"The superior man does not even for the space of a single meal act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it."

"Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."

"The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in mountains. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived."

"To worship ancestors whom one does not know is to be presumptuous."

"In a state governed by the Way, poverty and low station are cause for shame; in a state bereft of the Way, wealth and high rank are cause for shame."