Confucius Men Quotations

The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.

I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability.

Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.

To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons.

The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.

The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.

Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.

The object of the superior man is truth.

It is because men are prone to be partial towards those they love, unjust to those they hate, servile to those above them, and either harsh or overindulgent to those below them in station, poverty or distress, that it is difficult to find anyone capa

When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.

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.

Possessed of courage but devoid of morality, a superior man will make trouble while a small man will be a brigand.

If a man remembers what is right at the sign of profit, is ready to lay down his life in the face of danger, and does not forget sentiments he has repeated all his life when he has been in straitened circumstances for a long time, he may be said to be a complete man.

For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We should be careful indeed what we say.

A wise man has dignity without pride; a fool has pride without dignity.

The small man thinks that small acts of goodness are of no benefit, and does not do them; and that small deeds of evil do no harm, and does not refrain from them. Hence, his wickedness becomes so great that it cannot be concealed, and his guilt so great that it cannot be pardoned.

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.

In vain I have looked for a single man capable of seeing his own faults and bringing the charge home against himself.

The superior man is quiet and calm, waiting for the appointments of heaven, while the mean man walks in dangerous paths, looking for lucky occurrences.

If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfil the requirements of that name?

There may be men who act without understanding why. I do not. To listen much, pick out the good and follow it; to see much and ponder it: this comes next to understanding.

There are three things against which the wise man guards: lust when young, quarrels when strong, and covetousness when old.

In old days men studied for the sake of self-improvement; nowadays men study in order to impress other people.

He who flatters a man is his enemy. he who tells him of his faults is his maker.

The Master said, “The gentleman understands what is right, whereas the petty man understands profit.” (Analects 4.16)

The Master said, “What a worthy man was Yan Hui! Living in a narrow alley, subsisting upon meager bits of rice and water—other people could not have borne such hardship, and yet it never spoiled Hui’s joy. What a worthy man was Hui!” (Analects 6.11)

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

What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?

Give a man a fish, feed home for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed for a lifetime.

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

He Who Knows And Knows That He Knows Is A Wise Man - Follow Him; He Who Knows Not And Knows Not That He Knows Not Is A Fool - Shun Him

The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.

The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.

Let a man be stimulated by poetry, established by the rules of propriety, and perfected by music.

A man of humanity is one who, in seeking to establish himself, finds a foothold for others and who, in desiring attaining himself, helps others to attain.

That a man lives is because he is straight. That a man who dupes others survives is because he has been fortunate enough to be spared.

The demands that a great man makes are on himself; those of a petty man are upon others.

The proper man understands equity, the small man profits.

A man should demand much from himself, but little from others. When you meet a man of worth, think how you may attain to his excellence. When you meet an unworthy one, then look within and examine yourself.

An angry man is full of poison.

I have yet to meet a man as fond of high moral conduct as he is of outward appearances.

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

The superior man is anxious lest he should not get the truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him.

A man may not transgress the bounds of major morals, but may make errors in minor morals.

The superior man is intelligently, not blindly, faithful.

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 holds justice to be of highest importance. If a gentleman has courage but neglects justice, he becomes insurgent. If an inferior man has courage but neglects justice, he becomes a thief.

Let every man consider virtue as what devolves on himself. He may not yield the performance of it even to his teacher.

Grieve not that men do not know you; grieve that you do not know men.

The good man does not grieve that other people do not recognize his merits. His only anxiety is lest he should fail to recognize theirs.

The commander of the forces of a large State may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him.

Men of principle are sure to be bold, but those who are bold may not always be men of principle.

A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question only from one side.

The superior man undergoes three changes. Looked at from a distance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his language is firm and decided.

Baseball is wrong, man with four balls cannot walk

Those who do not study are only cattle dressed up in men's clothes.

In antiquity men studied for their own sake; nowadays men study for the sake of impressing others.

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 nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does the reverse. . . . The nobler sort of man pays special attention to nine points. He is anxious to see clearly, to hear distinctly, to be kindly in his looks, respectful in his demeanor, conscientious in his speech, earnest in his affairs. When in doubt, he is careful to inquire; when in anger, he thinks of the consequences; when offered an opportunity for gain, he thinks only of his duty.

The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability

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

While the gentleman cherishes benign rule, the small man cherishes his native land. While the gentleman cherishes a respect for the law, the small man cherishes generous treatment.

If a man be under the influence of anger his conduct will not be correct.

A good man will certainly also possess courage; but a brave man is not necessarily good.

Of neighborhoods, benevolence is the most beautiful. How can the man be considered wise who when he had the choice does not settle in benevolence.

The superior man will watch over himself when he is alone. He examines his heart that there may be nothing wrong there, and that he may have no cause of dissatisfaction with himself.

The superior man is easy to serve, but difficult to please ... The inferior man is difficult to serve, but easy to please.

Therefore the superior man is watchful over himself, when he is alone.

Men do not stumble over mountains, but over mole hills.

Without that innate sense of human worth, a man cannot long endure adversity, nor can he long enjoy prosperity.

Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.

In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself.

Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.

The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends - such a man may be reckoned a complete man.

The superior man has nothing to compete for. But if he must compete, he does it in an archery match, wherein he ascends to his position, bowing in deference. Descending, he drinks the ritual cup.

The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come.

How great is the path proper to the Sage! Like overflowing water, it sends forth and nourishes all things, and rises up to the height of heaven. All-complete is its greatness! It embraces the three hundred rules of ceremony, and the three thousand rules of demeanor. It waits for the proper man, and then it is trodden. Hence it is said, 'Only by perfect virtue can the perfect path, in all its courses, be made a fact.'

The Path is not far from man. When men try to pursue a course, which is far from the common indications of consciousness, this course cannot be considered The Path.

The way of the superior man may be compared to what takes place in traveling, when to go to a distance we must first traverse the space that is near, and in ascending a height, when we must begin from the lower ground.

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.

There is nothing impossible in all the world except that the heart of man is wanting in resolution.

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

If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free from evil.

Man is born with uprightness. If one loses it, he will be lucky if he escapes with his life.

There are those men who say to repay evil with kindness. But I say, how then are we to repay kindness? Repay kindness with kindness, but repay evil with justice.

The higher type of man clings to virtue, the lower type of man clings to material comfort. The higher type of man cherishes justice, the lower type of man cherishes the hope of favors to be received.

The wise men of antiquity, when they wished to make the whole world peaceful and happy, first put their own States into proper order. Before putting their States into proper order, they regulated their own families. Before regulating their families, they regulated themselves. Before regulating themselves, they tried to be sincere in their thoughts. Before being sincere in their thoughts, they tried to see things exactly as they really were.

The superior man does not mind being in office; all he minds about is whether he has qualities that entitle him to office. He does not mind failing to get recognition; he is too busy doing the things that entitle him to recognition.

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

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

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

The man of noble mind seeks to achieve the good in others and not their evil. The little-minded man is the reverse of this.

Not knowing life, how can we know death? Why talk of spirits when you do not understand men?

The superior man limits his achievements.

A fool marvels at rare things, but a wise man at common ones.

To rein a kingdom efficiently it is necessary, before all, to put into good order the family. It's impossible for a man who doesn't know how to lead his own family to know how to lead a country.

There are three things to beware of through life: when a man is young, let him beware of his appetites; when he is middle-aged, of his passions; and when old, of covetousness, especially.

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

If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere - although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.

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