150 Confucius Quotes And Sayings On Love, Life & Wisdom

Looking for famous quotes by Confucius? We have rounded up the best collection of Confucius quotes, sayings, proverbs,  (with images and pictures) to inspire you with his wise words about love, life, success, wisdom, and leadership.

Who Was Confucius?

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and teacher who lived from 551 to 479 B.C.E. He was also a politician of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages.

Also See: Sun Tzu Quotes

Confucius’s teachings and philosophy underpin East Asian culture and society, remaining influential across China and East Asia to this day.

His philosophical teachings, called Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, kindness, and sincerity.

Confucianism believes in ancestor worship and human-centered virtues for living a peaceful life.

These popular and timeless words of wisdom by Confucious are a great guide to a better life. These deep quotes by Confucious give insight into the meaning of life, love, education, morals, ethics, and more aspects of life.

Famous Books Of Confucious – Confucious The Complete Confucius: The Analects, The Doctrine Of The Mean, and The Great Learning.

Top 10 Confucius Quotes To Live By

  1. “Sincerity is the way of heaven.” – Confucius                                                                                                         
    confucius sayings
    confucius sayings

  2. “A man of wisdom delights in water.” – Confucius

  3. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius                                                                                 
    quotes from confucius
    quotes from confucius

  4. “When anger rises, think of the consequences.” – Confucius

  5. “Roads were made for journeys, not destinations.” – Confucius                                                             
    confucius quotes on life
    confucius quotes on life

  6. “Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.” – Confucius

  7. “We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.” – Confucius

  8. “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius

  9. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius

  10. “Learn as if you were not reaching your goal and as though you were scared of missing it.” – Confucius

Famous Confucius Quotes & Sayings

  1. “To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.” – Confucius

  2. “Silence is a true friend who never betrays.” – Confucius                                                                       
    confucius quotes
    confucius quotes

  3. “To understand yourself is the key to wisdom.” – Confucius

  4. “If we don’t know life, how can we know death?” – Confucius

  5. “Faithfulness and sincerity are the highest things.” – Confucius

  6. “Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.” – Confucius

  7. “Anyone can find the switch after the lights are on.” – Confucius

  8. “When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.” – Confucius

  9. “The way you cut your meat reflects the way you live.” – Confucius

  10. “And remember, no matter where you go, there you are.” – Confucius

  11. “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” – Confucius

  12. “Be not ashamed of mistakes and thus make them crimes.” – Confucius

  13. “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius                                                 
    sayings of confucius
    sayings of confucius

  14. “To be wealthy and honored in an unjust society is a disgrace.” – Confucius

  15. “Three things cannot long be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” – Confucius

  16. “To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage, or of principle.” – Confucius

  17. “Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.” – Confucius

  18. “Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly.” – Confucius

  19. “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” – Confucius

  20. “They must often change who would remain constant in happiness and wisdom.” – Confucius

  21. “A lack of patience in trifling matters might lead to the disruption of great project.” – Confucius

  22. “Don’t complain about the snow on your neighbor’s roof when your own doorstep is unclean.” – Confucius

  23. “Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.” – Confucius

  24. “Knowing something is not as good as liking it. Liking something is not as good as rejoicing in it.” – Confucius

  25. “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

  26. “If you think in terms of a year, plants a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; and if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.” – Confucius

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

  28. “Let the states of equilibrium and harmony exist in perfection, and a happy order will prevail throughout heaven and earth, and all things will be nourished and flourish.” – Confucius

  29. “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

  30. “When a person should be spoken with, and you don’t speak with them, you lose them. When a person shouldn’t be spoken with and you speak to them, you waste your breath. The wise do not lose people, nor do they waste their breath.” – Confucius

Inspiring Quotes By Confucius 

  1. “You are what you think.” – Confucius                                                                                                             
    confucianism sayings
    confucianism sayings

  2. “Have no friends not equal to yourself.” – Confucius

  3. “The object of the superior man is truth.” – Confucius

  4. “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” – Confucius                                                                               
    most famous confucius quotes
    most famous confucius quotes

  5. “He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.” – Confucius

  6. “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” – Confucius                                                           
    confucius quotes images
    confucius quotes images

  7. “What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others.” – Confucius

  8. “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” – Confucius

  9. “To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it.” – Confucius

  10. “Ah, music, sacred tongue of God! I hear thee calling and I come.” – Confucius

  11. “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” – Confucius

  12. “By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart.” – Confucius

  13. “Straight-forwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness.” – Confucius

  14. “Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?” – Confucius

  15. “It is not possible for one to teach others who cannot teach his own family.” –  Confucius

  16. “To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.” – Confucius

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

  18. “Death and life have their determined appointments; riches and honors depend upon heaven.” – Confucius

  19. “The people may be made to follow a path of action but they may not be made to understand it.” – Confucius

  20. “The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.” – Confucius

  21. “When the multitude detests a man, inquiry is necessary; when the multitude likes a man, inquiry is equally necessary.” – Confucius

  22. “No matter how busy you make think you are you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” – Confucius

  23. “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

  24. “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

  25. “There are three methods to gaining wisdom. The first is a reflection, which is the highest. The second is a limitation, which is the easiest. The third is experience, which is the bitterest.” – Confucius

Funny Confucius Quotes

  1. “One joy dispels a hundred cares.” – Confucius

  2. “A person who chases two rabbits catches neither.” – Confucius                                                           
    confucius quotes funny
    confucius quotes funny

  3. “You cannot open a book without learning something.” – Confucius

  4. “To lead uninstructed people to war is to throw them away.” – Confucius

  5. “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” – Confucius

  6. “The parents’ age must be remembered, both for joy and anxiety.” – Confucius

  7. “To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness.” – Confucius

  8. “A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.” – Confucius

  9. “A lion chased me up a tree, and I greatly enjoyed the view from the top.” – Confucius

  10. “A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present?” – Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Work And Success

  1. “Do not let a leader lead you on a bad path.” – Confucius

  2. “Study the past, if you would divine the future.” – Confucius

  3. “The essence of knowledge is, having it, to use it.” – Confucius

  4. “He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.” – Confucius                                                                           
    confucius quotes wisdom
    confucius quotes wisdom

  5. “If you try to do too much, you will not achieve anything.” – Confucius

  6. “A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” – Confucius

  7. “If you make a mistake and do not correct it, this is called a mistake.” – Confucius

  8. “He who knows all the answers has not been asked all the questions.” – Confucius

  9. “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius

  10. “Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” – Confucius

  11. “If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.” – Confucius                                                                                                                                                           
    confusing quotes that make you think
    confusing quotes that make you think

  12. “Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.” – Confucius

  13. “He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good.” – Confucius

  14. “Study without reflection is a waste of time; reflection without study is dangerous.” – Confucius

  15. “The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.” – Confucius

  16. “The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.” – Confucius

  17. “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” – Confucius

  18. “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.” – Confucius

  19. “Sincerity is that whereby self-completion is effected, and its way is that by which man must direct himself.” – Confucius

  20. “You can successfully force people to follow a certain course, but you cannot force them to understand it.” – Confucius

  21. “Learn as though you would never be able to master it; hold it as though you would be in fear of losing it.” – Confucius

  22. “When wealth is centralized, the people are dispersed. When wealth is distributed, the people are brought together.” – Confucius

  23. “Learn avidly. Question it repeatedly. Analyze it carefully. Then put what you have learned into practice intelligently.” – Confucius

  24. “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

  25. “The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.” – Confucius

Confucius Quotes About Love And Life

  1. “Your life is what your thoughts make it.” – Confucius

  2. “To love a thing means wanting it to live.” – Confucius

  3. “Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.” – Confucius

  4. “The journey with a 1000 miles begins with one step.” – Confucius                                                             
    Top confucius quotes
    Top confucius quotes

  5. “I’d rather die for speaking out, than to live and be silent.” – Confucius

  6. “I slept and dreamt life is beauty, I woke and found life is duty.” – Confucius

  7. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius                                                 
    confucius famous quotes
    confucius famous quotes

  8. “Can there be a love which does not make demands on its object?” – Confucius

  9. “It is man that makes truth great, not truth that makes man great.” – Confucius

  10. “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon or star.” – Confucius

  11. “True goodness springs from a man’s own heart. All men are born good.” – Confucius

  12. “I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.” – Confucius

  13. “Love is like a spice. It can sweeten your life – however, it can spoil it, too.” – Confucius

  14. “Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished.” – Confucius

  15. “Be strict with yourself but least reproachful of others and complaint is kept afar.” – Confucius

  16. “If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening without regret.” – Confucius

  17. “Those who cannot forgive others break the bridge over which they themselves must pass.” – Confucius

  18. “The true gentleman does not preach what he practices till he has practiced what he preaches.” – Confucius

  19. “The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first interest; success only comes later.” – Confucius

  20. “How transcendent is the virtue of the middle conduct! Rare for a long time has been its practice among the people.” – Confucius

  21. “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

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

  23. “Base yourself in loyalty and trust. Don’t be a companion with those who are not your moral equal. When you make a mistake, don’t hesitate to correct it.” – Confucius

  24. “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.” – Confucius

  25. “If the gentleman is not serious, he will not be respected, and his learning will not be on a firm foundation. He considers loyalty and faithfulness to be fundamental, has no friends who are not like him, and when he has made mistakes, he is not afraid of correcting them.” – Confucius

Best Confucius Sayings To Guide You In Life

  1. “Words are the voice of the heart.” – Confucius

  2. “Respect yourself and others will respect you.” – Confucius

  3. “To see the right and not to do it is cowardice.” – Confucius

  4. “Think of tomorrow, the past can’t be mended.” – Confucius

  5. “Act with kindness but do not expect gratitude.” – Confucius

  6. “All people are the same; only their habits differ.” – Confucius

  7. “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” – Confucius

  8. “Good people strengthen themselves ceaselessly.” – Confucius

  9. “Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.” – Confucius

  10. “An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.” – Confucius

  11. “Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it.” – Confucius

  12. “Worry not that no one knows you; seek to be worth knowing.” – Confucius

  13. “Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.” – Confucius

  14. “It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.” – Confucius

  15. “Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs.” – Confucius

  16. “We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” – Confucius

  17. “The man who says he can and the man who says he can not… are both correct.” – Confucius

  18. “The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort.” – Confucius

  19. “Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.” – Confucius

  20. “The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.” – Confucius

  21. “He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against.” – Confucius

  22. “There is nothing more visible than what is secret, and nothing more manifest than what is minute.” – Confucius

  23. “Virtuous people often revenge themselves for the constraints to which they submit by the boredom which they inspire.” – Confucius

  24. “I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue would esteem nothing above it.” – Confucius

  25. “The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.” – Confucius

Is Confucianism a Religion?

Confucianism is often characterized as a system of social and ethical philosophy rather than a religion.

Confucianism built on an ancient religious foundation to establish the social values, institutions, and transcendent ideals of traditional Chinese society.

Confucius is now known by his family name Kong plus the title “Zi,” or “Fu Zi,” a term of veneration and respect with the meaning of “teacher.” In modern Chinese, he is known as “Kong Zi” or “Master Kong.”

The teachings of Confucius are known to us primarily through a text that has come to be known in English as The Analects – a collection of his sayings compiled by his followers.

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