Wisdom Quotes by Confucius · Page 2

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

— Confucius

“Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of man.”

— Confucius

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

— Confucius

Learn, as if never overtaking your object, and yet as if apprehensive of losing it.

— Confucius

Gravity is only the bark of wisdom's tree, but it preserves it.

— Confucius

There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind.

— Confucius

Know what you know and know that you don't know what you don't know — that is the characteristic of one who knows.

— Confucius

Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.

— Confucius

For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish.…

— Confucius

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by…

— Confucius

While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits of the dead...While you do not know life, how…

— Confucius

The wise man delights in water, the Good man delights in mountains. For the wise move; but the Good stay still. The…

— Confucius

In dealing with the dead, if we treat them as if they were entirely dead, that would show a want of affection…

— Confucius

The Master said, “A true teacher is one who, keeping the past alive, is also able to understand the present.” (Analects 2.11)

— Confucius

When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own…

— Confucius

It is goodness that gives to a neighborhood its beauty. One who is free to choose, yet does not prefer to dwell…

— Confucius

The virtuous will be sure to speak uprightly; but those whose speech is upright may not be virtuous.

— Confucius

Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in.

— Confucius

To know that one knows what one knows, and to know that one doesn't know what one doesn't know, there lies true…

— Confucius

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

— Confucius

To govern is to correct. If you set an example by being correct, who would dare remain incorrect?

— Confucius

Love makes a spot beautiful: who chooses not to dwell in love, has he got wisdom?

— Confucius

The people may be made to follow a path of action but they may not be made to understand it.

— Confucius

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

— Confucius

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.

— Confucius

There is good government when those who are near are made happy, and when those who are afar are attracted.

— Confucius

By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.

— Confucius

What you know, you know, what you don't know, you don't know. This is true wisdom.

— Confucius

A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?

— Confucius

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

— Confucius

Wisdom is rooted in watching with affection the way people grow.

— Confucius

Wisdom is worried for being slow in its speech and expeditious in its actions.

— Confucius

By the ruler's cultivation of his own character there is set up the example of the course which all should pursue.

— Confucius

People with virtue must speak out; People who speak are not all virtuous.

— Confucius

Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.

— Confucius

The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith.

— Confucius

Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness and yet live, his escape from death is mere good fortune.

— Confucius

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

— Confucius

The man of wisdom has no perplexity; the man of humanity has no worry; the man of courage has no fear.

— Confucius

The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for…

— Confucius