Quotes from Confucius

One who is by nature daring and is suffering from poverty will not long be law-abiding. Indeed, any men, save those that are truly good, if their sufferings are very great, will be likely to rebel.

The superior man, even when he is not moving, has a feeling of reverence, and while he speaks not, he has the feeling of truthfulness.

The superior man is universally minded and no partisan. The inferior man is a partisan and not universal.

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.

The Superior Man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.

Heaven sends down its good and evil symbols and wise men act accordingly.

Clever talk and domineering manner have little to with being a Man at His Best.

A ruthless man extends his ruthlessness from those he does not love to those he loves.

Without goodness a man cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The good man is naturally at ease with goodness. The wise man cultivates goodness for its advantage.

The gentleman is calm and at ease. The gentleman is dignified but not proud; the small man is proud but not dignified.

There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth ... lust. When he is strong ... quarrelsomeness. When he is old ... covetousness.

The end of the day is near when small men make long shadows.

A man without persistence will never make a good shaman or a good physician.

When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you see a bad man, examine your own heart.

The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees what is profitable.

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

The superior man, while his parents are alive, reverently nourishes them; and, when they are dead, reverently sacrifices to them. His thought to the end of his life is how not to disgrace them.

When the multitude detests a man, inquiry is necessary; when the multitude likes a man, inquiry is equally necessary.

Not to converse with a man worthy of conversation is to waste the man. To converse with a man not worthy of conversation is to waste words. The wise waste neither men nor words.

The superior man * * * in regard to his speech * * * is anxious that it should be sincere.

Baseball is wrong, man with four balls cannot walk

The superior man is intelligently, not blindly, faithful.

A man who does not forget an agreement is resolved and honorable man.

A man who reviews the old so as to find out the new is qualified to teach others.