Confucius Quotes
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and political teacher of the Spring and Autumn period. His teachings, recorded by disciples in the Analects, emphasize personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity. The quotes below are attributed to Confucius, organized by topic.
Browse Confucius by topic
Confucius on Death
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“If I hear the Way [of truth] in the morning, I am content even to die in that evening.”
Analects
Confucius on God
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“The way of the superior man may be found, in its simple elements, in the intercourse of common men and women; but in its utmost reaches, it shines brightly through Heaven and Earth.”
The Doctrine of the Mean -
“The way of Heaven and Earth may be completely declared in one sentence: They are without any doubleness, and so they produce things in a manner that is unfathomable.”
The Doctrine of the Mean
Confucius on Happiness
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“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.”
The Doctrine of the Mean
Confucius on Justice
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“Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.”
以直報怨，以德報德。 -
“The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear. When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?”
Analects | IV -
“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.”
The Doctrine of the Mean
Confucius on Knowledge
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“Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.”
學而不思則罔，思而不學則殆。 -
Attributed to Confucius:
“When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it — this is knowledge.”
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“The Morals of Confucius , 2nd edition (London, 1724), Maxim X, p. 114”
He that in his studies wholly applies himself to labour and exercise, and neglects meditation, loses his time, and he that only applies himself to meditation, and neglects labour and exercise, only wanders and loses himself. -
“Men do not stumble over mountains , but over molehills”
Reported in United States Congress House Committee on Agriculture (1973) Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Ninety-second Congress , p. 21 -
“Man has three ways of acting wisely. First, on meditation; that is the noblest. Secondly, on imitation ; that is the easiest. Thirdly, on experience ; that is the bitterest.”
The Analects , as reported in Chambers Dictionary of Quotations (1997), p. 279 -
“It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.”
Reportedly in: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Mistrust, Conspiracy, and Lack of Internet Ethics (1980) Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Ninety-second Congress . p. 32 -
“Reportedly in: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Mistrust, Conspiracy, and Lack of Internet Ethics (1980) Hearings Before the Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Ninety-second Congress . p. 32”
It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them. -
“I am not concerned that I have no place; I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known; I seek to be worthy to be known.”
Analects | IV, xiv. Quoted from Will Durant , Our Oriental Heritage . -
“The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right.”
Analects -
“There is the love of knowing without the love of learning; the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind.”
Analects -
“You [a disciple], shall I teach you about knowledge ? What you know, you know, what you don't know, you don't know. This is true knowledge.”
Analects -
“Guide the people by law, subdue them by punishment; they may shun crime, but will be void of shame. Guide them by example, subdue them by courtesy; they will learn shame, and come to be good.”
Analects -
“I am not bothered by the fact that I am not understood. I am bothered when I do not know others.”
Analects
Confucius on Life
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Attributed to Confucius:
“At fifteen I had my mind bent on learning. At thirty I stood firm. At forty I had no doubts. At fifty I knew the decrees of Heaven. At sixty my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth. At seventy I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right.”
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“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.”
Analects -
“Retrospection of his own life. From this phrase, alternative names for each decades of human life are derived in Chinese.”
Analects
Confucius on Love
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“They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it.”
Analects -
“The superior man loves his soul ; the inferior man loves his property .”
Analects | Cited in Oriental Philosophy , p. 46
Confucius on Mind
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“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.”
Analects | Dim Cheuk Lau translation (1979) -
“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.”
Analects | As quoted in Liberating Faith : Religious Voices for Justice, Peace, and Ecological Wisdom (2003) by Roger S. Gottlieb, p. 24 -
“The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large.”
Attributed to Confucius in Out of the Blue: Delight Comes Into Our Lives (1996) by Mark Victor Hansen, Barbara Nichols, and Patty Hansen, p. 93
Confucius on Politics
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“If the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state.”
Analects | VII -
“Follow the seasons of Ha, Ride in the state carriage of Yau, Wear the ceremonial cap of Chan, Let the music be the Shiu with its pantomimes.”
Quoted by T. W. Pearce , "Western Civilisation in Relation to Protestant Mission Work" , The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society (August 1890), p. 237
Confucius on Time
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“He that in his studies wholly applies himself to labour and exercise, and neglects meditation, loses his time, and he that only applies himself to meditation, and neglects labour and exercise, only wanders and loses himself.”
The Morals of Confucius , 2nd edition (London, 1724), Maxim X, p. 114
Confucius on Truth
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“It is not truth that makes man great, but man that makes truth great.”
As quoted in The Importance of Living (1937) by Lin Yutang , p. v
Confucius on Virtue
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“Do not do unto others what you do not want done to yourself.”
己所不欲，勿施於人 -
“The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.”
君子欲訥於言而敏於行。 -
Attributed to Confucius:
“What the superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others.”
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Attributed to Confucius:
“Have no friends not equal to yourself.”
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Attributed to Confucius:
“When you see a man of worth, think of how to equal him; when you see a man of unworthy character, examine yourself.”
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Attributed to Confucius:
“Riches and honours are what men desire. If they cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held.”
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Attributed to Confucius:
“When anger rises, think of the consequences.”
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“When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”
Analects | James Legge , translation (1893) -
“The superior man thinks of virtue ; the small man thinks of comfort . The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law ; the small man thinks of favors which he may receive.”
Analects | James Legge , translation (1893) -
“A man's character is formed by the Odes, developed by the Rites and perfected by music.”
Analects | Quoted from Will Durant, Our Oriental Heritage. -
“The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech. When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?”
Analects | III -
“Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.”
Analects -
“The Master said, "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."”
Analects -
“By the ruler's cultivation of his own character, the duties of universal obligation are set forth. By honoring men of virtue and talents, he is preserved from errors of judgment.”
The Doctrine of the Mean -
“See a person's means (of getting things). Observe his motives. Examine that in which he rests. How can a person conceal his character?”
Analects -
“See a person's "being", observe his motive, notice his result. How can a person conceal his character? [by 朱冀平]”
Analects
Things actually not said by Confucius
A number of widely-shared lines are circulated as Confucius but are in fact from someone else. Did Confucius say these? No. Each entry below pairs the line with the person who actually wrote it.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
This line appears in Oliver Goldsmith's 1762 book The Citizen of the World. Goldsmith himself prefaced it with the phrase 'as the Chinese say,' which appears to have seeded the long-running misattribution to Confucius. The line does not appear in the Analects or any other Confucian classic.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
This saying does not appear in the Analects or any classical Confucian text. Its earliest verifiable English-language appearances are from the 20th century, and no Chinese-language original has been identified.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
This sentence does not appear in the Analects. Its earliest verifiable English-language attestations date to the late 20th century. It is variously attributed to Confucius, Mark Twain, and others, but no original source has been confirmed for any of these attributions.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but the actual source is Laozi. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Laozi in the Tao Te Ching , Chapter 64 Jones, Paul Anthony ( 2025-11-10 ). 12 Famous Quotes Everyone Misattributes . Mental Floss . Retrieved on 2025-11-14.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Attributed in Mohammed Sirajul Islam (1967), Everyman's General Knowledge | In fact this is a Chinese saying by a Confucian scholar from the Ming Dynasty, 焦竑 (Jiao Hong) (1540—1620)《玉堂丛语》卷五: 宁为有瑕玉,不作无瑕石。
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Attributed in Lillet Walters (2000), Secrets of Superstar Speakers ; attributed in English sources as a "Japanese proverb" as early as 1924. Compare with a Japanese proverb 人を呪わば穴二つ (Hito wo norowaba ana futatsu), "Curse someone, then you will get two graves.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Atwood H. Townsend, editor of Good Reading , various editions from at least 1960
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Attributed on the internet but not found in print prior to an attribution in Aero Digest , Vols. 58–59, 1949, p. 115
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
This chain-aphorism has been attributed at various times to Lao Tzu, the Buddha, Confucius, Frank Outlaw, and Margaret Thatcher's father. The earliest verifiable English-language appearance is from the 1970s in American self-help literature. None of the classical Eastern philosophical texts contains it, and there is no Chinese, Pali, or Sanskrit original.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
This proverb does not appear in the Analects, the Mencius, or any other Confucian classical text. The earliest English-language appearances are mid-twentieth-century, often presented as 'Chinese proverb' before being upgraded to 'Confucius said.' The Confucian textual tradition contains many sayings about the cumulative effects of small actions, but not this one.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
Despite circulating widely as a Confucius quote on motivational posters and greeting cards, this line does not appear in the Analects, the Mencius, or any other Confucian source. The Quote Investigator has been unable to trace it to any pre-twentieth-century document. The diction is modern English and the sentiment generic.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
This aphorism is regularly attributed to Confucius but does not appear in the Analects, the Mencius, or the Confucian Four Books and Five Classics. The earliest verifiable appearance is in twentieth-century English-language collections of inspirational quotations. The formulation is modern; the Confucian tradition does not center beauty as a category in the way this saying does.
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Did Confucius say this? No.
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”
This saying does not appear in the Pali Canon, the Daodejing, the Analects, or any other classical Asian source. Its earliest verifiable appearances are in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Theosophical literature, particularly the writings of Madame Blavatsky's circle. Subsequent New Age writers attached it to various Asian sages, but no pre-modern source has been traced.