Famous Quotes
The most celebrated passages from the Analects
子曰：「学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？」
The Master said: "Is it not a pleasure to learn and to practice what one has lea…
子曰：「巧言令色，鲜矣仁！」
The Master said: "Clever words and an ingratiating countenance — seldom indeed i…
曾子曰「吾日三省吾身:为人谋而不忠乎?与朋友交而不信乎?传不习乎?」
Master Zeng said: "Each day I examine myself on three points: whether, in conduc…
曾子曰：「慎终追远，民德归厚矣。」
Zengzi said: "When funeral rites are performed with due grief and ancestral sacr…
子贡曰：「贫而无谄，富而无骄，何如？」子曰：「可也。未若贫而乐、富而好礼者也。」子贡曰：「《诗》云『如切如磋，如琢如磨』…
Zigong said: "What do you think of one who, though poor, harbors no flattery, an…
子曰：「不患人之不己知，患不知人也。」
The Master said: "Do not worry that others do not know you; worry rather that yo…
子曰：「为政以德，譬如北辰居其所而众星共之。」
The Master said: "Governing by means of virtue may be compared to the North Star…
子曰：「《诗》三百，一言以蔽之，曰：『思无邪』。」
The Master said: "The three hundred verses of the Book of Songs can be summed up…
子曰：「道之以政，齐之以刑，民免而无耻。道之以德，齐之以礼，有耻且格。」
The Master said: "Guide the people with administrative directives and keep them …
子曰：「吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。」
The Master said: "At fifteen, I set my heart on learning. At thirty, I stood fir…
子曰：「温故而知新，可以为师矣。」
The Master said: "One who reviews what he has learned and thereby gains fresh un…
子曰：「学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。」
The Master said: "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learni…
子曰：「由！诲汝知之乎？知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。」
The Master said: "You, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thin…
子曰：「人而无信，不知其可也。大车无輗，小车无軏，其何以行之哉？」
The Master said: "I do not know how a person who lacks integrity can get along i…
子曰：「非其鬼而祭之，谄也。见义不为，无勇也。」
The Master said: "To offer sacrifice to spirits that are not one's own is mere f…
孔子谓季氏：「八佾舞于庭，是可忍也，孰不可忍也？」
Confucius, speaking of the Ji family, said: "They perform the eight rows of danc…
子曰：「人而不仁，如礼何？人而不仁，如乐何？」
The Master said: "A man who is without benevolence — what can he do with ritual?…
子曰：「周监于二代，郁郁乎文哉！吾从周。」
The Master said, "The Zhou dynasty took the two preceding dynasties, Xia and Sha…
定公问：「君使臣，臣事君如之何？」孔子对曰：「君使臣以礼，臣事君以忠。」
Duke Ding asked: "How should a ruler employ his ministers, and how should minist…
子曰：「富与贵，是人之所欲也；不以其道得之，不处也。贫与贱，是人之所恶也；不以其道得之，不去也。君子去仁，恶乎成名？君子…
The Master said: "Wealth and high station are what all men desire; yet if they c…
子曰：「朝闻道，夕死可矣。」
The Master said: "If in the morning I hear the Way, I can die content that eveni…
子曰：「参乎！吾道一以贯之。」曾子曰：「唯。」子出。门人问曰：「何谓也？」曾子曰：「夫子之道，忠恕而已矣。」
The Master said, "Shen! My way is threaded through by one single principle." Zen…
子曰：「君子喻于义，小人喻于利。」
The Master said, "The exemplary person understands what is right; the petty pers…
子曰：「见贤思齐焉，见不贤而内自省也。」
The Master said, "When you see a person of worth, think of how you might equal h…
子曰：「父母在，不远游。游必有方。」
The Master said, "While your parents are alive, do not travel far from home. If …
子曰：「父母之年，不可不知也。一则以喜，一则以惧。」
The Master said: "One must always keep in mind the ages of one's parents. On the…
子曰：「德不孤，必有邻。」
Being a person of integrity is the foundation of all things.
宰予昼寝。子曰：「朽木不可雕也，粪土之墙不可杇也。于予与何诛？」子曰：「始吾于人也，听其言而信其行；今吾于人也，听其言而…
Zaiyu was sleeping during the day. The Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carve…
子贡问曰：「孔文子何以谓之『文』也？」子曰：「敏而好学，不耻下问，是以谓之『文』也。」
Zigong asked: "Why was Kong Wenzi given the posthumous title 'Wen'?" The Master …
子曰：「宁武子，邦有道，则知；邦无道，则愚。其知可及也，其愚不可及也。」
The Master said: "When the state was well governed, Ning Wuzi displayed his wisd…
颜渊、季路侍。子曰：「盍各言尔志？」子路曰：「愿车马衣轻裘与朋友共，敝之而无憾。」颜渊曰：「愿无伐善，无施劳。」子路曰：…
Yan Yuan and Jilu were in attendance. The Master said: "Why not each of you spea…
哀公问：「弟子孰为好学？」孔子对曰：「有颜回者好学，不迁怒，不贰过。不幸短命死矣。今也则亡，未闻好学者也。」
Duke Ai asked, "Among your disciples, who is the most devoted to learning?" Conf…
子曰：「贤哉，回也！一箪食，一瓢饮，在陋巷，人不堪其忧，回也不改其乐。贤哉，回也！」
The Master said: "What a man of virtue Yan Hui was! With a single bamboo bowl of…
子曰：「质胜文则野，文胜质则史。文质彬彬，然后君子。」
The Master said: "When substance prevails over refinement, one becomes boorish; …
子曰：「知之者不如好之者，好之者不如乐之者。」
The Master said: "Those who know it are not the equal of those who love it, and …
樊迟问知，子曰：「务民之义，敬鬼神而远之，可谓知矣。」问仁，曰：「仁者先难而后获，可谓仁矣。」
Fanchi asked about wisdom. The Master said: "Devoting oneself to what is right a…
子曰：「知者乐水，仁者乐山。知者动，仁者静。知者乐，仁者寿。」
The Master said: "The wise delight in water; the humane delight in mountains. Th…
子曰：「中庸之为德也，其至矣乎！民鲜久矣。」
The Master said: "The virtue of the mean — is it not the highest? Yet among the …
子贡曰：「如有博施于民而能济众，何如？可谓仁乎？」子曰：「何事于仁！必也圣乎！尧舜其犹病诸！夫仁者，己欲立而立人，己欲达…
Zigong said: "Suppose there were someone who gave generously to the people and w…
子曰：「默而识之，学而不厌，诲人不倦，何有于我哉？」
The Master said: "To retain what I have learned in silence, to study without eve…
子曰：「德之不修，学之不讲，闻义不能徙，不善不能改，是吾忧也。」
The Master said: "Virtue left uncultivated, learning left undiscussed, hearing w…
子曰：「志于道，据于德，依于仁，游于艺。」
The Master said: "Set your heart on the Way, hold firm to virtue, rely on benevo…
子曰：「不愤不启，不悱不发。举一隅不以三隅反，则不复也。」
The Master said: "I will not enlighten one who is not eager to learn, nor guide …
子曰：「饭疏食，饮水，曲肱而枕之，乐亦在其中矣。不义而富且贵，于我如浮云。」
The Master said: "To eat coarse food, drink plain water, and sleep with one's ar…
叶公问孔子于子路，子路不对。子曰：「女奚不曰：其为人也，发愤忘食，乐以忘忧，不知老之将至云尔。」
The Duke of She asked Zilu about Confucius, and Zilu gave no answer. The Master …
子曰：「三人行，必有我师焉。择其善者而从之，其不善者而改之。」
The Master said: "Whenever three people walk together, there is surely one who c…
子曰：「君子坦荡荡，小人长戚戚。」
The Master said: "The gentleman is broad-minded and at ease; the petty man is al…
曾子有疾，孟敬子问之。曾子言曰：「鸟之将死，其鸣也哀；人之将死，其言也善。君子所贵乎道者三：动容貌，斯远暴慢矣：正颜色，…
Zengzi was gravely ill, and Meng Jingzi came to visit him. Zengzi spoke, saying:…
曾子曰：「士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。仁以为己任，不亦重乎？死而后已，不亦远乎？」
Zengzi said: "A man of learning cannot afford to be without breadth of mind and …
子曰：「兴于诗，立于礼，成于乐。」
The Master said: "One's aspirations are aroused through the Odes, one's characte…
子曰：「不在其位，不谋其政。」
The Master said: "One who does not hold a given office should not concern himsel…
子绝四：毋意，毋必，毋固，毋我。
The Master had rid himself of four faults: he did not indulge in groundless spec…
子在川上曰：「逝者如斯夫！不舍昼夜。」
Standing by a river, the Master said, "Time flows on just like this stream — nev…
子曰：「譬如为山，未成一篑，止，吾止也。譬如平地，虽覆一篑，进，吾往也。」
The Master said, "It is like building a mountain: if I stop when only one basket…
子曰：「后生可畏，焉知来者之不如今也？四十、五十而无闻焉，斯亦不足畏也已。」
The Master said: "The young are to be held in awe — how can one be sure that tho…
子曰：「三军可夺帅也，匹夫不可夺志也。」
The Master said: "The commander of a great army may be taken from it by force, b…
子曰：「岁寒，然后知松柏之后凋也。」
The Master said: "Only when the cold of winter comes do we know that the pine an…
子曰：「知者不惑，仁者不忧，勇者不惧。」
The Master said: "The wise are free from doubt; the humane are free from anxiety…
季路问事鬼神，子曰：「未能事人，焉能事鬼？」曰：「敢问死。」曰：「未知生，焉知死？」
Jilu asked about serving ghosts and spirits. The Master said: "When you are not …
子贡问：「师与商也孰贤？」子曰：「师也过，商也不及。」曰：「然则师愈与？」子曰：「过犹不及。」
Zigong asked, "Who is more worthy, Zizhang or Zixia?" The Master said, "Zizhang …
子路、曾皙、冉有、公西华侍坐。子曰：「以吾一日长乎尔，毋吾以也。居则曰：『不吾知也！』如或知尔，则何以哉？」子路率尔而对…
Zilu, Zengxi, Ranqou, and Gongxi Hua were seated in attendance. The Master said,…
颜渊问仁，子曰：「克己复礼为仁。一日克己复礼，天下归仁焉。为仁由己，而由人乎哉？」颜渊曰：「请问其目。」子曰：「非礼勿视…
Yan Yuan asked about benevolence. The Master said, "To master oneself and return…
仲弓问仁，子曰：「出门如见大宾，使民如承大祭。己所不欲，勿施于人。在邦无怨，在家无怨。」仲弓曰：「雍虽不敏，请事斯语矣。…
Zhonggong asked about benevolence. The Master said, "When you go out, receive ev…
司马牛忧曰：「人皆有兄弟，我独亡。」子夏曰：「商闻之矣：『死生有命，富贵在天。』君子敬而无失，与人恭而有礼，四海之内皆兄…
Sima Niu said sorrowfully, "All men have brothers; I alone have none." Zixia sai…
齐景公问政于孔子，孔子对曰：「君君，臣臣，父父，子子。」公曰：「善哉！信如君不君，臣不臣，父不父，子不子，虽有粟，吾得而…
Duke Jing of Qi asked the Master about governance. The Master replied: "Let the …
子曰：「君子成人之美，不成人之恶。小人反是。」
The Master said: "The exemplary person helps others to achieve what is good, and…
樊迟问仁，子曰：「爱人。」问知，子曰：「知人。」樊迟未达，子曰：「举直错诸枉，能使枉者直。」樊迟退，见子夏，曰：「乡也，…
Fanchi asked about benevolence. The Master said, "Love others." He asked about w…
子曰：「其身正，不令而行：其身不正，虽令不从。」
The Master said, "When a ruler's own conduct is upright, his governance will be …
子夏为莒父宰，问政子曰：「无欲速，无见小利。欲速则不达，见小利则大事不成。」
When Zixia was appointed governor of Jufu, he asked about governance. The Master…
子曰：「君子和而不同，小人同而不和。」
The Master said, "The gentleman harmonizes with others but does not merely agree…
子曰：「刚、毅、木、讷，近仁。」
The Master said, "Resoluteness, firmness, simplicity, and reticence — these four…
子曰：「古之学者为己，今之学者为人。」
The Master said: "Scholars of antiquity studied for the sake of self-improvement…
或曰：「以德报怨，何如？」子曰：「何以报德？以直报怨，以德报德。」
Someone asked: "What do you think of repaying resentment with kindness?" The Mas…
子路宿于石门。晨门曰：「奚自？」子路曰：「自孔氏。」曰：「是知其不可而为之者与？」
Zilu spent the night at Shimen. The gatekeeper asked: "Where have you come from?…
在陈绝粮，从者病，莫能兴。子路愠见，曰：「君子亦有穷乎？」子曰：「君子固穷，小人穷斯滥矣。」
When the Master was in the state of Chen, provisions ran out. His followers fell…
子曰：「志士仁人，无求生以害仁，有杀身以成仁。」
The Master said: "Among men of resolve and men of benevolence, none will seek to…
子贡问为仁，子曰：「工欲善其事，必先利其器。居是邦也，事其大夫之贤者，友其士之仁者。」
Zigong asked about the cultivation of humaneness. The Master said: "A craftsman …
子曰：「人无远虑，必有近忧。」
The Master said: "A man who does not think ahead will inevitably find trouble cl…
子曰：「君子求诸己，小人求诸人。」
The Master said: "The gentleman demands of himself; the petty man demands of oth…
子贡问曰：「有一言而可以终身行之者乎？」子曰：「其恕乎！己所不欲，勿施于人。」
Zigong asked: "Is there a single word that one may practice throughout one's lif…
子曰：「巧言乱德。小不忍，则乱大谋。」
The Master said: "Clever words corrupt virtue. Failure to exercise patience in s…
子曰：「人能弘道，非道弘人。」
The Master said: "It is man who is able to broaden and glorify the Way; it is no…
子曰：「过而不改，是谓过矣。」
The Master said: "To have faults and not correct them — this is what is truly ca…
子曰：「当仁，不让于师。」
The Master said: "When it comes to the pursuit of ren, do not yield even to your…
子曰：「有教无类。」
The Master said: "In education, let there be no distinction of kind."
子曰：「道不同，不相为谋。」
The Master said: "Those who follow different paths cannot lay plans for one anot…
季氏将伐颛臾。冉有、季路见于孔子，曰：「季氏将有事于颛臾。」孔子曰：「求！无乃尔是过与？夫颛臾，昔者先王以为东蒙主，且在…
The head of the Ji clan was about to launch a military campaign against Zhuanyu.…
孔子曰：「益者三友，损者三友。友直，友谅，友多闻，益矣。友便辟，友善柔，友便佞，损矣。」
The Master said: "There are three kinds of friends who are beneficial, and three…
孔子曰：「君子有三戒：少之时，血气未定，戒之在色；及其壮也，血气方刚，戒之在斗；及其老也，血气既衰，戒之在得。」
The Master said: "A gentleman guards against three things: in youth, when the vi…
孔子曰：「生而知之者，上也；学而知之者，次也：困而学之，又其次也；困而不学，民斯为下矣。」
The Master said: "Those who are born with knowledge are the highest. Those who g…
子曰：「性相近也，习相远也。」
The Master said: "By nature, people are close to one another; it is through prac…
子之武城，闻弦歌之声。夫子莞尔而笑，曰：「割鸡焉用牛刀？」子游对曰：「昔者偃也闻诸夫子曰：『君子学道则爱人，小人学道则易…
The Master went to Wucheng and heard the sound of strings and singing. He smiled…
子曰：「小子何莫学夫诗！诗，可以兴，可以观，可以群，可以怨：迩之事父，远之事君，多识于鸟兽草木之名。」
The Master said: "Young men, why does none of you study the Odes? The Odes can s…
子曰：「乡愿，德之贼也。」
The Master said: "The village worthy is the thief of virtue."
子夏曰：「博学而笃志，切问而近思，仁在其中矣。」
Zixia said: "Study broadly and hold fast to your purpose; question earnestly and…
子夏曰：「仕而优则学，学而优则仕。」
Zixia said: "When one serves in office and has energy to spare, let him devote i…
子贡曰：「君子之过也，如日月之食焉：过也，人皆见之；更也，人皆仰之。」
Zigong said: "The faults of a gentleman are like eclipses of the sun and moon: w…