Confucius Quotes

君子無所爭、必也射乎、揖譲而升下、而飲、其爭也君子。

Listen widely to remove your doubts and be careful when speaking about the rest and your mistakes will be few. See much and get rid of what is dangerous and be careful in acting on the rest and your causes for regret will be few. Speaking without fault, acting without causing regret: 'upgrading' consists in this.

多聞闕疑，慎言其餘，則寡尤。多見闕殆，慎行其餘，則寡悔。言寡無，行寡悔，祿在其中矣。

See a person's means (of getting things). Observe his motives. Examine that in which he rests. How can a person conceal his character?

視其所以，觀其所由，察其所安。人焉叟哉？人焉叟哉？

You [a disciple], shall I teach you about knowledge? What you know, you know, what you don't know, you don't know. This is true knowledge.

由，誨女知之乎，知之為知之，不知為不知，是知也。

At fifteen my heart was set on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I had no more doubts; at fifty I knew the will of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient; at seventy I could follow my heart's desire without overstepping the boundaries of what was right.

吾十有五而志於學，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳順，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。

The Master said, "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."

【第一章】子曰、爲政以德、譬如北辰、居其所、而眾星共之。

君子不重則不威，學則不固。主忠信。無友不如己者。過則勿憚改。

君子食無求飽，居無求安，敏於事而慎於言，就有道而正焉，可謂好學也已。

If you would govern a state of a thousand chariots (a small-to-middle-size state), you must pay strict attention to business, be true to your word, be economical in expenditure and love the people. You should use them according to the seasons (i.e. You should not enlist farmers during seeding or harvest time).

道千乘之國，敬事而信，節用而愛人，使民以時。