Philosophical Sayings

The gentleman understands integrity; the petty person knows about profit.

Is humanity far away? Whenever I want the virtue of humanity, it comes at once.

The gentleman concerns himself with the Way; he does not worry about his salary.

First he behaves properly and then he speaks, so that his words follow his actions.

The gentleman reveres three things. He reveres the mandate of Heaven; he reveres great people; and he reveres the words of sages.

To be wealthy and honored in an unjust society is a disgrace.

When the wind blows, the grass bends.

Fix your mind on truth, hold firm to virtue, rely on loving kindness, and find your recreation in the Arts.

The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.

Be strict with yourself but least reproachful of others and complaint is kept afar.

The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.

If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening hear regret.

The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.

The gentleman is at ease without being proud; the small man is proud without being at ease.

To govern is to rectify. If you lead the people by being rectified yourself, who will dare not be rectified?

If a man does not say to himself, 'What shall I think of this? What shall I think of this?' I can make nothing of him.

The gentleman makes demands on himself, the small man makes demands on others.

Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Then no friends will be unlike yourself.

To go too far is as bad as to fall short.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.