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Confucius Quotes
551 BC–479 BC China
Confucius (traditionally 28 September 551 B.C. – 479 B.C.) was a Chinese social philosopher, whose teachings deeply influenced East Asian life and thought. "Confucius" is a latinization of the Chinese 孔夫子, Kong Fu Zi or K'ung-fu-tzu, literally "Master Kong", but he is usually referred to in China with a simpler version of this honorific as 孔子, Kongzi, or Kǒng Zǐ.
China Editors Educators Historians Philosophers Also known as: Confucianism, Confucianist, Confucious, K'ung-fu-tzu, Kong Fu Zi, Kongzi
Random Confucius quote
163 quotes
It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
The silent treasuring up of knowledge; learning without satiety; and instructing others without being wearied: which one of these things belongs to me?
The Superior Man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.
In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself.
The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.
to Confucius in Out of the Blue: Delight Comes Into Our Lives (1996)
The Superior Man is aware of Righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage.
Our headstrong passions shut the door of our souls against God.
Men do not stumble over mountains, but over molehills
United States Congress House Committee on Agriculture (1973)
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.… If you make a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.
The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
To throw oneself into strange teachings is quite dangerous.
This is the ideal world – a perfect world of equality, fraternity, harmony, welfare, and justice.
All people respect and love their own parents and children, as well as the parents and children of others.
The Master [Confucius] said, 'In his errors a man is true to type. Observe the errors and you will know the man.'
If the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state.
A scholar who loves comfort is not worthy of the name.
The superior man is quiet and calm, waiting for the appointments of Heaven, while the mean man walks in dangerous paths, looking for lucky occurrences.
When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them.
The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favors which he may receive.
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?
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