On achievement
Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not
look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their
being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from
being accomplished.
On action
Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time
for roast duck to drop in.
The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards
speaks according to his action.
The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his
actions.
On anger
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
On animals
Mankind differs from the animals only by a little and most
people throw that away.
On beauty
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
On character
To be fond of learning is near to wisdom; to practice with
vigor is near to benevolence; and to be conscious of shame is near to
fortitude. He who knows these three things
When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn
inwards and examine ourselves.
The superior man will watch over himself when he is alone.
He examines his heart that there may be nothing wrong there, and that he may
have no cause of dissatisfaction with himself.
On change
They must change who would be constant in happiness and
wisdom.
To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in
order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the
family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our
personal life, we must first set our hearts right.
Only the wisest and the stupidest of men never change.
On complaints/complaining
It is better to light one small candle than to curse the
darkness.
Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when
your own doorstep is unclean.
On diligence
The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic
that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
On example
What you do not want others to do to you, do not do to
others.
On excess
To go too far is as bad as to fall short.
On failure
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising
every time we fall.
A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is
committing another mistake.
On faith
Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things.
On fame/ Knowing one’s self
I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy
to be known.
On family
It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach
his own family.
The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the
home.
The parents age must be remembered, both for joy and
anxiety.
On fate
Death and life have their determined appointments; riches
and honors depend upon heaven.
The wheel of fortune turns round incessantly, and who can
say to himself, I shall today be uppermost.
On fathers
The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally
guilty with the son who neglects them.
On faults
The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.
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.
Not to alter one's faults is to be faulty indeed.
When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.
On fools and foolishness
A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to
heart.
On forgiveness
Love thy neighbor as thyself: Do not to others what thou
wouldn't not wish be done to thyself: Forgive injuries. Forgive thy enemy, be
reconciled to him, give him assistance, invoke God in his behalf.
On friends and friendship
Have no friends not equal to yourself.
On good thoughts
The more man meditates upon good thoughts the better will be
his world and the world at large.
On growth
The perfecting of one's self is the fundamental base of all
progress and all moral development.
On happiness
We take greater pains to persuade others we are happy than
in trying to think so ourselves.
On humility
Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues.
On ignorance
Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon
or star.
On joy
With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bent
arm for a pillow -- I have still joy in the midst of all these things.
On kindness
Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with
kindness.
On knowledge
Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you
may become a teacher of others.
To know is to know that you know nothing. That is the
meaning of true knowledge.
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not
having it, to confess your ignorance.
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.
When things are investigated, then true knowledge is
achieved; when true knowledge is achieved, then the will becomes sincere; when
the will is sincere, then the heart is set right; when the heart is set right,
then the personal life is cultivated; when the personal life is cultivated,
then the family life is regulated; when the family life is regulated, then the
national life is orderly; and when the national life is orderly, then there is
peace in this world.
On leadership
If you lead the people with correctness, who will dare not
be correct?
On learning
Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold
it as though you would be in fear of losing it.
On Life
Life is a puzzle
On love
To love a thing means wanting it to live.
Can there be a love which does not make demands on its
object?
On manners
Consideration for others is the basic of a good life, a good
society.
On mistakes
To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.
On motivation
I want you to be everything that's you, deep at the center
of your being.
On neighbors
Of neighborhoods, benevolence is the most beautiful. How can
the man be considered wise who when he had the choice does not settle in
benevolence.
On the past
Study the past if you would divine the future.
On perception
To see what is right, and not do it, is want of courage, or
of principle.
On planning
A man who does not think and plan long ahead will find
trouble right at his door.
On poverty and the poor
In a country well governed poverty is something to be
ashamed of. In a country badly governed wealth is something to be ashamed of.
On practice
Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will
have neighbors.
On prosperity
When prosperity comes, do not use all of it.
On respectability
Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish
men from beasts?
On revenge
Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
On right and rightness
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man
understands what will sell.
To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.
On risk
Boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes
insubordination.
On science
If you look into your own heart, you find nothing wrong
there, what is there to fear?
On scholars and scholarship
When nature exceeds culture, we have the rustic. When
culture exceeds nature then we the pedant.
On self-control
He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.
On service
When you see a worthy person, endeavor to emulate him. When
you see an unworthy person, than examine your inner self.
On silence
Silence is the true friend that never betrays.
On simplicity
Life is really simple, but men insist on making it
complicated.
On sincerity
Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.
On sorrow
We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.
On superiority
The superior man is firm in the right way, and not merely
firm.
What the superior person seeks is in themselves. What the
mean person seeks is in others.
The way of the superior person is threefold; virtuous, they
are free from anxieties; wise, they are free from perplexities; and bold, they
are free from fear.
On steadiness
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small
stones.
On thoughts and thinking
Learning without thought is labor lost. Thought without
learning is perilous.
On truth
It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man
great.
On vice
Think no vice so small that you may commit it, and no virtue
so small that you may overlook it.
On virtue
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.
The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man
thinks of comfort.
I have never seen a man as fond of virtue as of women.
On war
To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already
secured his own.
On wickedness
To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of
wickedness.
On wisdom
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.
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.
Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally
recognized moral qualities of men.
On words
Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know
men.
Tsze-Kung asked, saying, is there one word which may serve
as a rule of practice for all one's life? The Master said, Is not Reciprocity
such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
On work
Chose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day
in your life.
On worry
Do not worry about holding high position; worry rather about
playing your proper role.
Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth
knowing.