Confucius – 46 Quotes

46 Quotes by Confucius

Old age, believe me, is a good and pleasant thing. It is true you are gently shouldered off the stage, but then you are given such a comfortable front stall as spectator.

– Confucius

Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.

– Confucius

When anger rises, think of the consequences.

– Confucius

Speak the truth, do not yield to anger give, if thou art asked for little by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.

– Confucius

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

– Confucius

The superior man understands what is right the inferior man understands what will sell.

– Confucius

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.

– Confucius

They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.

– Confucius

The faults of a superior person are like the sun and moon. They have their faults, and everyone sees them they change and everyone looks up to them.

– Confucius

Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.

– Confucius

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

– Confucius

If we don’t know life, how can we know death?

– Confucius

Death and life have their determined appointments riches and honors depend upon heaven.

– 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.

– Confucius

There are three methods to gaining wisdom. The first is reflection, which is the highest. The second is limitation, which is the easiest. The third is experience, which is the bitterest.

– Confucius

Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.

– Confucius

If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?

– Confucius

Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.

– Confucius

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

– Confucius

Study the past, if you would divine the future.

– Confucius

Heaven means to be one with God.

– Confucius

He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.

– Confucius

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

– Confucius

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.

– 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.

– Confucius

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

– 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.

– Confucius

He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.

– Confucius

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

– Confucius

The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.

– Confucius

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.

– Confucius

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

The cautious seldom err.

– Confucius

You cannot open a book without learning something.

– Confucius

Learning without thought is labor lost thought without learning is perilous.

– Confucius

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

– Confucius

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

– Confucius

The expectations of life depend upon diligence the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.

– Confucius

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

– Confucius

I will not be concerned at other men’s not knowing meI will be concerned at my own want of ability.

– Confucius

The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.

– Confucius

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

– Confucius

The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest success only comes later.

– Confucius

We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.

– Confucius

The object of the superior man is truth.

– Confucius

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

– Confucius