--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a man sets his heart on benevolence he…" description: "\"If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free from evil.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/confucius-164_benevolence_if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-h_674659.jpg" --- # If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free… ![“If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free from evil.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/confucius-164_benevolence_if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-h_674659.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/confucius-164_benevolence_if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-h_674659.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/confucius-164_benevolence_if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-h_674659.jpg) > “If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free from evil.” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cultivating benevolence frees one from harmful impulses, aligning moral character with inner peace. **In simple terms:** Kindness leads to personal freedom. Key Takeaway Practice compassion to reduce inner conflict. Themes morality inner peace virtue Mood reflective calm Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership decisions - conflict resolution Key Concepts benevolence self‑control Questions to Reflect On - Can kindness replace justice? - How does compassion affect personal freedom? A Different Perspective Benevolence alone may not protect against external injustice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benevolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benevolence/) [Benevolence Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benevolence-free-5349686/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Free Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-evil-236068/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart Benevolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-benevolence-5349685/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sets Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sets-heart-1998610/) ## Related quotes > [When God sets His heart on you, you will be tried often. But the longer and harder your affliction, the more deeply God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wilkerson/when-god-sets-his-heart-on-you-you-will-be-tried-often-but-the-longer/) [David Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wilkerson/) > [Create what sets your heart on fire, and it will illuminate the path ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-what-sets-your-heart-on-fire-and-it-will-illuminate-the-path/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lady who sets her heart upon a lad in uniform must prepare to change lovers pretty quickly, or her life will be but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/a-lady-who-sets-her-heart-upon-a-lad-in-uniform-must-prepare-to/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Love sets your heart free. Be not afraid: dig deep, Take a deep breath And reach for the sky In your lover's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ramirez/love-sets-your-heart-free-be-not-afraid-dig-deep-take-a-deep-breath/) [Laura Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ramirez/) > [Love illuminates the truth. Fear destroys the heart, love sets the heart free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/love-illuminates-the-truth-fear-destroys-the-heart-love-sets-the/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [We are free, but no to be evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/we-are-free-but-no-to-be-evil/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [“Nobody knows what horrors I have saved the world from 'cuz people can't see what never happened. All evil flows from independence, and independence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-p-young/nobody-knows-what-horrors-i-have-saved-the-world-from-cuz-people-can/) [William P. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-p-young/) > [“She talked about God giving man free will. Because of that, there is evil in the world. If God pulled everyone’s strings all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-cantore/she-talked-about-god-giving-man-free-will-because-of-that-there-is/) [Janice Cantore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-cantore/) > [Call it no more free-will, but slavish lust; free to evil, but free from good, till regenerating grace loosens the bands of wickedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/call-it-no-more-free-will-but-slavish-lust-free-to-evil-but-free-from/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [God created things which had free will. That means creatures which can go either wrong or right. Some people think they can imagine a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cs-lewis/god-created-things-which-had-free-will-that-means-creatures-which-can/) [CS Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cs-lewis/) > [No man is so good as to be free from all evil, nor so bad as to be worth nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/no-man-is-so-good-as-to-be-free-from-all-evil-nor-so-bad-as-to-be/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“To be well loved is to be free of the evil lurking around the next darkened corner. Every child should know that feeling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/to-be-well-loved-is-to-be-free-of-the-evil-lurking-around-the-next/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [We are free, but not to be evil, not to be indifferent to human suffering, not to profit from the people, from the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/we-are-free-but-not-to-be-evil-not-to-be-indifferent-to-human/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [God seldom suspends the laws of nature, just as God does not remove free will to keep evil people from doing evil things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/god-seldom-suspends-the-laws-of-nature-just-as-god-does-not-remove/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [To be free from evil thoughts is God's best gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/to-be-free-from-evil-thoughts-is-god-s-best-gift/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/better-than-the-one-who-knows-what-is-right-is-the-one-who-loves-what/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-live-in-a-very-small-house-but-my-windows-look-out-on-a-very-large/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-rule-a-country-of-a-thousand-chariots-there-must-be-reverent/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-real-fault-is-to-have-faults-and-not-amend-them/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-that-is-true-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A picture is poem without words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-picture-is-poem-without-words/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Heaven means to be one with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/heaven-means-to-be-one-with-god/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-study-and-at-times-practice-what-one-has-learned-is-this-not-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recompense-kindness-with-kindness/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is only one thing in life which never changes, and it is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-which-never-changes-and-it-is-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) [Explore all 1,019 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More Benevolence quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [Elect me to office. I will protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. Because there's no constitutional authority for Congress spending on the objects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/elect-me-to-office-i-will-protect-and-defend-the-u-s-constitution/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [The benevolence of wrapping the partridge in a vine leaf brings out its quality, just as the barrel of Diogenes brought forth the qualities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-des-essarts/the-benevolence-of-wrapping-the-partridge-in-a-vine-leaf-brings-out/) [Emmanuel des Essarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-des-essarts/) > [“Now general benevolence was one of the leading features of the Pickwickian theory, and no one was more remarkable for the zealous manner in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/now-general-benevolence-was-one-of-the-leading-features-of-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Conservatives say the government can't end poverty by force, but they believe it can use force to make people moral. Liberals say government can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/conservatives-say-the-government-can-t-end-poverty-by-force-but-they/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. It has no real place for fairness, malevolence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-daly/the-individualism-of-current-economic-theory-is-manifest-in-the/) [Herman E. Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-daly/) > [Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/nobody-but-a-beggar-chooses-to-depend-chiefly-upon-the-benevolence-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Want compassion is not to be numbered among the general faults of mankind. The black ingredient which fouls our disposition is envy. Hence our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/want-compassion-is-not-to-be-numbered-among-the-general-faults-of/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [When you have lived as long as I have, the div replied, you find that cruelty and benevolence are but shades of the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/when-you-have-lived-as-long-as-i-have-the-div-replied-you-find-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [ They \[spies\] cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/they-spies-cannot-be-properly-managed-without-benevolence-and/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Generosity during life is a very different thing from generosity in the hour of death; one proceeds from genuine liberality, and benevolence; the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martial/generosity-during-life-is-a-very-different-thing-from-generosity-in/) [Martial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martial/) > [There is in St. Paul's definite, soul-stirring assertion of the wrath of God and the reality of the judgment at hand, a truth more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-allen/there-is-in-st-paul-s-definite-soul-stirring-assertion-of-the-wrath/) [Roland Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-allen/) > [Men resemble the gods in nothing so much as in doing good to their fellow creatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/men-resemble-the-gods-in-nothing-so-much-as-in-doing-good-to-their/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [General benevolence, but not general friendship, made a man what he ought to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/general-benevolence-but-not-general-friendship-made-a-man-what-he/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) [Browse all 371 Benevolence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benevolence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free from evil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-he-will-be-free-from-evil/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Benevolence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-he-will-be-free-from-evil/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/confucius-164_benevolence_if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-h_674659.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/confucius-164_benevolence_if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-h_674659.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d0/confucius-164_benevolence_if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-h_674659.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a man sets his heart on benevolence he will be free from evil.” — Confucius", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Confucius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a man sets his heart...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-he-will-be-free-from-evil/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/if-a-man-sets-his-heart-on-benevolence-he-will-be-free-from-evil/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```