The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.
To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.
The Superior Man is all-embracing and not partial. The inferior man is partial and not all-embracing.
A superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.
When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
The superior man is distressed by his want of ability, not by the failure of others to recognise his merits.
Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practises it will have neighbours.
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.
The superior man is firm in decision, but not quarrelsome.
The superior man in everything considers righteousness essential.
The superior man is dignified but does not wrangle; sociable but not clannish.
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
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.
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance.
Study the past if you would define the future.
Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.
Respect yourself and others will respect you.
Silence is a true friend who never betrays.
Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
Do not be desirous of having things done quickly. Do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly.
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
The cautious seldom err.
To see what is right and not do it is want of courage.
He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.
Family Filial Piety and Home
A youth, when at home, should be filial, and abroad, respectful to his elders.
Among those who are filial toward their parents and fraternal toward their brothers, those who are inclined to offend against their superiors are few indeed.
A good man regards the root; he fixes the root, and all else flows out of it. The root is filial piety; the fruit brotherly love.
Nowadays filial devotion means being able to provide nourishment. But dogs and horses too can provide nourishment. Unless one is reverent, where is the difference?
What does the Book of History say of filial piety? 'You are filial; you discharge your brotherly duties.' These qualities are displayed in harmony.
The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.
Respect for one's parents is the highest duty of civil life.
When your father is alive, observe his will. When he is dead, observe his former actions.
He who aims to be a man of complete virtue in his parents' service may find it hard to do so.
The filial piety of today merely means to support one's parents. But this is not sufficient.
Filial piety and fraternal submission—are they not the root of all benevolent actions?
Reverence is the root of righteousness.
Friendship Trust and Human Relations
Is it not a pleasure, having learned something, to try it out at due intervals? Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?
When you see a good person, think of becoming like them. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
The superior man is friendly but not familiar; the inferior man is familiar but not friendly.
Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.
When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.
It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
Have no friends not equal to yourself.
Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things.
Without trust, we stand on nothing.
Leadership Government and Influence
If you lead the people with correctness, who will dare not be correct?
When a prince's personal conduct is correct, his government is effective without the issuing of orders.
He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.
Go before the people with your example, and be labourious in their affairs.
He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains in its place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.
A ruler should employ his people as he would his own hands and feet.
If the people are led by laws, and uniformity sought by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment and have no sense of shame.
The virtue of a leader is like the wind; the virtue of the common people is like the grass. When the wind blows over the grass, it is sure to bend.
To govern is to correct. If you set an example by being correct, who would dare remain incorrect?
When the ruler is himself upright, all will go well without orders.
The way of the superior man is threefold: virtuous, he is free from anxieties; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold, he is free from fear.
Good government consists in the ruler being a ruler, the minister being a minister, the father being a father, and the son being a son.
Wisdom Thought and Insight
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.
Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognised moral qualities of men.
To know what you know and to know what you do not know, that is true knowledge.
The cautious seldom err.
Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.
The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.
The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.
A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart.
When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it—this is knowledge.
Without recognising the ordinances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man.
Moderation Balance and Harmony
The superior man stands erect in the middle, without inclining to either side.
To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Excess and deficiency are equally wrong.
The way of the superior man is in maintaining the golden mean.
Virtue is the root; wealth is the branch.
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
He who aims to secure the good of others has already secured his own.
The object of the superior man is truth.
Wisdom, humanity, and courage—these three are the universal virtues.
The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue.
The middle way is the path of balance and harmony.
Work Effort and Diligence
The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
He who would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, do not adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.
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.
Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
Do not worry about not holding a high position; worry rather about playing your proper role.
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
The expectations of life depend upon diligence.
He who learns but does not think is lost.
To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.
The mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
Character Honour and Integrity
Respect yourself and others will respect you.
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.
To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.
Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them.
He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.
The superior man regards righteousness as the substance of everything.
Without sincerity, there would be nothing.
The superior man is easy to serve but difficult to please.
To see what is right and not do it shows a lack of courage.
A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias.