Confucius’ famous aphorisms include the following:

1. Repay evil with directness and repay kindness with kindness.

2. When the father is here, observe his ambition. Father is gone, watch what he does. He has not changed his ways for three years, which can be called filial piety.

3. When making friends with others, promote their elders and avoid their shortcomings, so they can last a long time.

4. If you raise the straight and mistake the false, the people will obey; if you raise the straight and false, the people will not obey.

5. If you take one corner and don’t turn it back with three, it will be useless.

6. A gentleman benefits without any expense, without resentment, desires without greed, is peaceful without being arrogant, and is powerful without being fierce.

7. Don’t argue, and you will never deviate from the path.

8. Extravagance leads to failure, frugality leads to solidity. It is better to be solid than to have no grandchildren.

9. Guan Ju, happy but not obscene, sad but not sad.

10. When making friends, be strict and trustworthy.

11. I am afraid that Ji Sun’s worries are not in Zhuan Yu, but within Xiao Qiang.

12. Third son, do you think I am hiding from you? I have nothing to hide, and I have nothing to do without being with the second and third sons. This is Qiuye.

13. Eight people dancing in the court, a scholar can tolerate it, but no one can tolerate it!

14. If you are unable to do something, look for others!

15. There are four principles in the way of a gentleman: it is stronger than doing justice, weaker than accepting advice, fearful of receiving salary, and cautious in managing one's body.

16. When Jun is polite, people think he is flattering.

17. Wealth and honor are what people want. If you don’t get them in the right way, you won’t get them. Poverty and lowliness are what people hate, and if you don't follow the way to get them, you won't get rid of them.

Is it bad for a gentleman to become famous if he abandons benevolence? A gentleman will always violate benevolence, and he will make mistakes and misfortunes.

18. Be inspired by poetry, established by etiquette, and accomplished by music.

19. If you are a person of three, you must have a teacher. Choose the good ones and follow them, and change the bad ones.