The Analects

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

Respect yourself and others will respect you.

Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.

To be wealthy and honored in an unjust society is a disgrace.

Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.

The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting.

He Who Knows And Knows That He Knows Is A Wise Man - Follow Him; He Who Knows Not And Knows Not That He Knows Not Is A Fool - Shun Him

When the wind blows,the grass bends.

Fix your mind on truth, hold firm to virtue, rely on loving kindness, and find your recreation in the Arts.

Lead the people with administrative injunctions and put them in their place with penal law, and they will avoid punishments but will be without a sense of shame. Lead them with excellence and put them in their place through roles and ritual practices, and in addition to developing a sense of shame, they will order themselves harmoniously

Be strict with yourself but least reproachful of others and complaint is kept afar.

The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease.

If there were an honorable way to get rich, I’d do it, even if it meant being a stooge standing around with a whip. But there isn’t an honorable way, so I just do what I like.

The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.

The expectations of life depend upon diligence the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.

Not to discuss with a man worthy of conversation is to waste the man. To discuss with a man not worthy of conversation is to waste words. The wise waste neither men nor words.

If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things.

Tsze-Kung asked, “Is there one word with which to act in accordance throughout a lifetime?” The Master said, “Is not reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.

To be poor without murmuring is difficult. To be rich without being proud is easy.

Coarse rice to eat, water to drink, my bended arm for a pillow - therein is happiness. Wealth and rank attained through immoral means are nothing but drifting clouds.

I used to take on trust a man's deeds after having listened to his words. Now having listened to a man's words I go on to observe his deeds.

Care not for want of place; care for thy readiness to fill one. Care not for being unknown, but seek to be worthy of note.

What can a man do with music who is not benevolent?

A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present? If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made himself heard of, then indeed he will not be worth being regarded with respect.

There are some with whom we may study in common, but we shall find them unable to go along with us to principles. Perhaps we may go on with them to principles, but we shall find them unable to get established in those along with us. Or if we may get so established along with them, we shall find them unable to weigh occurring events along with us.

Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.

If you expect great things of yourself and demand little of others, you’ll keep resentment far away.

A conversa impregnada de vaidade e o pretensiosismo são raramente compatíveis com a virtude.