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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 cautious seldom err.” 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
“Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men.” Confucius, Analects
“While you do not know life, how can you know about death?” Confucius, Analects
“When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.” Confucius, Analects
“To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.” Confucius, Analects
“The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” Confucius, Analects
“He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.” Confucius, Analects
“The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort.” Confucius, Analects
“Have no friends not equal to yourself.” Confucius, Analects
“Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.” 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
“He acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.” Confucius, Analects
“By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.” Confucius, Analects
“He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.” Confucius, Analects
“Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.” Confucius, Analects
“To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.” Confucius, Analects
“Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good.” 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
“The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.” 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
“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
“I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known.” Confucius, Analects
“Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbors.” 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
“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

Related topics

knowledge virtue modesty words good speech truth success work worth excess acts reciprocity respect learning education fear life friendship death

Related sources

Analects (29)