Quote collection
904 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"Though Confucius served the Duke of Lu, a Chinese state, he made many enemies with the nobles of the land. His views antagonized the powerful nobles, who wanted the Duke to be a puppet in their hands. Confucius was exiled from the State of Lu for more than two decades. He lived in the countryside, spreading his teachings."
"Coarse rice to eat, water to drink, my bended arm for a pillow - therein is happiness. Wealth and rank attained through immoral means are nothing but drifting clouds."
"Be faithful and true of word; let thy walk be plain and lowly: thou wilt get on, though in savage land. If thy words be not faithful and true, thy walk plain and lowly, wilt thou get on, though in thine own home? Standing, see these words ranged before thee; driving, see them written upon the yoke. Then thou wilt get on."
"With a heavy load and a long journey"
"In your promises cleave to what is right, And you will be able to fulfill your word."
"Slater soaks into the mind as water into low and marshy places, where it becomes stagnant and offensive."
"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."
"The demands that good people make are upon themselves; Those that bad people make are upon others."
"In the Book of Poetry there are three hundred poems, but the meaning of all of them may be put in a single sentence: Have no debasing thoughts."
"Let mourning stop when one's grief is fully expressed."
"The rich fool is like a pig that is choked by its own fat."
"Virtue is not solitary; it is bound to have neighbors"
"If an urn lacks the characteristics of an urn, how can we call it an urn?"
"The wise man delights in water, the Good man delights in mountains. For the wise move; but the Good stay still. The wise are happy; but the good secure."
"Faithfulness and sincerity first of all."
"I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty."
"If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame."
"There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower. There are cases where it flowers, but no fruit is subsequently produced."
"I am not an originator but a transmitter."
"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."