111+ Wise and Great Confucius Quotes 2024 (Inspiring, Motivating)

Wisdom just comes naturally for some people, Confucius for one. Without a doubt, he is one of the wisest men who ever walked in the face of the planet. It’s no wonder why we have a Confucius quotes article dedicated to him. He deserves it!

We have gathered the wisest and the most popular quotes that came from the great man Confucius himself. Check out the Confucius quotes we have here and embrace his wit in your life.

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Wise and Great Confucius Quotes 2024

Confucius is one of the greatest minds that ever lived on this planet. His words are so wise that it outlived him for centuries. Many years have passed and we still somehow lived by his moral sayings and quotes.

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Confucius Quotes about love

Love others as you love yourself. Cherish them as you would like to be cherished. We know about love even without people telling us what it’s about. We may not realize that it already loves but actually, it has a universal form. To love is to sacrifice and the value of the sacrifice doesn’t even matter as long as you put other’s happiness above yours.

Here are Confucius’s quotes about love.

It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve, and bad things are very easy to get.
A man who stands on a hill with his mouth open will wait a long time for roast duck to drop in.
To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage, or of principle.
Silence is a true friend who never betrays.
It is the man that makes truth great and not the truth that makes a man great.
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
The perfecting of one’s self is the fundamental base of all progress and all moral development.
Charity, like the sun, brightens every object on which it shines.
Love thy neighbor as thyself: Do not do to others what thou wouldst not wish to be done to thyself: Forgive injuries. Forgive thy enemy, be reconciled to him, give him assistance, invoke God on his behalf.
Wherever you go, go with all of your heart.
Consideration for others is the basis of a good life, a good society.
To love a thing means wanting it to live.
Fix your mind on truth, hold firm to virtue, rely on loving-kindness, and find your recreation in the Arts.
Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
Can there be a love that does not make demands on its object?
It is better to light one small candle of gratitude than to curse the darkness.
Silence is the true friend that never betrays.
The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.
Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.
Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue.
Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
Forget injuries; never forget kindnesses.
True goodness springs from a man’s own heart. All men are born good.
Wisdom delights in water; love delights in hills. Wisdom is stirring; love is quiet. Wisdom is merry; love grows old.
If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?
When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.
Can there be a love that does not make demands on its object?
Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.
By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.
They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.
Men’s natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them.
When music and courtesy are better understood and appreciated, there will be no war.
The superior man acts before he speaks and afterward speaks according to his action.
To love a thing means wanting it to live.
The funniest people are the saddest once
It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family.
Do not worry about not holding a high position; worry rather about playing your proper role. Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.

Confucius Quotes on education

Education is an important aspect of human life. It’s one of the fundamental rights of every individual, to be educated. What does Confucius say about education though? Check out these Confucius Quotes on education below.

Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned? Isn’t it also great when friends visit distant places? If one remains not annoyed when he is not understood by people around him, isn’t he a sage?
If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.
Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.
At home, a young man should be a good son, when outside he should treat others as his brothers, his behavior should be one of trustworthy and proper, and should love the multitude at large and keep himself close to people of benevolence and morality. If after all these activities, he has any energy to spare, he should read widely to stay cultivated.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.
In a country well-governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of.
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.
Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life.
The funniest people are the saddest ones.
In old days men studied for the sake of self-improvement; nowadays men study in order to impress other people.
You cannot open a book without learning something.
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance.

Teachers open the door you enter by yourself.
The nobler sort of man emphasizes the good qualities in others and does not accentuate the bad. The inferior does.
He who excels in the study can follow an official career.
If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.
The proper man understands equity, the small man profits.
If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
Every truth has four corners: as a teacher, I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.
To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.
The true gentleman does not preach what he practices till he has practiced what he preaches.
He who remembers from day to day what he has yet to learn, and from month to month what he has learned already, may be said to have a love of learning.
A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it is committing another mistake.
Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon or star.
The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.
Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher.
When I walk along with two others, from at least one I will be able to learn.
Study as if you have not reached your goal – hold it as if you were afraid of losing what you have.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Some are born with knowledge, some derive it from the study, and some acquire it only after a painful realization of their ignorance. But the knowledge being possessed, it comes to the same thing. Some study with natural ease, some from a desire for advantages, and some by strenuous effort. But the achievement being made, it comes to the same thing.
By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
Never hesitate to ask a lesser person.
Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
When we see persons of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see persons of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
The really faithful lover of learning holds fast to a Good Way till death.
Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.
In a hamlet of ten households, there are bound to be those who are my equal in doing their best for others and in being trustworthy in what they say, but they are unlikely to be as eager to learn as I am.
When you see a worthy person, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy person, then examine your inner self.
The master said, ‘Quietly to store up knowledge in my mind, to learn without flagging, to teach without growing weary, these present me with no difficulties.’
Do not do to others what you do not want to be done to yourself.
He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you may become a teacher of others.
Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.
Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.
If your plan is for one-year plant rice. If your plan is for 10 years plant trees. If your plan is for 100 years educate children.
Knowledge is recognizing what you know and what you don’t.
The man who says he can, and the man who says he can’t are both correct.

Confucius Quotes about family

Family is the basic unit of society, without it, society ceases to exist. It is in our families that we learn to mold ourselves according to the person we want to become. Check out these great quotes about family.

To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family.
It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.
The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.
He who is really kind can never be unhappy.
He who works for his own interests will arouse much animosity.

Confucius Quotes about success

Success is relative. What others see as an achievement and thus a success may not be considered as such by some. However, there’s something about it that is shared by everyone.

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.
Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be a failure.
Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.
To see what is right, and not to do it, is want of courage, or of principle.
Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation, there is sure to be a failure.
I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
The superior man makes the difficult to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
I will not be concerned at other men’s not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability.
Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
Of course, you want to be rich and famous. It’s natural. Wealth and fame are what every man desires. The question is, what are you willing to trade for it?
The archer who misses his mark does not blame the target. He stops, corrects himself, and shoots again.
Instead of being concerned that you have no office, be concerned to think about how you may fit yourself for office. Instead of being concerned that you are not known, seek to be worthy of being known.
The gem cannot be polished without friction nor man without trials.
He who learns but does not think is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
When you are laboring for others let it be with the same zeal as if it were for yourself.
He, who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
The will to win, the desire to succeed, and the urge to reach your full potential, are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
If you want to change the world, first change your heart.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.
Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.
He who cannot describe the problem will never find the solution to that problem.
A man who does not think and plans ahead will find trouble right at his door.
He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.
To know and not do, is to not yet know.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.
The book salesman should be honored because he brings to our attention, as a rule, the very books we need most and neglect most.
The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
Do not worry about holding a high position; worry rather about playing your proper role.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

Confucius Quotes about work

Work is good, but all work isn’t going to bring any happiness. Confucius knows that well! Listen to this wise man and his opinion on work.

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
It is not the failure of others to appreciate the abilities that should trouble you, but rather your failure to appreciate theirs.
Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.
Those people who develop the ability to continuously acquire new and better forms of knowledge that they can apply to their work and to their lives will be the movers and shakers in our society for the indefinite future.
Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.
The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.
A superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.
Learn avidly. Question it repeatedly. Analyze it carefully. Then put what you have learned into practice intelligently.
If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.
The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.
Act with kindness but do not expect gratitude.
Worry not that no one knows you; seek to be worth knowing.
The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.
The essence of knowledge is, having it, to use it.
One joy dispels a hundred cares.
Anyone can find the switch after the lights are on.
I slept and dreamt life is beautiful, I woke and found life is a duty.
A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.
Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof when your own doorstep is unclean.
A lion chased me up a tree, and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top.
The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.
Be strict with yourself but least reproachful of others and complaint is kept afar.
Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance.
Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.
No matter how busy you make think you are you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.
Think of tomorrow, the past can’t be mended.
Respect yourself and others will respect you.

Summary

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