Top 100 A Confucius Quotes
#1. It is always easier to take the words of a Jesus, a Gandhi, a Marx, or a Confucius as constituting Holy Writ. This involves less reading, less study, less thought, less conflict, and less independent searching, but it also means less growth toward maturity.
William Coperthwaite
#2. A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled.
Confucius
#3. Is it not indeed a pleasure to acquire knowledge and constantly to exercise oneself therein?
Confucius
#4. I used to take on trust a man's deeds after having listened to his words. Now having listened to a man's words I go on to observe his deeds.
Confucius
#5. 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
#6. Among his own country folk Confucius wore a homely look, like one that has no word to say.
Confucius
#7. A man who reviews the old so as to find out the new is qualified to teach others.
Confucius
#8. When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?
Confucius
#9. If the search for riches were sure to be successful, though I should become a groom with a whip in my hand to get them, I will do so. As the search may not be successful, I will follow after that which I love.
Confucius
#10. Don't look for a black cat in a dark room, especially if it is not there ...
Confucius
#11. 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
#12. The green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm.
Confucius
#13. The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Confucius
#14. For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We should be careful indeed what we say.
Confucius
#15. A wise man has dignity without pride; a fool has pride without dignity.
Confucius
#16. A man is great not because he hasn't failed; a man is great because failure hasn't stopped him.
Confucius
#17. Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.
Confucius
#18. The noble-minded have nine states of mind: for eyes, bright; for ears, penetrating; for countenance; cordial; for demeanor, humble; for words, trustworthy; for service, reverent; for doubt, questioning; for anger circumspect; and for facing a chance to profit, moral.
Confucius
#19. You're not very good at being contemplative," Milo said. "You always sound like some bad caricature of a philosopher, like those fortune cookies with 'Confucius say' or the Nietzsche guy from Mystery Men that's always saying 'when you walk on the ground, the ground walks on you.
Amanda Hocking
#20. 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
#21. If you want to make a stand, help others make a stand, and if you want to reach your goal, help others reach their goal. Consider yourself and treat others accordingly: this is the method of Humanity.
Confucius
#22. Just as lavishness leads easily to presumption, so does frugality to meanness. But meanness is a far less serious fault than presumption.
Confucius
#23. The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him.
Confucius
#24. Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness and yet live, his escape from death is mere good fortune.
Confucius
#25. To rein a kingdom efficiently it is necessary, before all, to put into good order the family. It's impossible for a man who doesn't know how to lead his own family to know how to lead a country.
Confucius
#26. See a person's means ... Observe his motives. Examine that in which he rests. How can a person conceal his character?
Confucius
#27. In dealing with the dead, if we treat them as if they were entirely dead, that would show a want of affection and should not be done; or, if we treat them as if they were entirely alive, that would show a want of wisdom and should not be done.
Confucius
#28. If the people are governed by laws and punishment is used to maintain order, they will try to avoid the punishment but have no sense of shame. If they are governed by virtue and rules of propriety are used to maintain order, they will have a sense of shame and will become good as well.
Confucius
#29. If a man has no humaneness what can his propriety be like? If a man has no humaneness what can his happiness be like?
Confucius
#30. 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
#31. Confucius said: "I do not see what use a man can be put to, whose word cannot be
trusted."
- The Analects of Confucius, 2.22
Confucius
Judith A. Boss
#32. A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.
Confucius
#33. The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.
Confucius
#34. When a man is guided by the principles of reciprocity and consciousness, he is not far from the moral law. Whatever you don't wish for yourself don't do unto others.
Confucius
#35. A country of a thousand war-chariots cannot be administered unless the ruler attends strictly to business, punctually observes his promises, is economical in expenditure, loves the people, and uses the labor of the peasantry only at the proper times of year.
Confucius
#36. If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.
Confucius
#37. A fool marvels at rare things, but a wise man at common ones.
Confucius
#38. When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger.
Confucius
#39. A lion chased me up a tree and I enjoyed the view from the top.
Confucius
#40. 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
#41. A scholar who loves comfort is not fit to be called a scholar.
Confucius
#42. A person of character takes as much trouble to discover what is right as the lesser men take to discover what will pay.
Confucius
#43. The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.
Confucius
#44. Love is like a spice. It can sweeten your life - however, it can spoil it, too.
Confucius
#45. If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfil the requirements of that name?
Confucius
#46. A man who does not think and plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door.
Confucius
#47. I do not want a friend who smiles when I smile, who weeps when I weep; for my shadow in the pool can do better than that.
Confucius
#48. A hammer shatters glass but it also forges steel.
Confucius
#49. A man may not transgress the bounds of major morals, but may make errors in minor morals.
Confucius
#50. Base yourself in loyalty and trust. Don't be companion with those who are not your moral equal. When you make a mistake, don't hesitate to correct it.
Confucius
#52. A good man regards the root; he fixes the root, and ail else flows out of it. The root is filial piety; the fruit brotherly love.
Confucius
#53. The journey with a 1000 miles begins with one step.
Confucius
#54. Never hesitate to ask a lesser person.
Confucius
#55. 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
#56. To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?
Confucius
#57. There are three degrees of filial piety. The highest is being a credit to our parents, the second is not disgracing them; the lowest is being able simply to support them.
Confucius
#58. A gentleman does not promote a man on account of what he says; nor does he reject sayings, because the speaker is what he is.
Confucius
#59. I am not an originator but a transmitter.
Confucius
#60. Confucius said: "You are never in a position to learn unless you are totally confused.
Marcus Gibson
#61. There is a war out there, and believe me, Fly, it was never really between Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Crusaders and Confucius. The final battle is between those who love, respect, and liberate the body and those who hate it
Rawi Hage
#62. He who flatters a man is his enemy. he who tells him of his faults is his maker.
Confucius
#63. A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?
Confucius
#64. In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
Confucius
#65. The rich fool is like a pig that is choked by its own fat.
Confucius
#66. Ho Chi Minh successfully accomplished his cause to free his country despite the opposition of France and the United States. This achievement required the efforts of a man that was part Lenin, part Gondi, part Confucius, and all Vietnamese.
Chris Diamond
#67. To be wealthy and honored in an unjust society is a disgrace.
Confucius
#68. 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
#69. 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
#70. A good man will certainly also possess courage; but a brave man is not necessarily good.
Confucius
#71. Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.
Confucius
#72. If you would govern a state of a thousand chariots, you must pay strict attention to business, be true to your word, be economical in expenditure and love the people.
Confucius
#73. Isn't it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned?
Confucius
#74. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else.
Confucius
#75. It was either me or Confucius that said the journey of a thousand miles begins with a vicious ass raping at airport security.
Doug Stanhope
#76. Without goodness a man cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The good man is naturally at ease with goodness. The wise man cultivates goodness for its advantage.
Confucius
#77. We can know a person by observing his behaviour, understanding the reasons for his actions and ascertaining his intentions. If we do this, how can we not know him?
Confucius
#78. Give a man a fish, feed home for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed for a lifetime.
Confucius
#79. If you shoot for the stars and hit the moon, it's OK. But you've got to shoot for something. A lot of people don't even shoot.
Confucius
#80. A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses. If you are generous, you will gain everything.
Confucius
#81. Unlike Confucius, Madison maintained that people have a limited capacity to control their passions themselves and act virtuously when their individual interests conflict with others.
Patrick Mendis
#82. When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens.
Confucius
#83. A Nation's character is typified by its dancers.
Confucius
#84. A good man is not mine to see. Could I see a man possessed of constancy, that would satisfy me.
Confucius
#85. True goodness springs from a man's own heart. All men are born good.
Confucius
#86. A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it, is committing another mistake.
Confucius
#87. Love makes a spot beautiful: who chooses not to dwell in love, has he got wisdom?
Confucius
#88. In following the Way, the noble-minded treasure three things: a manner free of violence and arrogance, a countenance full of sincerity and trust, a voice free of vulgarity and impropriety.
Confucius
#89. You know what I want to think of myself? As a human being. Because, I mean I don't want to be like As Confucius say, but under the sky, under the heavens there is but one family. It just so happens that people are different.
Bruce Lee
#90. Confucius was a humanist and an agnostic.
Hu Shih
#91. 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
#92. Confucius says: 'Many seek happiness higher than man; others beneath him. But happiness is the
same height as man.' That is true. So there must be a happiness to suit every man's stature.
Nikos Kazantzakis
#93. In a State, pecuniary gain is not to be considered to be prosperity, but its prosperity will be found in righteousness.
Confucius
#94. To love a thing means wanting it to live.
Confucius
#95. The man who loves his job never works a day in his life.
Confucius
#96. An orchid in a deep forest sends out its fragrance even if no one is around to appreciate it.
Confucius
#97. If I am virtuous and worthy, for whom should I not maintain a proper concern?
Confucius
#98. There are those who act without knowing; I will have none of this. To hear a lot, choose the good, and follow it, to see a lot and learn to recognize it: this is next knowledge.
Confucius
#99. If I am building a mountain and stop before the last basketful of earth is placed on the summit, I have failed.
Confucius
#100. Let a ruler base his government upon virtuous principles, and he will be like the pole-star, which remains steadfast in its place, while all the host of stars turn towards it
Confucius
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