confucius, replied Lu. Isn't he the one who knows it's hopeless, but keeps trying anyway? — Confucius
With coarse grain to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow: I still have joy in the midst of these things — Confucius
Respect yourself and others will respect you. — Confucius
When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps far from shame and disgrace. — Confucius
Charity is that rational and constant affection which makes us sacrifice ourselves to the human race, as if we were united with it, so as to form one individual, partaking equally in its adversity and prosperity. — Confucius
Who expects to be able to go out of a house except by the door? How is it then that no one follows this Way of ours? — Confucius
The Superior Man is aware of Righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage. — Confucius
A fool marvels at rare things, but a wise man at common ones. — 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
Many seek happiness higher than men; others beneath him. But happiness is the same height as man. — Confucius
If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear? — Confucius
All people are the same; only their habits differ. — Confucius
Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honors depend upon heaven. — Confucius
To acknowledge our faults when we are blamed, is modesty; to discover them to one's friends in ingenuousness, is confidence; but to preach them to all the world, if one does not take care, is pride. — Confucius
Exemplary people concern themselves with virtue,
small people concern themselves with territory. The ruling class
thinks of punishment, the lower classes hope for benevolence. — Confucius
Wisdom is rooted in watching with affection the way people grow. — Confucius
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. — Confucius
In worthy teaching, all things are related. — Confucius
There has never been a man mean and at the same time virtuous. — Confucius
We are so busy doing the urgent that we don't have time to do the important. — Confucius