Confucius Wise Quotations

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.

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.

Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.

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

To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.

It is goodness that gives to a neighborhood its beauty. One who is free to choose, yet does not prefer to dwell among the good - how can he be accorded the name of wise?

Of neighborhoods, benevolence is the most beautiful. How can the man be considered wise who when he had the choice does not settle in benevolence.

He who is really good can never be unhappy. He who is really wise can never be perplexed. He who is really brave is never afraid.

The wise are free from perplexities; the virtuous from anxiety; and the bold from fear.

Without goodness a man cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The good man is naturally at ease with goodness. The wise man cultivates goodness for its advantage.

As the water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it, so a wise man adapts himself to circumstances.

When a person should be spoken with, and you don't speak with them, you lose them. When a person shouldn't be spoken with and you speak to them, you waste your breath. The wise do not lose people, nor do they waste their breath.

He Who Knows And Knows That He Knows Is A Wise Man - Follow Him; He Who Knows Not And Knows Not That He Knows Not Is A Fool - Shun Him

Not to discuss with a man worthy of conversation is to waste the man. To discuss with a man not worthy of conversation is to waste words. The wise waste neither men nor words.

The way of the superior person is threefold; virtuous, they are free from anxieties; wise they are free from perplexities; and bold they are free from fear.

There are three things against which the wise man guards: lust when young, quarrels when strong, and covetousness when old.

What the wise seek is in themselves

A wise man has dignity without pride; a fool has pride without dignity.

For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We should be careful indeed what we say.

A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace.

The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.

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

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

A wise man seeks by music to strengthen his soul: the thoughtless one uses it to stifle his fears.

Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.

A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart.

Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established

There are three marks of a superior man: being virtuous, he is free from anxiety; being wise, he is free from perplexity; being brave, he is free from fear.

Things that are done, it is needless to speak about...things that are past, it is needless to blame.

Heaven sends down its good and evil symbols and wise men act accordingly.

Being in humaneness is good. If we select other goodness and thus are far apart from humaneness, how can we be the wise?

When a wise man points at the moon the imbecile examines the finger.

We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression; the heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror, which reflects every object without being sullied by any

The only people who cannot change are the most wise and the most stupid.

The wise man admires water, the kind man admires mountains. The wise man moves, the kind man rests. The wise man is happy, the kind man is firm.

The wise man delights in water, the Good man delights in mountains. For the wise move; but the Good stay still. The wise are happy; but the good secure.

Only the supremely wise and the ignorant do not alter.

A fool marvels at rare things, but a wise man at common ones.

The wise men of antiquity, when they wished to make the whole world peaceful and happy, first put their own States into proper order. Before putting their States into proper order, they regulated their own families. Before regulating their families, they regulated themselves. Before regulating themselves, they tried to be sincere in their thoughts. Before being sincere in their thoughts, they tried to see things exactly as they really were.

There are three sorts of pleasures which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Finding pleasure in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music, finding pleasure in discussing the good points in the conduct of others, and finding pleasure in having many wise friends, these are advantageous. But finding pleasure in profligate enjoyments, finding pleasure in idle gadding about, and finding pleasure in feasting, these are injurious.