Confucius’ classic sayings

Cultivation of one’s mind and body

1. Confucius said: "If quality is superior to literature, then you will be wild; if literature is superior to quality, you will be history. If literature and quality are gentle, then you will be a gentleman." - "Yong Ye"

Paraphrase Confucius said: "If a person's simplicity exceeds his literary talent, then he will be a gentleman." It would be a bit rough; if his literary talent exceeds his simplicity, it would be a bit flashy. Only a balanced combination of literary talent and simplicity can be called an elegant gentleman."

2. Confucius said: "A gentleman is in competition but not in competition; a villain is in competition but not in competition." - "Wei Zheng"

Paraphrase Confucius said: "A gentleman unites people without collusion, while a villain only colludes with others." Rather than uniting people.”

3. Confucius said: "If people have no faith, they don't know what they can do. A big cart has no hooks and a small cart has no pulleys. How can it move."

—— "Wei Zheng"

Paraphrase Confucius said: "If a person does not pay attention to credibility, he does not know how he can live in the world. This is like a big cart or a small cart that lacks key parts and cannot harness an animal. How can it drive and walk?"

4． Confucius said: "People are born upright, and they are lucky to be born recklessly." - "Yong Ye"

Paraphrase Confucius said: "People can live in the world with a clear conscience because they are in the right place; An unworthy person can still live in the world because he was lucky enough to avoid disaster. ”

5. Confucius said: "Aspirations are based on the Tao, based on virtue, based on benevolence, and wandering on art." - "Shuer"

Explanation Confucius said: "Ambition is based on the Tao, based on virtue, and relied on Be benevolent, and cultivate your body and mind by studying recreation among the six arts of etiquette, music, archery, driving, writing, and arithmetic.”

6. Confucius said: "Virtue is not alone, there must be neighbors." - "Li Ren"

Paraphrase Confucius said: "A moral person will never be alone, there must be like-minded people to be his partners." ."

7. Confucius said: "A wise man is not confused, a benevolent man is not worried, a brave man is not afraid." - "Zihan"

Explanation Confucius said: "A wise man is not confused when things happen, a virtuous man is not worried; A brave man has nothing to fear."

8. Confucius said: "The wise are happy in water, and the benevolent are happy in mountains. The wise are active, and the benevolent are still. The wise are happy, and the benevolent are long-lived."

——"Yong Ye"

Paraphrase Confucius said: "Smart people like water, and virtuous people like mountains. Smart people are active, and virtuous people are quiet. Smart people live happily, and virtuous people tend to live longer."

9 ． Confucius said: "When you see a virtuous person, you think about it; when you see an ungrateful person, you have to reflect on yourself." - "Li Ren"

Explanation Confucius said: "When you see a virtuous person, you want to be like him; when you see an unworthy person, you want to be like him; when you see an unworthy person, you want to be like him. People should reflect on themselves to see if they have the same problem as him. ”

10. Confucius said: "A gentleman is understood by righteousness, and a villain is understood by benefit." - "Li Ren"

Explanation Confucius said: "What a gentleman understands is righteousness, and what a villain understands is benefit."