--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The gentleman sees what is right while…" description: "\"The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees what is profitable.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/confucius-164_gentleman_the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-t_723135.jpg" --- # The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees… ![“The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees what is profitable.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/confucius-164_gentleman_the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-t_723135.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/confucius-164_gentleman_the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-t_723135.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/confucius-164_gentleman_the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-t_723135.jpg) > “The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees what is profitable.” [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. Moral integrity guides actions, while selfish motives focus on profit, highlighting ethical vs. material priorities. **In simple terms:** Rightness vs. profit. Key Takeaway Choose integrity over short‑term gain. Themes ethics integrity wealth Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - business decisions - political leadership - personal finance - community service Key Concepts moral philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - When have you faced a choice between ethics and profit? - Can profit be aligned with moral values? A Different Perspective Profit motives can sometimes fund greater good. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-cannot-be-known-in-little-matters-but-he-may-be/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The small man thinks that small acts of goodness are of no benefit, and does not do them; and that small deeds of evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-small-man-thinks-that-small-acts-of-goodness-are-of-no-benefit/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A gentleman can withstand hardships; it is only the small man who, when submitted to them, is swept off his feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-can-withstand-hardships-it-is-only-the-small-man-who-when/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Possessed of courage but devoid of morality, a superior man will make trouble while a small man will be a brigand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/possessed-of-courage-but-devoid-of-morality-a-superior-man-will-make/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The gentleman is calm and at ease. The gentleman is dignified but not proud; the small man is proud but not dignified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-is-calm-and-at-ease-the-gentleman-is-dignified-but-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The gentleman calls attention to the good points in others; he does not call attention to their defects. The small man does just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-calls-attention-to-the-good-points-in-others-he-does/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-the-superior-man-seeks-is-in-himself-what-the-small-man-seeks-is/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [While the gentleman cherishes benign rule, the small man cherishes his native land. While the gentleman cherishes a respect for the law, the small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/while-the-gentleman-cherishes-benign-rule-the-small-man-cherishes-his/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias. The small man is biased and can see a question only from one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-can-see-a-question-from-all-sides-without-bias-the-small/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The end of the day is near when small men make long shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-end-of-the-day-is-near-when-small-men-make-long-shadows/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The proper man understands equity, the small man profits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-proper-man-understands-equity-the-small-man-profits/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-great-man-is-hard-on-himself-a-small-man-is-hard-on-others/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The Master said, "To study, and then in a timely fashion to practice what you have learned - is this not satisfying? To have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-master-said-to-study-and-then-in-a-timely-fashion-to-practice/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The gentleman holds justice to be of highest importance. If a gentleman has courage but neglects justice, he becomes insurgent. If an inferior man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-holds-justice-to-be-of-highest-importance-if-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A gentleman is calm and spacious: the vulgar are always fretting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-is-calm-and-spacious-the-vulgar-are-always-fretting/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## 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 Gentleman quotes > [“Like this, Rook.” Ford’s soft words vibrate into me. “I like you. I’d like to show you how much, actually. I’m being a gentleman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-huss/like-this-rook-ford-s-soft-words-vibrate-into-me-i-like-you-i-d-like/) [J.A. Huss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-huss/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“Call me old-fashioned, but whenever I see those wire-fortified ribbons, I have the secret stab of nostalgia for old-timey ribbon, the kind whose ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/call-me-old-fashioned-but-whenever-i-see-those-wire-fortified-ribbons/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [I like to be bought flowers and taken out for dinner. I like a man to be a gentleman. I don't like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-stone/i-like-to-be-bought-flowers-and-taken-out-for-dinner-i-like-a-man-to/) [Sharon Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-stone/) > [A gentleman is not born but crafted. He had to work on himself in the same way as a sculptor shaped a rough stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/a-gentleman-is-not-born-but-crafted-he-had-to-work-on-himself-in-the/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [I'm old school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-old-school/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some Iranian doctors from Europe and America go to Iran and operate for free or teach medical students there. The other day, I met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farah-diba/some-iranian-doctors-from-europe-and-america-go-to-iran-and-operate/) [Farah Diba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farah-diba/) > [I'm an old-fashioned girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chita-rivera/i-m-an-old-fashioned-girl/) [Chita Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chita-rivera/) > [I am a bit old-school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kay/i-am-a-bit-old-school/) [Jay Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kay/) > [What's wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/what-s-wrong-with-death-sir-what-are-we-so-mortally-afraid-of-why-can/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [The president of the United States of North America, George W. Bush, the little gentleman of the North, the political cadaver that is visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/the-president-of-the-united-states-of-north-america-george-w-bush-the/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [Acknowledge yourself, man up along age and then decide to be a gentleman or an another asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniyal-butt/acknowledge-yourself-man-up-along-age-and-then-decide-to-be-a/) [Daniyal Butt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniyal-butt/) > [It is possible that blondes also prefer gentleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamie-van-doren/it-is-possible-that-blondes-also-prefer-gentleman/) [Mamie Van Doren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamie-van-doren/) [Browse all 1,653 Gentleman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees what is profitable.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-the-small-man-sees-what-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gentleman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-the-small-man-sees-what-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/confucius-164_gentleman_the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-t_723135.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/confucius-164_gentleman_the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-t_723135.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/confucius-164_gentleman_the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-t_723135.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees what is profitable.” — 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": "The gentleman sees what is right...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-the-small-man-sees-what-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-the-small-man-sees-what-is/#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 } } ] } ```