| Only the wisest and the stupidest of men never change. |
"Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have
neighbors." |
| They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. |
It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own
family. |
| The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions. |
He who merely knows right principles is not equal to him who loves them. |
| To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes
perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness
and kindness. |
Tsze-Kung asked, saying, 'Is there one word which may serve as a rule of
practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not Reciprocity such a word?
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." |
| We don't know yet about life, how can we know about death? |
Mankind differs from the animals only by a little, and most people throw
that away. |
| If language is not correct, then what is said is not what is meant; if
what is said is not what is meant, then what must be done remains undone; if this remains
undone, morals and art will deteriorate; if justice goes astray, the people will stand
about in helpless confusion. Hence there must be no arbitrariness in what is said. This
matters above everything. |
The Master said, To learn and at due times to repeat what one has learnt,
is that not after all a pleasure? That friends should come to one from afar, is this not
after all delightful? To remain unsoured even though one's merits are unrecognized by
others, is that not after all what is expected of a gentleman? The Analects, (I, 1) |
| If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work another day in your life. |
The Master said, 'Clever talk and a pretentious manner' are seldom found
in the Good. The Analects, (I, 3) |
The Master said, (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 Analects, (I, 16) |
Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small
advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly.
Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished. |
| To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put
the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must
cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our
hearts right. |
The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would
perfect his work must first sharpen his tools. |
| It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness. |
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we
fall. |
| The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home. |
The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with
the son who neglects
them. |
| When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them. |
The perfecting of one's self is the fundamental base of all progress and
all moral development. |
| Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck
to drop in. |
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to
confess your ignorance. |
| Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though
you would be in fear of losing it. |
To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. |
| To see what is right, and not do it, is want of courage, or of principle. |
When prosperity comes, do not use all of it. |
| The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands
what will sell. |
The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world
and the world at
large. |
| Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue. |
The superior man is firm in the right way, and not merely firm. |
| Think no vice so small that you may commit it, and no virtue so small that
you may over look it. |
To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness. |
| Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men. |
Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing. |
