Confucius Quotes

Confucius and thus Confucius quotes are best-known all over the world. Even though this philosopher lived nearly 2500 years ago in China Confucius quotes are still of high topicality. Confucius quotes are with their wisdom and intelligence full of advice that can be followed easily. Because of  their great variety people use Confucius quotes in many different situations. Whether as daily wisdom for every kind of incident or as an advice to give to a friend who seeks help, knowing Confucius quotes is always helpful!

Therefore, enjoy your reading of the best Confucius quotes!

Confucius Quotes – Chapter I (学而篇-xue er pian)

• 学而时习之、不亦说乎。有朋自远方来、不亦乐乎。人不知而不愠、不亦君子乎。（xué ér shí xí zhī 、bú yì shuō hū 。yǒu péng zì yuǎn fāng lái 、bú yì lè hū 。rén bú zhī ér bú yùn 、bú yì jun1 zǐ hū 。）
  • Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned? Isn’t it also great when friends visit from distant places? If you do not know and do not question, can you be called a noble man?

• 巧言令色、鲜矣仁。（qiǎo yán lìng sè 、xiān yǐ rén）
  • Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
  • Variant Someone who is a clever speaker and maintains a ‘too-smiley’ face is seldom considered a humane person.

• 不患人之不己知，患不知人也。（bú huàn rén zhī bú jǐ zhī ，huàn bú zhī rén yě）

  I am not bothered by the fact that I am unknown. I am bothered when I do not know others.

• 主忠信。毋友不如己者。过，则勿惮改。（zhǔ zhōng xìn 。wú yǒu bú rú jǐ zhě 。guò ，zé wù dàn gǎi）
  • Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Then no friends would not be like yourself (all friends would be as loyal as yourself). If you make a mistake, do not be afraid to correct it.

• 道千乘之国，敬事而信，节用而爱人，使民以时。（dào qiān chéng zhī guó ，jìng shì ér xìn ，jiē yòng ér ài rén ，shǐ mín yǐ shí）
  • If you would govern a state of a thousand chariots (a small-to-middle-size state), you must pay strict attention to business, be true to your word, be economical in expenditure and love the people. You should use them according to the seasons(i.e. You should not enlist farmers during seeding or harvest time).

• 君子食无求饱，居无求安，敏于事而慎于言，就有道而正焉，可谓好学也已。（jun1 zǐ shí wú qiú bǎo ，jū wú qiú ān ，mǐn yú shì ér shèn yú yán ，jiù yǒu dào ér zhèng yān ，kě wèi hǎo xué yě yǐ）
  • When the Superior Man eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in his work and careful in speech. He avails himself to people of the Tao and thereby corrects himself. This is the kind of person of whom you can say, “he loves learning.”