--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What can a man do with music who is not…" description: "\"What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/confucius-164_benevolence_what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not_2019508.jpg" --- # What can a man do with music who is not benevolent? ![“What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/confucius-164_benevolence_what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not_2019508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/confucius-164_benevolence_what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not_2019508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/confucius-164_benevolence_what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not_2019508.jpg) > “What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?” [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. Music without benevolence lacks moral purpose and cannot uplift humanity. **In simple terms:** Music needs kindness to matter. Key Takeaway Cultivate virtue before creating art. Themes morality art purpose Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - teaching music - public performances - personal composition Key Concepts ethical aesthetics social impact Questions to Reflect On - Can music be good without moral intent? - How does virtue shape artistic expression? A Different Perspective Technical skill alone may not convey virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benevolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benevolence/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [To feel much for others and little for ourselves, that to restrain our selfish, and to indulge our benevolent affections, constitutes the perfection of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/to-feel-much-for-others-and-little-for-ourselves-that-to-restrain-our/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Alas few socialists are either benevolent enough to work hard at these occupations out of benevolence or self-interested enough to work hard at them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccarthy/alas-few-socialists-are-either-benevolent-enough-to-work-hard-at/) [John McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccarthy/) > [A benevolent mind, and the face assumes the patterns of benevolence. An evil mind, then an evil face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-sangster/a-benevolent-mind-and-the-face-assumes-the-patterns-of-benevolence-an/) [Jimmy Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-sangster/) > [To the truly benevolent mind, indeed, nothing is more satisfactory than to hear of a miser denying himself the necessaries of life a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-payn/to-the-truly-benevolent-mind-indeed-nothing-is-more-satisfactory-than/) [James Payn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-payn/) > [In regard to the colored people, there is always more that is benevolent, I perceive, than just, manifested towards us. What I ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/in-regard-to-the-colored-people-there-is-always-more-that-is/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Under the present dispensation, the great majority of factories are little despotisms, benevolent in some cases, malevolent in others. Even where benevolence prevails, passive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/under-the-present-dispensation-the-great-majority-of-factories-are/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“How easy is it for one benevolent being to diffuse pleasure around him, and how truly is a kind heart a fountain of gladness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/how-easy-is-it-for-one-benevolent-being-to-diffuse-pleasure-around/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [How quickly a truly benevolent act is repaid by the consciousness of having done it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/how-quickly-a-truly-benevolent-act-is-repaid-by-the-consciousness-of/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Beneficence is a duty. He who frequently practices it, and sees his benevolent intentions realized, at length comes really to love him to whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/beneficence-is-a-duty-he-who-frequently-practices-it-and-sees-his/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [We like where we live and we wanna participate in our neighbourhoods and communities and stuff and try to- we're not like benevolent- it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fishman/we-like-where-we-live-and-we-wanna-participate-in-our-neighbourhoods/) [Jon Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fishman/) > [The conqueror is regarded with awe; the wise man commands our respect; but it is only the benevolent man that wins our affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dean-howells/the-conqueror-is-regarded-with-awe-the-wise-man-commands-our-respect/) [William Dean Howells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dean-howells/) > [Man's music is seen as a means of restoring the soul, as well as confused and discordant bodily afflictions, to the harmonic proportions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/man-s-music-is-seen-as-a-means-of-restoring-the-soul-as-well-as/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [What love is to man, music is to the arts and to mankind. Music is love itself - it is the purest, most ethereal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-maria-von-weber/what-love-is-to-man-music-is-to-the-arts-and-to-mankind-music-is-love/) [Carl Maria von Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-maria-von-weber/) > [First is the man ...and then the music. If the man is not intact, the music will not happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gino-vannelli/first-is-the-man-and-then-the-music-if-the-man-is-not-intact-the/) [Gino Vannelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gino-vannelli/) > [A man in music, as one in love, either lives it or talks about it; seldom both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-bacon/a-man-in-music-as-one-in-love-either-lives-it-or-talks-about-it/) [Ernst Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-bacon/) ## 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 > [“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": "What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not-benevolent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Benevolence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not-benevolent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/confucius-164_benevolence_what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not_2019508.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/confucius-164_benevolence_what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not_2019508.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dc/confucius-164_benevolence_what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not_2019508.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?” — 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": "What can a man do with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not-benevolent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/what-can-a-man-do-with-music-who-is-not-benevolent/#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 } } ] } ```