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Confucius quotes

English (29)

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“Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.” Confucius, Analects
“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” Confucius, Analects
“The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” Confucius, Analects
“He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.” Confucius, Analects
“By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.” Confucius, Analects
“Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.” Confucius, Analects
“Have no friends not equal to yourself.” Confucius, Analects
“He acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.” Confucius, Analects
“The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort.” Confucius, Analects
“To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.” Confucius, Analects
“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, Analects
“While you do not know life, how can you know about death?” Confucius, Analects
“To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.” Confucius, Analects
“They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it.” Confucius, Analects
“When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.” Confucius, Analects
“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, Analects
“Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good.” Confucius, Analects
“Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbors.” Confucius, Analects
“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, Analects
“When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.” Confucius, Analects
“Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men.” Confucius, Analects
“Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.” Confucius, Analects
“The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.” Confucius, Analects
“He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.” Confucius, Analects
“If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.” Confucius, Analects
“I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known.” Confucius, Analects
“The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration;— this may be called perfect virtue.” Confucius, Analects
“How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?” Confucius, Analects
“The cautious seldom err.” Confucius, Analects

Related topics

knowledge success virtue acts courage words life work speech modesty good truth worth excess danger education thinking reciprocity faithfulness sincerity

Related sources

Analects (29)