Confucius, one of the most revered figures in Chinese history, was a philosopher, teacher, and thinker whose wisdom and teachings have had a profound and enduring influence on both Eastern and Western philosophy. His timeless insights, recorded in the collection known as the “Analects,” provide valuable guidance on ethics, morality, and the art of living a meaningful life.
These words of wisdom have resonated across centuries, offering guidance to countless individuals seeking to better understand themselves and their place in the world. In this compilation of “Confucius Quotes,” we’ll delve into some of the most profound and thought-provoking lines from this iconic figure, whose enduring wisdom continues to shape our understanding of human nature and the pursuit of virtue.
Confucius Qoutes
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- This quote emphasizes the importance of resilience and the ability to learn from one’s mistakes.
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- Confucius highlights the value of self-awareness and understanding one’s limitations.
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- This quote encourages perseverance and the steady pursuit of one’s goals.
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- Confucius underscores the importance of moral courage and taking action when one recognizes what is right.
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- This quote emphasizes the importance of both learning and critical thinking in personal development.
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- Confucius suggests that instead of criticizing others, we should self-reflect and work on our own flaws.
- “To go too far is as wrong as to fall short.”
- This quote promotes the idea of balance and avoiding extremes in one’s actions and behaviors.
- “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.”
- Confucius compares ignorance to a dark night, highlighting the importance of knowledge and enlightenment.
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- This quote emphasizes the importance of humility and letting one’s actions speak louder than words.
- “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
- Confucius stresses the value of experiential learning and the idea that practical experience leads to a deeper understanding.
- “To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.”
- “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.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “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.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “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.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “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.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “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.”
- “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.”
- “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “The superior man acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his action.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “The master said, ‘Is it not a pleasure, when you have learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your abilities? Is it not gentlemanly not to take offense when others fail to appreciate your talents? Is it not gentlemanly to take offense when others fail to appreciate your goodness?'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
- “The master said, ‘It is not a waste of time to study the Way of the superior man. Even in his moments of leisure, he carries the Way with him.'”
- “The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please.”
- “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
- “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.”
- “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.”
- “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.”
Final Words
The wisdom of Confucius, often encapsulated in his succinct and insightful quotes, continues to be a wellspring of guidance for people seeking to lead virtuous lives and build harmonious societies. His philosophy has transcended time and cultural boundaries, leaving an indelible mark on the world of philosophy and ethics. As we conclude our exploration of “Confucius Quotes,” we are reminded of the enduring relevance of his teachings. They inspire us to cultivate moral character, practice benevolence, and seek harmony in our relationships with others. Confucius’ quotes remain a testament to the enduring power of philosophy to guide our actions and decisions, and they serve as a timeless source of wisdom for those in search of a more just, ethical, and meaningful life.