Confucius
Confucius
Confucius was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history...
NationalityChinese
ProfessionPhilosopher
CountryChina
greatness men perfect
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.'
greatness practice annoyed
Isn't it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned? Isn't it also great when friends visit from distant places? If one remains not annoyed when his greatness is not recognized in his time, isn't he a sage?
men deeds great-men
The great man is sparing in words but prodigal in deeds.
greatness men honor
The superior man honors his virtuous nature, and maintains constant inquiry and study, seeking to carry it out to its breadth and greatness, so as to omit none of the more exquisite and minute points which it embraces, and to raise it to its greatest height and brilliancy.
greatness men heaven
Great as heaven and earth are, men still find some things in them with which to be dissatisfied. Thus it is that, were the superior man to speak of his way in all its greatness, nothing in the world would be found able to embrace it, and were he to speak of it in its minuteness, nothing in the world would be found able to split it.
men great-men small-man
A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.
added fifty great life might
If some years were added to my life, I would give fifty to the study of the Yi, and then I might come to be without great faults.
danger great learns thinks
He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
great happiness happy pains persuade
We take great pains to persuade other that we are happy than in to think so ourselves.
failure grow man plants pulled rice sung worried
There was a man from Sung who pulled at his rice plants because he was worried about their failure to grow
language names truth
If names are not correct, language will not be in accordance with the truth of things
matter
No matter where you go - there you are
constitute five kindness perfect
Five things constitute perfect virtue: gravity, magnanimity, earnestness, sincerity, kindness
birds cannot passing prevent sadness
You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from making nests in your hair.