Confucius

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

It is not truth that makes man great, but man that makes truth great.

The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration.

The Master, standing by a stream, said: "It passes on just like this, not ceasing day or night."

Men do not stumble over mountains, but over molehills

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Guide the people by law, subdue them by punishment; they may shun crime, but will be void of shame. Guide them by example, subdue them by courtesy; they will learn shame, and come to be good.

When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path. What you do not like when done to yourself, do not do to others.

Respect yourself and others will respect you.

Virtue is the root; wealth is the result.

Do not impose on others what you yourself do not want.

To see what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

The gentleman understands what is moral. The small man understands what is profitable.

While his parents are alive, the son may not go abroad to a distance. If he does go abroad, he must have a fixed place to which he goes.

Wealth and honor are what every man desires. But if they have been obtained in violation of moral principles, they must not be kept.

If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.

The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the Kingdom, first ordered well their own states. Wishing to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things. Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated. Their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed. Their states being rightly governed, the whole kingdom was made tranquil and happy. From the Son of Heaven down to the mass of the people, all must consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides.

I am not concerned that I have no place; I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known; I seek to be worthy to be known.

With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow — I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness are to me as a floating cloud.

Sincerity is the end and beginning of things; without sincerity there would be nothing. On this account, the superior man regards the attainment of sincerity as the most excellent thing.

The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech. When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?

The superior man loves his soul; the inferior man loves his property.