Confucius quotes
Kong Fuzi — Chinese teacher whose sayings, gathered in the Analects, shape East Asian thought on ethics, ritual, and learning.
53 passages across 18 themes. More on Confucius.
On action
“Men do not stumble over mountains, but over molehills”
“A man's character is formed by the Odes, developed by the Rites and perfected by music.”
“The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech. When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?”
“Only after Winter comes do we know that the pine and the cypress are the last to fade.”
“Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Mean! Rare have they long been among the people, who could practice it!”
“When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path. What you do not like when done to yourself, do not do to others.”
“How abundantly do spiritual beings display the powers that belong to them! We look for them, but do not see them; we listen to, but do not hear them; yet they enter into all things, and there is nothing without them.”
“Benevolence is the characteristic element of humanity.”
“To be fond of learning is to be near to knowledge. To practice with vigor is to be near to magnanimity. To possess the feeling of shame is to be near to energy.”
“By the ruler's cultivation of his own character, the duties of universal obligation are set forth. By honoring men of virtue and talents, he is preserved from errors of judgment.”
“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.”
“To no one but the Son of Heaven does it belong to order ceremonies, to fix the measures, and to determine the written characters.”
On character
“Follow the seasons of Ha, / Ride in the state carriage of Yau, / Wear the ceremonial cap of Chan, / Let the music be the Shiu with its pantomimes.”
“Variation: To be wealthy and honored in an unjust society is a disgrace.”
“A man living without conflicts, as if he never lives at all.”
“The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration.”
“The way of the superior man may be found, in its simple elements, in the intercourse of common men and women; but in its utmost reaches, it shines brightly through Heaven and Earth.”
“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.”
“The way of the superior man may be compared to what takes place in traveling, when to go to a distance we must first traverse the space that is near, and in ascending a height, when we must begin from the lower ground.”
“Heaven, in the production of things, is sure to be bountiful to them, according to their qualities. Hence the tree that is flourishing, it nourishes, while that which is ready to fall, it overthrows.”
“When the Great Dao (Tao, perfect order) prevails, the world is like a Commonwealth State shared by all, not a dictatorship.”
On presence
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
“I am not concerned that I have no place; I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known; I seek to be worthy to be known.”
“There is no body but eats and drinks. But they are few who can distinguish flavors.”
“Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.”
“Sincerity is the end and beginning of things; without sincerity there would be nothing. On this account, the superior man regards the attainment of sincerity as the most excellent thing.”
“Things have their root and their branches. Affairs have their end and their beginning. To know what is first and what is last will lead near to what is taught in the Great Learning.”
On wisdom
“He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
“Man has three ways of acting wisely. First, on meditation; that is the noblest. Secondly, on imitation; that is the easiest. Thirdly, on experience; that is the bitterest.”
“By extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, one may thus likewise not err from what is right.”
“The superior man accords with the course of the Mean. Though he may be all unknown, unregarded by the world, he feels no regret — It is only the sage who is able for this.”
“Virtuous, worthy, wise and capable people are chosen as leaders.”
On truth
“It is not truth that makes man great, but man that makes truth great.”
“Variation: To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.”
“The kingdom, its states, and its families, may be perfectly ruled; dignities and emoluments may be declined; naked weapons may be trampled under the feet; but the course of the Mean cannot be attained to.”
“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.”
On love
“To rank the effort above the prize may be called love.”
“A scholar who loves comfort is not worthy of the name.”
“The superior man loves his soul; the inferior man loves his property.”
On fear
“The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear. When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?”
“When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.”
On change
“The superior man governs men, according to their nature, with what is proper to them, and as soon as they change what is wrong, he stops.”
“Among the appliances to transform the people, sound and appearances are but trivial influences.”
On perseverance
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
On humility
“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.”
On patience
“When anger rises, think of the consequences.”
On simplicity
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
On friendship
“It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.”
On mind
“The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.”
On faith
“If the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state.”
On meaning
“Guide the people by law, subdue them by punishment; they may shun crime, but will be void of shame. Guide them by example, subdue them by courtesy; they will learn shame, and come to be good.”
On solitude
“There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute. Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.”
On joy
“Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.”