Confucius Quotes

“The man of wisdom is never of two minds;
the man of benevolence never worries;
the man of courage is never afraid.”

— Confucius

“To see the right and not to do it is cowardice.”

— Confucius

“A lion chased me up a tree, and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top.”

— Confucius

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

— Confucius

“Never tire to study. And to teach to others”

— Confucius

“It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop”

— Confucius

“To be poor without murmuring is difficult. To be rich without being proud is easy.”

— Confucius

“Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their States were rightly governed. Their States being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy.”

— Confucius

“The Master said, "The gentleman does not serve as a vessel."
(Analects 2.12)”

— Confucius

“You are not yet able to serve men, how can you serve spirits?”

— Confucius

“He that rules by mind is like the north star, steady in his seat, whilst the stars all bend to him.”

— Confucius

“I daily examine myself on three points:- whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;- whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;- whether I may have not mastered and practised the instructions of my teacher.”

— Confucius

“The nobler type of man is broad-minded and not prejudiced. The inferior man is prejudiced and not broad-minded.”

— Confucius

“First there must be order and harmony within your own mind. Then this order will spread to your family, then to the community, and finally to your entire kingdom. Only then can you have peace and harmony.”

— Confucius

The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.

— Confucius

“To be truly happy and contented, you must let go of what it means to be happy or content.”

— Confucius

I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.

— Confucius

“Ah, music, sacred tongue of God! I hear thee calling and I come.”

— Confucius

The man of humanity delights in mountains

— Confucius

“We can know a person by observing his behaviour, understanding the reasons for his actions and ascertaining his intentions. If we do this, how can we not know him?”

— Confucius

“A good man does not worry about not being known by others, but rather is concerned about not knowing them.”

— Confucius

“He who keeps danger in mind will rest safely in his seat.”

— Confucius

“Baseball is wrong, man with four balls cannot walk”

— Confucius

“Those who do not study are only cattle dressed up in men's clothes.”

— Confucius

An inch of time on the sundial is worth more than a foot of jade.

— Confucius

He who crosses the ocean twice without washing is a dirty double crosser.

— Confucius

“The superior man accords with the course of the Mean. Though he may be all unknown, unregarded by the world, he feels no regret - It is only the sage who is able for this.”

— Confucius

“He who take cookie to bed have crummy night ahead.”

— Confucius

“Who contains himself goes seldom wrong.”

— Confucius

To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?

— Confucius

The one who was born a genius can't win against the one who tries, and the one who tries can't win against the one who enjoys.

— Confucius

He who remembers from day to day what he has yet to learn, and from month to month what he has learned already, may be said to have a love of learning.

— Confucius

“The superior man is anxious lest he should not get the truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him.”

— Confucius

“Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.”

— Confucius

A happy union with wife and child is like the music of lutes and harps.

— Confucius

“Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be sufficient.”

— Confucius

“It is better to live in peace than in bitterness and strife”

— Confucius

“Past scholars studied to improve themselves; Today's scholars study to impress others.”

— Confucius

“The superior person tries to promote music as a means to the perfection of human culture. When such music prevails, and people's minds are led towards the right ideals and aspirations, we may see the appearance of a great nation.”

— Confucius

Gravity is only the bark of wisdom's tree, but it preserves it.

— Confucius

“The way of the superior man may be compared to what takes place in traveling, when to go to a distance we must first traverse the space that is near, and in ascending a height, when we must begin from the lower ground.”

— Confucius

“It was by music that the ancient kings gave elegant expression to their joy. By their armies and axes they gave the same to their anger.”

— Confucius

“Chi Wen Tzu always thought three times before taking action. Twice would have been quite enough.”

— Confucius

“A heart set on love will do no wrong.”

— Confucius

“In a district of ten families, there must be someone as honorable and sincere as I, but none as fond of learning.”

— Confucius

“Make faithfulness and truth thy masters: have no friends unlike thyself: be not ashamed to mend thy faults.”

— Confucius

“Girl who sit on Judge's lap get honorable discharge.”

— Confucius

Whatever heaven ordains is best.

— Confucius

At fifteen, my mind was bent on learning.
At thirty, I stood firm.
At forty, I had no doubts.
At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven.
At sixty, my ear was receptive to truth.
At seventy, I could follow my heart's desires without sin.

— Confucius

“A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled.”

— Confucius