Confucius Quotes - Page 2

A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?

Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.

To one who is not eager I do not reveal anything, nor do I explain anything to one who is not communicative. If I raise one corner for someone and he cannot come back with the other three, I do not go on.

If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.

Wenn man noch nicht das Leben kennt, wie sollte man den Tod kennen.

A man whose strength gives out collapses along the course. In your case you set the limits beforehand.

For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a distant mission and observe his degree of loyalty, will employ him close at hand and observe his degree of respect. He will hand him troublesome affairs and observe how well he manages them, will suddenly ask his advice and observe how wisely he answers. He will exact some difficult promise from him and see how well he keeps it, turn over funds to him and see with what benevolence he dispenses them, inform him of the danger he is in and note how faithful he is to his duties. He will get him drunk with wine and observe how well he handles himself, place him in mixed company and see what effect beauty has upon him. By applying these nine tests, you may determine who is the unworthy man.

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.

Recompense injury with justice and recompense kindness with kindness.

The Master said, “If your conduct is determined solely by considerations of profit you will arouse great resentment.

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

Wenn du weißt, behaupte, dass du es weißt. Und wenn du etwas nicht weißt, gib zu, dass du es nicht weißt. Das ist Wissen.

cautiously, you avoid trouble. See all that you can – then, if you forget the perilous and

The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method?

A legendary horse is praised not for its strength, but for its Integrity.

The gentleman does not promote people merely on the basis of their words, nor does he reject words merely because of the person who uttered them.

The Master said of Gong Yechang, “He is marriageable. Although he was once imprisoned and branded as a criminal, he was in fact innocent of any crime.” The Master gave him his daughter in marriage.(Analects 5.1)

At fifteen I set my heart upon learning. At thirty, I had planted my feet firm upon the ground. At forty, I no longer suffered from perplexities. At fifty, I knew what were the biddings of Heaven. At sixty, I heard them with docile ear. At seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what I desired no longer overstepped the boundaries of right.

The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.

If one should desire to know whether a kingdom is well governed, if its morals are good or bad, the quality of its music will furnish the answer.

Time flows away like the water in the river.

I am not one who was born with great wisdom. I love the ancients and diligently seek wisdom among them.

he who will not economize will have to agonize

Respect yourself and others will respect you.

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. When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music do not flourish.

He who searches for evil, must first look at his own reflection.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.

Ji Wenzi always thought thrice before acting. Hearing this the Master said, "Twice is enough.

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.

To rank the effort above the prize may be called love.

Clever talk, ingratiating looks, fawning reverence: Tso-ch’iu Ming found that shameful, and so do I. Friendly while harboring resentment: Tso-ch’iu Ming found that shameful, too, and so do I.

If you look at their intentions, examine their motives, and scrutinize what brings them contentment – how can people hide who they are? How can they hide who they really are?

Don’t grieve when people fail to recognize your ability. Grieve for your lack of ability instead.

If your desire is for good, the people will be good.

The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.

Am I a man of great wisdom? Hardly! Even when a simple person brings me a question, my mind goes utterly blank, I just thrash it out until I’ve exhausted every possibility.

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.

Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of man.

Have no friends not equal to yourself.

How can you love people without encouraging them? And how can you be loyal to people without educating them.

Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve and bad things are very easy to get.

The Man who says he can, and the man who says he can not.. Are both correct

Writing cannot express all words, words cannot encompass all ideas.

Nothing is more visible than things hidden; Nothing is more manifest than things minute; Therefore, the superior man should be aware of his aloneness

To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.

It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.

The way of a superior man is threefold: Virtuous he is free from anxieties wise he is free from perplexities bold he is free from fear.

To study and constantly, is this not a pleasure? To have friends come from far away places, is this not a joy? If people do not recognize your worth, but this does not worry you, are you not a true gentleman?

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.

A noble minded person is not an implement.

The gem cannot be polished without friction nor man perfected without trials.

Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?

When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.

The Master said, “A true gentleman is one who has set his heart upon the Way. A fellow who is ashamed merely of shabby clothing or modest meals is not even worth conversing with.”(Analects 4.9)

When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.

Die Wahrheit hat keinen Erfolg.

Language is insight itself.