Top 50 Confucius Quotes & Confucius Sayings

Top 50 Confucius Quotes & Confucius Sayings

Published April 1, 2018 · Updated April 2, 2018

孔夫子曰：一以贯之，不拘文字

1. “The superior man is slow in his words and earnest in his conduct”

2. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

3. “The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of its homes”

4. “Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.”

5. “I have never seen a man as fond of virtue as of women.”

6. “The proper man understands equity, the small man profits.”

7. “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.”

8. “Do not worry about holding high position; worry rather about playing your proper role.”

9. “Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men.”

10. “To know that you know, and to know that you don’t know – that is the real wisdom.”

11. “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.”

12. “Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.”

13. “It is only the wisest and the stupidest that cannot change.”

14. “Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.”

15. “Silence is a friend who will never betray”

16. “When you see a worthy person, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy person, then examine your inner self.”

17. “Boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination.”

18. “Seek not every quality in one individual”

19. “A man who does not think and plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door.”

20. “Virtue is the strong stem of man’s nature, and music is the blossoming of virtue.”

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

23. “If I am walking with two other men, each of them I 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.”

24. “The superior man is firm in the right way, and not merely firm”

25. “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great”

26. “Silence is the true friend that never betrays.”

27. “Consideration for others is the basic of a good life, a good society.”

28. “A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it, is committing another mistake.”

29. “The man of upright life is obeyed before he speaks”

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

31. “I do not want a friend who smiles when I smile, who weeps when I weep; for my shadow in the pool can do better than that.”

32. “The wheel of fortune turns round incessantly, and who can say to himself, “I shall today be uppermost”

33. “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.”

34. “If you lead the people with correctness, who will dare not be correct?”

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

36. “If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant, then what must be done remains undone; if this remains undone, morals and art will deteriorate; if justice goes astray, the people will stand about in helpless confusion. Hence there must be no arbitrariness in what is said. This matters above everything.”

37. “If names are not correct, language will not be in accordance with the truth of things”

38. “Learning without thought is labor lost; and thought without learning is perilous.”

39. “As long as I have rice to eat, and pure water to drink, I can find joy within.”

40. “Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in.”

41. “A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it is committing another mistake.”

42. “The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance.”

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

44. “Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that are past it is needless to blame.”

45. “Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart”

46. “To be in one’s own heart in kindly sympathy with all things; this is the nature of righteousness”

47. “A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart.”

48. “Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.”

49. “The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them.”

50. “It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family.”