Confucius Quotes

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。

A young man should serve his parents at home and be respectful to elders outside his home. He should be earnest and truthful, loving all, but become intimate with humaneness. After doing this, if he has energy to spare, he can study literature and the arts.

弟子，入則孝，出則弟，謹而信，凡愛眾，而親仁。行有餘力，則以學文。

學而時習之、不亦說乎。有朋自遠方來、不亦樂乎。人不知而不慍、不亦君子乎。

Follow the seasons of Ha,
Ride in the state carriage of Yau,
Wear the ceremonial cap of Chan,
Let the music be the Shiu with its pantomimes.

It is not truth that makes man great, but man that makes truth great.

Man has three ways of acting wisely. First, on meditation; that is the noblest. Secondly, on imitation; that is the easiest. Thirdly, on experience; that is the bitterest.

Men do not stumble over mountains, but over molehills

He that in his studies wholly applies himself to labour and exercise, and neglects meditation, loses his time, and he that only applies himself to meditation, and neglects labour and exercise, only wanders and loses himself.