110+ Confucius Quotes and Teachings on Morality and Ethics

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher who lived in the 6th century BCE. He is considered to be one of the most influential figures in Chinese history, and his teachings have had a profound impact on Chinese and East Asian thought and values. His philosophy focused on the importance of education, morality, and social harmony, and his teachings are still studied and respected today. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Confucius on life, aging, education.

Top 10 Confucius Quotes

1. The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.
2. 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.
3. I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
4. Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
5. The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
6. To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.
7. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
8. An orchid in a deep forest sends out its fragrance even if no one is around to appreciate it.
9. He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own.
10. A great man is hard on himself; a small man is hard on others.

Confucius Image Quotes

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. — Confucius

The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. — Confucius

To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge. — Confucius

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. — Confucius

He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own. — Confucius

To love a thing means wanting it to live. — Confucius

Don't curse the darkness, light a candle. — Confucius

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. — Confucius

It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness. — Confucius

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. — Confucius

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. — Confucius

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. — Confucius

Keep it simple and focus on what matters. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed. — Confucius

I want you to be everything that's you, deep at the center of your being. — Confucius

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. — Confucius

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. — Confucius

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. — Confucius

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. — Confucius

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. — Confucius

Silence is the true friend that never betrays. — Confucius

Confucius Short Quotes

• Don't curse the darkness, light a candle.
• Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
• It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.
• The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.
• Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
• Keep it simple and focus on what matters. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed.
• The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.
• I want you to be everything that's you, deep at the center of your being.
• Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.
• Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.

Confucius Quotes About Life

If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else. — Confucius

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. — Confucius

There is one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life -reciprocity. — Confucius

He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions. — Confucius

The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools. — Confucius

Man is born with uprightness. If one loses it, he will be lucky if he escapes with his life. — Confucius

Signs and symbols rule the world, not words nor laws. — Confucius

Chose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. — Confucius

Do not worry if others do not understand you. Instead worry if you do not understand others. — Confucius

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. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Aging

There are three things to beware of through life: when a man is young, let him beware of his appetites; when he is middle-aged, of his passions; and when old, of covetousness, especially. — Confucius

The parents age must be remembered, both for joy and anxiety. — Confucius

A father's and a mother's age must be borne in mind; with joy on the one hand, fear on the other. — Confucius

A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present? If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made himself heard of, then indeed he will not be worth being regarded with respect. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Education

Teachers open the door ... you enter by yourself. — Confucius

Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace. — Confucius

If your plan is for one year plant rice. If your plan is for ten years plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years educate children. — Confucius

Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three. — Confucius

Love is like a spice. It can sweeten your life - however, it can spoil it, too. — Confucius

Words are the voice of the heart. — Confucius

Study the past if you would define the future. I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there. Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous. — Confucius

Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it — Confucius

Knowledge is recognizing what you know and what you don't. — Confucius

In old days men studied for the sake of self-improvement; nowadays men study in order to impress other people. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Happiness

Happiness does not consist in having what you want, but in wanting what you have — Confucius

The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived. — Confucius

If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand. — Confucius

The wise man admires water, the kind man admires mountains. The wise man moves, the kind man rests. The wise man is happy, the kind man is firm. — Confucius

They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. — Confucius

Men's natures are alike; it is their habits that separate them. — Confucius

To be truly happy and contented, you must let go of what it means to be happy or content. — Confucius

Every house guest brings you happiness. Some when they arrive, and some when they are leaving — Confucius

The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress. — Confucius

If a man has no humaneness what can his propriety be like? If a man has no humaneness what can his happiness be like? — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Death

Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness and yet live, his escape from death is mere good fortune. — Confucius

Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honors depend upon heaven. — Confucius

You do not understand even life. How can you understand death? — Confucius

If we don't know life, how can we know death? — Confucius

The really faithful lover of learning holds fast to the Good Way till death. — Confucius

Not knowing life, how can we know death? Why talk of spirits when you do not understand men? — Confucius

If you don't know how to live, why wonder about death? — Confucius

While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve spirits of the dead...While you do not know life, how can you know about death — Confucius

If you don't know the life yet, how could be possible for you to know the death? — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Work

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. — Confucius

A workman who wants to do his work well must first prepare his tools. — Confucius

When you serve your mother and father it is okay to try to correct them once in a while. But if you see that they are not going to listen to you, keep your respect for them and don't distance yourself from them. Work without complaining. — Confucius

Although your father and mother are dead, if you propose to yourself any good work, only reflect how it will make their names illustrious, and your purpose will be fixed. — Confucius

When the Superior Man eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in his work and careful in speech. He avails himself to people of the Tao and thereby corrects himself. This is the kind of person of whom you can say, "he loves learning." — Confucius

He who works for his own interests will arouse much animosity — Confucius

When three persons work together, each can be the teacher in some aspects — Confucius

The man who loves his job never works a day in his life. — Confucius

Clever talk can confound the workings of virtue, just as small impatiences can confound great projects. — Confucius

What you dislike in your superiors, avoid doing to your inferiors. What you dislike in your inferiors, avoid doing when working for your superiors. What you hate in those who are in front of you, do not do to those behind you. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Love

To love a thing means wanting it to live. — Confucius

Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others. — Confucius

Love others as you would love yourself, judge others as you would judge yourself, cherish others as you would cherish yourself. When you wish for others as you wish for yourself and when you protect others as you would protect yourself, that's when you can say it's true love. — Confucius

The sun and moon shine on all without partiality. — Confucius

I saw some piglets suckling their dead mother. After a short while they shuddered and went away. They had sensed that she could no longer see them and that she wasn't like them any more. What they loved in their mother wasn't her body, but whatever it was that made her body live. — Confucius

Do not worry about not holding high position; worry rather about playing your proper role. Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing. — Confucius

A good man regards the root; he fixes the root, and ail else flows out of it. The root is filial piety; the fruit brotherly love. — Confucius

Do not use a cannon to kill a mosquito. — Confucius

The superior man loves his soul; the inferior man loves his property. — Confucius

Those who know the TRUTH are not equal to those who love it. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Government

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger. — Confucius

In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of. — Confucius

If the people are governed by laws and punishment is used to maintain order, they will try to avoid the punishment but have no sense of shame. If they are governed by virtue and rules of propriety are used to maintain order, they will have a sense of shame and will become good as well. — Confucius

Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it. — Confucius

He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it. — Confucius

If one should desire to know whether a kingdom is well governed, if its morals are good or bad, the quality of its music will furnish the answer. — Confucius

If you would govern a state of a thousand chariots (a small-to-middle-size state), you must pay strict attention to business, be true to your word, be economical in expenditure and love the people. — Confucius

The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler. — Confucius

The administration of government lies in getting proper men. Such men are to be got by means of the ruler's own character. That character is to be cultivated by his treading in the ways of duty. And the treading those ways of duty is to be cultivated by the cherishing of benevolence. — Confucius

The superior man governs men, according to their nature, with what is proper to them, and as soon as they change what is wrong, he stops. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Family

The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home. — Confucius

It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family. — Confucius

First there must be order and harmony within your own mind. Then this order will spread to your family, then to the community, and finally to your entire kingdom. Only then can you have peace and harmony. — Confucius

From the loving example of one family a whole State may become loving, and from its courtesies, courteous; while from the ambition and perverseness of the one man the whole State may be thrown into rebellious disorder. Such is the nature of influence. — Confucius

When a nation or family is about to flourish, there are sure to be happy omens; and when it is about to perish, there are sure to be unlucky omens. — Confucius

He who is really kind, can never be unhappy — Confucius

To rein a kingdom efficiently it is necessary, before all, to put into good order the family. It's impossible for a man who doesn't know how to lead his own family to know how to lead a country. — Confucius

In a district of ten families, there must be someone as honorable and sincere as I, but none as fond of learning. — Confucius

To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Wise

The good are not worried, the wise are not confused, and the brave are not afraid. — Confucius

If you chase two rabbits, you catch none. — Confucius

A man without a mustache is a man without a soul. — Confucius

The mirror reflects all objects without being sullied — Confucius

A wise man has dignity without pride; a fool has pride without dignity. — Confucius

Study without reflection is a waste of time; reflection without study is dangerous. — Confucius

The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name. — Confucius

If you try to do too much, you will not achieve anything. — Confucius

A fool despises good counsel, but a wise man takes it to heart. — Confucius

Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Inspirational

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. — Confucius

To take what you know for what you know, and what you do not know for what you do not know, that is knowledge indeed. — Confucius

Men do not stumble over mountains, but over mole hills. — Confucius

It is better to play than do nothing. — Confucius

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. — Confucius

Man who want pretty nurse, must be patient. — Confucius

Don't be concerned about others not appreciating you. Be concerned about your not appreciating others. — Confucius

When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self. — Confucius

Friendship with the upright, with the truthful and with the well informed is beneficial. Friendship with those who flatter, with those who are meek and who compromise with principles, and with those who talk cleverly is harmful. — Confucius

The scholar does not consider gold and jade to be precious treasures, but loyalty and good faith. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Wisdom

Three things cannot long be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. — Confucius

A man of wisdom delights in water. — Confucius

To know is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge. — Confucius

Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men. — Confucius

Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without. — Confucius

The man of wisdom is never of two minds; the man of benevolence never worries; the man of courage is never afraid. — Confucius

To be fond of learning is near to wisdom; to practice with vigor is near to benevolence; and to be conscious of shame is near to fortitude. — Confucius

Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge. — Confucius

Wisdom delights in water; love delights in hills. Wisdom is stirring; love is quiet. Wisdom is merry; love grows old. — Confucius

When you see a good man, try to emulate his example, and when you see a bad man, search yourself for his faults. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Superior

What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others. — Confucius

In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself. — Confucius

The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later. — Confucius

The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort. — Confucius

The superior man... does not set his mind either for or against anything, he will pursue whatever is right. The superior man thinks of virtue, the common man of comfort. — Confucius

The superior person is in harmony, but does not follow the crowd. The lesser person follows the crowd, but is not in harmony. — Confucius

The superior person is calm and composed; the lesser person is continuously worried and distressed. — Confucius

The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action. — Confucius

The Superior Man has nothing to compete for. But if he must compete, he does it in an archery match, wherein he ascends to his position, bowing in deference. Descending, he drinks the ritual cup. — Confucius

The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Virtue

To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. — Confucius

Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors. — Confucius

Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues. — Confucius

Fix your mind on truth, hold firm to virtue, rely on loving kindness, and find your recreation in the Arts. — Confucius

Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue. — Confucius

The failure to cultivate virtue, the failure to examine and analyze what I have learned, the inability to move toward righteousness after being shown the way, the inability to correct my faults-these are the causes of my grief. — Confucius

The virtuous man is driven by responsibility, the non-virtuous man is driven by profit. — Confucius

Sincerity and truth are the basis of every virtue. — Confucius

If you devote your life to seeking revenge, first dig two graves. — Confucius

Exemplary people concern themselves with virtue, small people concern themselves with territory. The ruling class thinks of punishment, the lower classes hope for benevolence. — Confucius

Confucius Quotes About People

The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting. — Confucius

A reasonable man adjusts himself to the world. An unreasonable man expects the world to adjust itself to him. Therefore all progress is made by unreasonable people. — Confucius

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. — Confucius

The funniest people are the saddest once — Confucius

Mankind differs from the animals only by a little and most people throw that away. — Confucius

When wealth is centralized, the people are dispersed. When wealth is distributed, the people are brought together. — Confucius

If you lead the people with correctness, who will dare not be correct? — Confucius

Virtuous people often revenge themselves for the constraints to which they submit by the boredom which they inspire. — Confucius

Guide them by edicts, keep them in line with punishments, and the common people will stay out of trouble but will have no sense of shame. Guide them by virtue, keep them in line with the rites, and they will, besides having a sense of shame, reform themselves. — Confucius

To lead uninstructed people to war is to throw them away. — Confucius

Confucius Famous Quotes And Sayings

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. — Confucius

The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. — Confucius

To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge. — Confucius

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. — Confucius

He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own. — Confucius

To love a thing means wanting it to live. — Confucius

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. — Confucius

It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness. — Confucius

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. — Confucius

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. — Confucius

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. — Confucius

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. — Confucius

Keep it simple and focus on what matters. Don't let yourself be overwhelmed. — Confucius

I want you to be everything that's you, deep at the center of your being. — Confucius

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. — Confucius

Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure. — Confucius

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change. — Confucius

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. — Confucius

Do not be concerned that no one recognizes you, seek that which is worthy of recognition. — Confucius

Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. — Confucius

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. — Confucius

Silence is the true friend that never betrays. — Confucius

He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior. — Confucius

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it. — Confucius

It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great. — Confucius

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. — Confucius

Yin and yang, male and female, strong and weak, rigid and tender, heaven and earth, light and darkness, thunder and lightning, cold and warmth, good and evil...the interplay of opposite principles constitutes the universe. — Confucius

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. — Confucius

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger. — Confucius

I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man who had no feet. — Confucius

All the darkness in the world can't put out the light of one candle. — Confucius

The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large. — Confucius

Silence is a true friend who never betrays. — Confucius

roads were made for journeys not destinations — Confucius

Have no friends not equal to yourself. — Confucius

Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness. — Confucius

The more you know yourself, the more you forgive yourself. — Confucius

Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors. — Confucius

Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous. — Confucius

Remember even when alone, that the divine is everywhere. — Confucius

Cultivate the root; the leaves and branches will take care of themselves. — Confucius

Chose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. — Confucius

Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage. — Confucius

I am not bothered by the fact that I am not understood. I am bothered when I do not know others. — Confucius

Do not wish for quick results, nor look for small advantages. If you seek quick results, you will not reach the ultimate goal. If you are led astray by small advantages, you will never accomplish great things. — Confucius

A man who lacks reliability is utterly useless. — Confucius

Don't let your past determine your destiny. — Confucius

It is the law of nature that woman should be held under the dominance of man. — Confucius

Act with kindness but do not expect gratitude. — Confucius

To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness. — Confucius

If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake. — Confucius

Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher. — Confucius

Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in. — Confucius

There are 1,000 lessons in defeat. But only one in victory. — Confucius

A man who does not think and plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door. — Confucius

Those who cannot forgive others break the bridge over which they themselves must pass. — Confucius

We are so busy doing the urgent that we don't have time to do the important. — Confucius

Expect much from yourself and little from others and you will avoid incurring resentments — Confucius

Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods. — Confucius

There are three degrees of filial piety. The highest is being a credit to our parents, the second is not disgracing them; the lowest is being able simply to support them. — Confucius

The archer who misses his mark does not blame the target. He stops, corrects himself and shoots again. — Confucius

When I am with others, they are my teachers. I can select their good points and follow them, and select their bad points and avoid them. — Confucius

Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts? — Confucius

Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses. — Confucius

The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them. — Confucius

If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear? — Confucius

Life Lessons by Confucius

1. Confucius taught that the best way to live is to treat others with respect and kindness, and to always strive to do the right thing.
2. He believed that education and self-improvement were essential for a fulfilling life, and that we should always strive to better ourselves.
3. He also emphasized the importance of family, and the need to cultivate strong relationships with those around us.