Confucius quotes:

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

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.

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

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

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

If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.

A youth, when at home, should be filial and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies.

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.

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.

In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.

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

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

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.

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.

You cannot open a book without learning something.

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

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

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

The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.

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

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

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

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage, or of principle.

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.

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

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

If some years were added to my life, I would give fifty to the study of the Yi, and then I might come to be without great faults.

I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there.

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.

A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.

Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

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

To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons.

Instead of being concerned that you have no office, be concerned to think how you may fit yourself for office. Instead of being concerned that you are not known, seek to be worthy of being known.

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

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

To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.

I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability.

The book salesman should be honored because he brings to our attention, as a rule, the very books we need most and neglect most.

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

When we see persons of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see persons of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.

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.

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.

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.

Study the past, if you would divine the future.

Words are the voice of the heart.

The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does."

Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established

To give oneself ernestly to securing righteousness and justice among the people, and while respecting the gods and demons, to keep aloof from them, that may be called wisdom.

Please stop waiting for a better and more appropriate time to become happy and focus on the moment you live in. Happiness is not an arrival, it is the journey itself. Many people seek for happiness above the height of human beings, some below. Yet, happiness is exactly at the exact height of human beings.

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 superior man has nothing to compete for. But if he must compete, he does it in an archery match, wherein he ascends to his position, bowing in deference. Descending, he drinks the ritual cup.

Do not wish for quick results, nor look for small advantages. If you seek quick results, you will not reach the ultimate goal. If you are led astray by small advantages, you will never accomplish great things.

Balance is the perfect state of still water. Let that be our model. It remains quiet within and is not disturbed on the surface.

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.

Silence is a true friend who never betrays.

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

Big head, target for enemy; big heart, target for friend.

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

Virtuous people often revenge themselves for the constraints to which they submit by the boredom which they inspire.

The superior person is calm and composed; the lesser person is continuously worried and distressed.

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

Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it.

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

The cautious seldom err.

And remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.

Have no friends not equal to yourself.

By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.

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

Everyone eats and drinks; yet only few appreciate the taste of food.

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

He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful may be called intelligent indeed.

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.

I do not enlighten those who are not eager to learn, nor arouse those who are not anxious to give an explanation themselves. If I have presented one corner of the square and they cannot come back to me with the other three, I should not go over the points again.

Only one who bursts with enthusiasm do I instruct; Only one who bubbles with excitement do I enlighten. If I hold up one corner and you do not come back to me with the other three, I do not continue the lesson.

The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.

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

What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.

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

The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.

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.

Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself!

The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends - such a man may be reckoned a complete man.

Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.

There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.

The superior man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.

Great as heaven and earth are, men still find some things in them with which to be dissatisfied. Thus it is that, were the superior man to speak of his way in all its greatness, nothing in the world would be found able to embrace it, and were he to speak of it in its minuteness, nothing in the world would be found able to split it.

Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.

Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.

There is a growing interest in Confucianism in China and other parts of the world. More and more followers of Confucianism are advocating a deeper study of his philosophies. Confucius' ideals stand true even today. His philosophy on how to be a Junzi or the perfect gentleman is based on the simple ideology of love and tolerance.

I daily examine myself on three points: In planning for others, have I failed in conscientiousness? In intercourse with friends, have I been insincere? And have I failed to practice what I have been taught?

When anger rises, think of the consequences.

A good man is not mine to see. Could I see a man possessed of constancy, that would satisfy me.

When three persons work together, each can be the teacher in some aspects

When music and courtesy are better understood and appreciated, there will be no war.

It's only in winter that the pine and cypress are known to be evergreens.

Only after Winter comes do we know that the pine and the cypress are the last to fade.

Never overlook wallflower at dance; may be dandelion in grass.

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

Don't curse the darkness, light a candle.

I saw some piglets suckling their dead mother. After a short while they shuddered and went away. They had sensed that she could no longer see them and that she wasn't like them any more. What they loved in their mother wasn't her body, but whatever it was that made her body live.

To know everything is to know nothing, but to know nothing is to know everything.

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.

It is the law of nature that woman should be held under the dominance of man.

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.

A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.

There are 1,000 lessons in defeat. But only one in victory.

Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.

Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things.

There are three sorts of pleasures which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Finding pleasure in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music, finding pleasure in discussing the good points in the conduct of others, and finding pleasure in having many wise friends, these are advantageous. But finding pleasure in profligate enjoyments, finding pleasure in idle gadding about, and finding pleasure in feasting, these are injurious.

A good man regards the root; he fixes the root, and ail else flows out of it. The root is filial piety; the fruit brotherly love.

A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders.

There are three degrees of filial piety. The highest is being a credit to our parents, the second is not disgracing them; the lowest is being able simply to support them.

Happiness does not consist in having what you want, but in wanting what you have

If the gentleman is not serious, he will not be respected, and his learning will not be on a firm foundation. He considers loyalty and faithfulness to be fundamental, has no friends who are not like him, and when he has made mistakes, he is not afraid of correcting them.

Plan ahead or find trouble on the doorstep.