--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fruit of humanity is devotion to…" description: "\"The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The fruit of righteousness is to respect one's elders. The fruit of wisdom is to understand these t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/mencius-3576_arms_the-fruit-of-humanity-is-devotion-to-one_68636.png" --- # The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The… ![“The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The fruit of righteousness is to respect one's elders. The fruit of wisdom is to understand these two and not to betray them. The fruit of propriety is to regulate and polish them. The fruit of music is the joy that comes from rejoicing in them…” quote by Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/mencius-3576_arms_the-fruit-of-humanity-is-devotion-to-one_68636.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/mencius-3576_arms_the-fruit-of-humanity-is-devotion-to-one_68636.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/mencius-3576_arms_the-fruit-of-humanity-is-devotion-to-one_68636.png) > “The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The fruit of righteousness is to respect one's elders. The fruit of wisdom is to understand these two and not to betray them. The fruit of propriety is to regulate and polish them. The fruit of music is the joy that comes from rejoicing in them. When one rejoices in them, they grow. When they grow, how can they be stopped? And when they cannot be stopped, unconsciously one's feet begin to dance and one's arms begin to wave.” [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human flourishing stems from filial piety, respect for elders, and wisdom that integrates these virtues, leading to spontaneous joy and harmonious expression. **In simple terms:** Virtue nurtures joy and natural harmony. Key Takeaway Cultivate respect and wisdom for inner harmony. Themes Filial piety Respect Wisdom Harmony Joy Spontaneity Mood reverent joyful reflective Type philosophical didactic poetic When to use this quote - Family gatherings - Elder mentorship - Community festivals - Personal reflection - Educational settings Key Concepts Moral development Social order Emotional expression Practical Applications - Teaching ethics through storytelling - Designing community rituals Questions to Reflect On - How does respect for elders shape personal growth? - What practices nurture spontaneous joy? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Betray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/betray/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Elders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elders/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Fruit Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit-humanity-907884/) [Fruit Propriety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit-propriety-907886/) [Fruit Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit-righteousness-907883/) [Fruit Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit-wisdom-907885/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-is/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-fruit-907887/) [Polish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polish/) [Propriety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propriety/) [Rejoice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejoice/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wave/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [We looked too long for God and truth through words alone. The fruit for humanity has been rather limited, it seems to me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-looked-too-long-for-god-and-truth-through-words-alone-the-fruit/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-the-apostle/for-the-moment-all-discipline-seems-painful-rather-than-pleasant/) [Paul the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-the-apostle/) > [“In Luther’s words, “Good works are not the cause, but the fruit of righteousness.”3 It is a very common mistake when one is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/in-luther-s-words-good-works-are-not-the-cause-but-the-fruit-of/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [Knowledge is understanding that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/knowledge-is-understanding-that-a-tomato-is-a-fruit-wisdom-is-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a FRUIT Wisdom is not putting it in Fruit Salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/knowledge-is-knowing-a-tomato-is-a-fruit-wisdom-is-not-putting-it-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/knowledge-is-knowing-that-a-tomato-is-a-fruit-wisdom-is-not-putting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it into the fruit salad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-hutton/knowledge-is-knowing-a-tomato-is-a-fruit-wisdom-is-not-putting-it/) [Caroline Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-hutton/) > [Knowledge is a thing that one cannot have enough of. It is the fruit of wisdom, to be eaten carefully and digested fully, unlike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/knowledge-is-a-thing-that-one-cannot-have-enough-of-it-is-the-fruit/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-o-driscoll/knowledge-is-knowing-that-a-tomato-is-a-fruit-wisdom-is-knowing-not/) [Brian O'Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-o-driscoll/) > [The life of your body may be sustained by daily bread and rice, but the life of your soul may only be sustained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-life-of-your-body-may-be-sustained-by-daily-bread-and-rice-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fruit of wisdom is Christlikeness, peace, humility and love. And, the root of it is faith in Christ as the manifested wisdom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/the-fruit-of-wisdom-is-christlikeness-peace-humility-and-love-and-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [The feeling of commiseration is the beginning of humanity; the feeling of shame and dislike is the beginning of righteousness; the feeling of deference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-feeling-of-commiseration-is-the-beginning-of-humanity-the-feeling/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Our large trading cities bear to me very nearly the aspect of monastic establishments in which the roar of the mill-wheel and the crane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/our-large-trading-cities-bear-to-me-very-nearly-the-aspect-of/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [How do our philosophers act? Do they not inscribe their signatures to the very essays they write on the propriety of despising glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/how-do-our-philosophers-act-do-they-not-inscribe-their-signatures-to/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“...the pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/the-pleasantness-of-an-employment-does-not-always-evince-its-propriety/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) ## More by Mencius > [People are eager to comment on something when they themselves are not in the situation of doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/people-are-eager-to-comment-on-something-when-they-themselves-are-not/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Truth uttered before its time is dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/truth-uttered-before-its-time-is-dangerous/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Only when someone refuses to do certain things will he be capable of doing great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/only-when-someone-refuses-to-do-certain-things-will-he-be-capable-of/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [The disease of men is that they neglect their own fields and go to weed the fields of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-disease-of-men-is-that-they-neglect-their-own-fields-and-go-to/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [People can have a long-term life plan only if they know their private property is secure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/people-can-have-a-long-term-life-plan-only-if-they-know-their-private/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men's minds are also injured by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/is-it-only-the-mouth-and-belly-which-are-injured-by-hunger-and-thirst/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/mankind-fears-an-evil-man-but-heaven-does-not/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down? The tendency of our nature to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/water-indeed-will-flow-indifferently-to-the-east-or-west-but-will-it/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [When the men of antiquity realized their wishes, benefits were conferred by them on the people. If they did not realize their wishes, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/when-the-men-of-antiquity-realized-their-wishes-benefits-were/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [If the King loves music, it is well with the land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/if-the-king-loves-music-it-is-well-with-the-land/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [The poor attend to their own virtue in solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/the-poor-attend-to-their-own-virtue-in-solitude/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [There is the work of great men and there is the work of little men. Therefore it is said, 'Some labor with their minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/there-is-the-work-of-great-men-and-there-is-the-work-of-little-men/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [There is a power in everything; it is the job of the artist to determine it and express it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/there-is-a-power-in-everything-it-is-the-job-of-the-artist-to/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [All people have the common desire to be elevated in honour, but all people have something still more elevated in themselves without knowing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/all-people-have-the-common-desire-to-be-elevated-in-honour-but-all/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) > [Where it is permissible both to die and not to die, it is an abuse of valour to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mencius/where-it-is-permissible-both-to-die-and-not-to-die-it-is-an-abuse-of/) [Mencius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) [Explore all 125 Mencius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mencius/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) [Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The fruit of righteousness is to respect one's elders. The fruit of wisdom is to understand these two and not to betray them. The fruit of propriety is to regulate and polish them. The fruit of music is the joy that comes from rejoicing in them. When one rejoices in them, they grow. When they grow, how can they be stopped? 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