72 Famous quotes and sayings by Confucius. Here are the best Confucius quotes that you can read to learn more about his beliefs to acquire knowledge and wisdom. Confucius is a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period, who is also a great editor, politician, and teacher. His philosophy, known as Confucianism, highlight governmental and personal morality, sincerity, justice, and social relationship propriety. May these famous Confucius quotes motivate and give everyone the inspiration to fight the battle for ignorance by pursuing education to achieve your desired dreams, whatever your goals that will lead to a successful and meaningful life. Share these quotes about Confucius with your friends, family, and loved ones to inspire them as well.
1. Don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you. - Confucius
2. Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. - Confucius
3. Shall I teach you what knowledge? When you know a thing, say that you know it; when you do not know a thing, admit that you do not know it. That is knowledge. - Confucius
4. Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace. - Confucius
5. Never give a sword to a man who can't dance. - Confucius
6. Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes. - Confucius
7. It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get. - Confucius
8. The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting. - Confucius
9. When anger rises, think of the consequences. - Confucius
10. He who wished to secure the good of others, has already secured his own. - Confucius
11. He who keeps danger in mind will rest safely in his seat. - Confucius
12. It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them. - Confucius
13. You cannot open a book without learning something. - Confucius
14. By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius
15. Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius
16. Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. - Confucius
17. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius
18. No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance. - Confucius
19. Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. - Confucius
20. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. - Confucius
21. Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. - Confucius
22. The funniest people are the saddest one's. - Confucius
23. What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. - Confucius
24. The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life. - Confucius
25. Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others. - Confucius
26. The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. - Confucius
27. When you see a good person, think of becoming like them. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points. - Confucius
28. The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat. - Confucius
29. Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof when your own doorstep is unclean. - Confucius
30. The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name. - Confucius
31. If your plan is for one year plant rice. If your plan is for ten years plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years educate children. - Confucius
32. Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. - Confucius
33. It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs. - Confucius
34. The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. - Confucius
35. Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without. - Confucius
36. Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. - Confucius
37. To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. - Confucius
38. When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. - Confucius
39. To see what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice. - Confucius
40. We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one. - Confucius
41. Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know more. - Confucius
42. Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous. - Confucius
43. When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger. - Confucius
44. Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society. - Confucius
45. The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort. - Confucius
46. He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions. - Confucius
47. If what one has to say is not better than silence, then one should keep silent. - Confucius
48. The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does. - Confucius
49. One joy dispels a hundred cares. - Confucius
50. Silence is a true friend who never betrays. - Confucius
51. Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses. - Confucius
52. A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. - Confucius
53. The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith. - Confucius
54. I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. - Confucius
55. A lion chased me up a tree, and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top. - Confucius
56. By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart. - Confucius
57. If there were one word that could act as a standard of conduct for one's entire life, perhaps it would be 'thoughtfulness. - Confucius
58. The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method? - Confucius
59. The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. - Confucius
60. Time flows away like the water in the river. - Confucius
61. When the wind blows, the grass bends. - Confucius
62. If you don't want to do something, don't impose on others. - Confucius
63. The man of wisdom is never of two minds; the man of benevolence never worries; the man of courage is never afraid. - Confucius
64. Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge. - Confucius
65. 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. - Confucius
66. Settle one difficulty, and you keep a hundred away. - Confucius
67. We take greater pains to persuade others that we are happy than in endeavoring to think so ourselves - Confucius
68. Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts? - Confucius
69. Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it. - Confucius
70. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room. - Confucius
71. Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage. - Confucius
72. He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good. - Confucius
1. Don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you. - Confucius
2. Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. - Confucius
3. Shall I teach you what knowledge? When you know a thing, say that you know it; when you do not know a thing, admit that you do not know it. That is knowledge. - Confucius
4. Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace. - Confucius
5. Never give a sword to a man who can't dance. - Confucius
6. Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes. - Confucius
7. It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get. - Confucius
8. The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting. - Confucius
9. When anger rises, think of the consequences. - Confucius
10. He who wished to secure the good of others, has already secured his own. - Confucius
11. He who keeps danger in mind will rest safely in his seat. - Confucius
12. It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them. - Confucius
13. You cannot open a book without learning something. - Confucius
14. By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. - Confucius
15. Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius
16. Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. - Confucius
17. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius
18. No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance. - Confucius
19. Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. - Confucius
20. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. - Confucius
21. Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. - Confucius
22. The funniest people are the saddest one's. - Confucius
23. What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. - Confucius
24. The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life. - Confucius
25. Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others. - Confucius
26. The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. - Confucius
27. When you see a good person, think of becoming like them. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points. - Confucius
28. The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat. - Confucius
29. Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof when your own doorstep is unclean. - Confucius
30. The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name. - Confucius
31. If your plan is for one year plant rice. If your plan is for ten years plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years educate children. - Confucius
32. Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. - Confucius
33. It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs. - Confucius
34. The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. - Confucius
35. Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without. - Confucius
36. Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. - Confucius
37. To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. - Confucius
38. When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. - Confucius
39. To see what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice. - Confucius
40. We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one. - Confucius
41. Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know more. - Confucius
42. Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous. - Confucius
43. When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger. - Confucius
44. Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society. - Confucius
45. The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort. - Confucius
46. He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions. - Confucius
47. If what one has to say is not better than silence, then one should keep silent. - Confucius
48. The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others, and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does. - Confucius
49. One joy dispels a hundred cares. - Confucius
50. Silence is a true friend who never betrays. - Confucius
51. Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses. - Confucius
52. A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. - Confucius
53. The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith. - Confucius
54. I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. - Confucius
55. A lion chased me up a tree, and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top. - Confucius
56. By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart. - Confucius
57. If there were one word that could act as a standard of conduct for one's entire life, perhaps it would be 'thoughtfulness. - Confucius
58. The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method? - Confucius
59. The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. - Confucius
60. Time flows away like the water in the river. - Confucius
61. When the wind blows, the grass bends. - Confucius
62. If you don't want to do something, don't impose on others. - Confucius
63. The man of wisdom is never of two minds; the man of benevolence never worries; the man of courage is never afraid. - Confucius
64. Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge. - Confucius
65. 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. - Confucius
66. Settle one difficulty, and you keep a hundred away. - Confucius
67. We take greater pains to persuade others that we are happy than in endeavoring to think so ourselves - Confucius
68. Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts? - Confucius
69. Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it. - Confucius
70. If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room. - Confucius
71. Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage. - Confucius
72. He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good. - Confucius