--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you see a good man, think of…" description: "\"When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you see a bad man, examine your own heart.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/confucius-164_bad-man_when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulati_2617922.jpg" --- # When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you… ![“When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you see a bad man, examine your own heart.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/confucius-164_bad-man_when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulati_2617922.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/confucius-164_bad-man_when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulati_2617922.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/confucius-164_bad-man_when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulati_2617922.jpg) > “When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you see a bad man, examine your own heart.” [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. Observing good people inspires emulation; seeing bad people prompts self‑examination. **In simple terms:** Learn from good, reflect on bad. Key Takeaway Model virtue and self‑audit. Themes virtue role models self‑reflection morality personal growth Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - mentoring - education - personal journaling - community leadership - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts confucian ethics psychology of influence character development Questions to Reflect On - Who do you admire and why? - What flaws do you notice in yourself? A Different Perspective Self‑examination can be uncomfortable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Examine your heart often to see if it is such toward your neighbor as you would like his to be toward you were you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/examine-your-heart-often-to-see-if-it-is-such-toward-your-neighbor-as/) [St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/) > [I don't know whether anyone will care to examine my heart, but if they do, they will find two words there- 'social justice.' For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/i-don-t-know-whether-anyone-will-care-to-examine-my-heart-but-if-they/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [“Examine your heart and put away any distraction so you can worship God freely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/examine-your-heart-and-put-away-any-distraction-so-you-can-worship/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) > [what is a german? to say a man is a german, what is that? does it tell you if he is a good man?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/what-is-a-german-to-say-a-man-is-a-german-what-is-that-does-it-tell/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [Without goodness a man cannot endure adversity for long, nor can he enjoy prosperity for long. The good man is naturally at ease with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/without-goodness-a-man-cannot-endure-adversity-for-long-nor-can-he/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“For example, your man might think: I don’t steal. 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His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) ## 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. 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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 Bad man quotes > [I don't do plays without jokes anymore. I've retired from those plays. I think it's bad manners to invite people to sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/i-don-t-do-plays-without-jokes-anymore-i-ve-retired-from-those-plays/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [“It is said that the hallmark of a gentleman is that he is only ever rude intentionally. Arthur Bryant was no gentleman. His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Terrorism is obviously on everybody's mind. The other day my son says to me, 'Daddy, how come the bad men hate us?' How sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-giraldo/terrorism-is-obviously-on-everybody-s-mind-the-other-day-my-son-says/) [Greg Giraldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-giraldo/) > [What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/what-is-a-good-man-but-a-bad-man-s-teacher-what-is-a-bad-man-but-a/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [If I was to ask you tonight if you were saved? Do you say 'Yes, I am saved'. When? 'Oh so and so preached,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/if-i-was-to-ask-you-tonight-if-you-were-saved-do-you-say-yes-i-am/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [What is a good man? Simply one whose life is useful to the world. 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McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [This self-congratulatory notion Americans have that their country is Number One is borne of ignorance and bad manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/this-self-congratulatory-notion-americans-have-that-their-country-is/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [You can learn a lot about good management by working under someone who is a bad manager.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-murray/you-can-learn-a-lot-about-good-management-by-working-under-someone/) [Charles Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-murray/) Browse all 410 Bad man quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you see a bad man, examine your own heart.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulating-him-when-you-see-a-bad-man/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulating-him-when-you-see-a-bad-man/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/confucius-164_bad-man_when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulati_2617922.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/confucius-164_bad-man_when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulati_2617922.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69a/confucius-164_bad-man_when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulati_2617922.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you see a bad man, examine your own heart.” — 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": "When you see a good man,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulating-him-when-you-see-a-bad-man/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-see-a-good-man-think-of-emulating-him-when-you-see-a-bad-man/#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 } } ] } ```