Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and politician traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Widely considered one of the most important and influential individuals in human history, Confucius’s teachings and philosophy formed the basis of East Asian culture and society, and remain influential today. Confucius is traditionally credited with having authored or edited many of the Chinese classic texts, including all of the Five Classics, but modern scholars are cautious of attributing specific assertions to Confucius himself. Aphorisms concerning his teachings were compiled in the Analects, but only many years after his death. Here are some of the Confucius quotes that will inspire you.
“The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.”
“An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.”
“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
“Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.”
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
“Study the past if you would define the future.”
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”
“Respect yourself and others will respect you.”
“The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.”
“You cannot open a book without learning something.”
“What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.”
“Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.”
“The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.”
“Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life.”
“It is not the failure of others to appreciate your abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.”
“Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.”
“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”
“Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.”
“To see what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.”
“Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof when your own doorstep is unclean.”
“Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society.”
“Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance.”
“Worry not that no one knows you; seek to be worth knowing.”
“The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.”
“The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.”
“Those who know the TRUTH are not equal to those who love it.”
“When the wind blows, the grass bends.”
“Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it”
“You will never know how sharp a sword is unless it’s drawn from its sheath”
“Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.”
“Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.”
“He who searches for evil, must first look at his own reflection.”
“When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.”
“Never tire to study. And to teach to others”
“All people are the same; only their habits differ.”
“Humankind differs from the animals only by a little and most people throw that away.”
“Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.”
“As the water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it, so a wise man adapts himself to circumstances.”
“Where words lose their meaning, people lose their lives.”