Famous Confucius Quotations

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"The object of the superior man is truth."
by Confucius
"The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home."
by Confucius
"When anger rises, think of the consequences."
by Confucius
"When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves."
by Confucius
"He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own."
by Confucius
"Silence is the true friend that never betrays."
by Confucius
"Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness."
by Confucius
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance."
by Confucius
"Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change."
by Confucius
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
by Confucius
"It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family."
by Confucius
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
by 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."
by 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?"
by Confucius, The Confucian Analects
"[The superior man] acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions."
by Confucius
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
by Confucius
"A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door."
by Confucius
"A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present?"
by Confucius
"Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes."
by Confucius
"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without."
by 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."
by 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"
by 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."
by Confucius
"By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart."
by Confucius
"By nature, men are nearly alike by practice, they get to be wide apart."
by Confucius
"Choose a job you like and you will never have to work a day of your life."
by Confucius
"Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire."
by Confucius
"Do not use a cannon to kill a mosquito."
by Confucius
"Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it."
by Confucius
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."
by Confucius
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it"
by Confucius
"Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."
by Confucius
"Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses."
by Confucius
"Have no friends not equal to yourself."
by Confucius
"He does not preach what he practices till he has practiced what he preaches."
by Confucius
"He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good."
by Confucius
"He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger."
by Confucius
"He who learns but does not think, is lost He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger."
by 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."
by 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."
by Confucius
"He who will not economize will have to agonize."
by Confucius
"He who merely knows right principles is not equal to him who loves them."
by Confucius
"Heaven means to be one with God."
by Confucius
"Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles."
by Confucius
"Humankind differs from the animals only by a little, and most people throw that away."
by 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."
by 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."
by Confucius
"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"
by Confucius
"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."
by 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."
by Confucius
"I hear and I forget.
I see and I believe.
I do and I understand."
by Confucius
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand"
by 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."
by Confucius
"If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere - although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has."
by Confucius
"If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life if in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere - although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has."
by Confucius
"If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand."
by Confucius
"If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand"
by Confucius
"If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself."
by Confucius
"If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant, then what must be done remains undone; if this remains undone, morals and art will deteriorate; if justice goes astray, the people will stand about in helpless confusion. Hence there must be no arbitrariness in what is said. This matters above everything."
by Confucius
"If we don't know life, how can we know death"
by Confucius
"Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star."
by Confucius
"In his errors a man is true to type. Observe the errors and you will know the man."
by Confucius
"It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop."
by Confucius
"It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop."
by Confucius
"Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! Virtue is at hand."
by Confucius
"Is virtue a thing remote I wish to be virtuous, and lo Virtue is at hand."
by Confucius
"It is only the wisest and the stupidest that cannot change."
by Confucius Analects
"It is only the benevolent man who is capable of liking or disliking other men."
by Confucius
"Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."
by Confucius
"Learning without thought is labor lost thought without learning is perilous."
by Confucius
"Learning without thought is labor lost"
by Confucius
"Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished."
by Confucius
"Men's natures are alike, it is their habits that carry them far apart."
by Confucius
"Respect yourself and others will respect you."
by Confucius
"Silence is a friend who will never betray."
by Confucius
"Study the past if you would define the future."
by Confucius
"The cautious seldom err."
by 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."
by Confucius
"The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance."
by Confucius
"The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it not having it, to confess your ignorance."
by Confucius
"The expectations of life depend upon diligence the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools."
by Confucius
"The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue."
by Confucius
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
by Confucius
"The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration."
by 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."
by 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."
by Confucius
"The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it."
by Confucius
"The perfecting of one's self is the fundamental base of all progress and all moral development."
by Confucius
"The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar."
by Confucius
"The superior man...does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow."
by Confucius
"The superior man...does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything what is right he will follow."
by 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."
by Confucius
"The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest success only comes later."
by Confucius
"The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress."
by Confucius
"The superior man is satisfied and composed the mean man is always full of distress."
by Confucius
"The superior man is modest in his speech, but excels in his actions."
by Confucius
"The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions."
by Confucius
"The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions."
by 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."
by Confucius
"The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions."
by Confucius


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