CONFUCIUS (550-478 B.C), Chinese moral teacher
Anger
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
Benevolence
He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own.
Constancy
A good man it is not mine to see. Could I see a man possessed of constancy, that would satisfy me.
Courage
To see what is right and not to do it, is want of courage.
Destiny
Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honors depend upon heaven.
Diligence
The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.
Earnestness
The superior man is slow in his words and earnest in his conduct.
Error
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Faults
To acknowledge our faults when we are blamed, is modesty; to discover them to one's friends, in ingenuousness, is confidence; but to proclaim them to the world, if one does not take care, is pride.
Forethought
If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.
Fortune
The wheel of fortune turns round incessantly, and who can say to himself, ''I shall today be uppermost.''
Friendship
There are three friendships which are advantageous: friendship with the upright, with the sincere, and with the man of much observation.—Friendship with the man of specious airs, with the insinuatingly soft, and with the glib-tongued, these are injurious.
Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
Gravity
Gravity is only the bark of wisdom; but it preserves it.
Heart
The heart of a wise man should resemble a mirror, which reflects every object without being sullied by any.
Humility
Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues.
Ignorance
Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon or star.
Knowledge
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance.
Man
The way of a superior man is threefold: virtuous, he is free from anxieties; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold, he is free from fear.
Meanness
Superior men, and yet not always virtuous, there have been; but there never has been a mean man, and at the same time virtuous.
Merit
I will not be concerned at other men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability.
Moderation
The superior man wishes to be slow in his words, and earnest in his conduct.
Passion
Our headstrong passions shut the door of our souls against God.
Past
Study the past if you would divine the future.
Perception
To see what is right, and not do it, is want of courage, or of principle.
Pride
To acknowledge our faults when we are blamed is modesty; to discover them to one's friends, in ingenuousness, is confidence; but to preach them to all the world, if one does not take care, is pride.
Principles
Better be poisoned in one's blood, than to be poisoned in one's principles.
He who merely knows right principles is not equal to him who loves them.
Prodigality
The injury of prodigality leads to this, that he that will not economize will have to agonize.
Recompense
Recompense injury with justice, and unkindness with kindness.
Reward
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own.
Riches
If the search for riches were sure to be successful, though I should become a groom with a whip in my hand to get them, I will do so. As the search may not be successful, I will follow after that which I love.
Self-Examination
The superior man will watch over himself when he is alone. He examines his heart that there may be nothing wrong there, and that he may have no cause of dissatisfaction with himself.
Sincerity
Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.
Speech
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
Thought
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
Virtue
To be able under all circumstances to practise five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
Wickedness
To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.
Will
The general of a large army may be defeated, but you cannot defeat the determined mind of a peasant.
Worship
We should worship as though the Deity were present. If my mind is not engaged in my worship, it is as though I worshipped not.
