The 90 best phrases of Confucius (philosophical)

The great philosophers of today continue to make us reflect today with the wisdom of their words.

Why do words have such an impact on us? They can hurt us as fill us with joy, cause us uneasiness or pleasure. But it is not only the words but the meaning that people give to them that makes such an impression on us. Well, they reflect a situation with which we can easily connect, they carry a message that no one dares to In other words, they become a criticism to be analyzed or a symbol of strength for those who do not find motivation.

But above all it is a sense of life in general, which is not pink or black and white, but diverse.

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The great philosophers of antiquity were the first to observe the heartbreaking beauty of words and their influence on people, so that many of them left some phrases immortalized in history that (whether they knew it or not) would continue to resonate with force for thousands of years later.

Thus, In this article we will show you the best phrases of one of the most recognized philosophers in history, Confucius

, so you can reflect on your life.

Who was Confucius?

He was one of the most famous Chinese philosophers, since he was considered a wise teacher of words and of promoting a strong character, inclined towards respect and justice.

His Chinese etymological name is ‘K'ung-fu-tzu’ or ‘Kǒngzǐ’, whose translated meaning is “Master Kong”. But perhaps the trait that most distinguished him is that he began teaching him at the age of 50, for those who would like to hear his exploits and the lessons learned from his experiences.

However, he was not always a philosopher. He was born into an economically well-off family until the death of his father and although that he triggered a time of hardship, his family did everything possible to give him an education of first. In his youth he served as a state administrator and advanced in his career to position himself as minister of justice.

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A position that he would later abandon when he did not agree with the policies that the government practiced for his people. It was precisely seeing that reality that led him to strengthen his family values ​​and the tradition of respect, justice and harmony to achieve a full and abundant life.

Best Confucius Quotes

These quotes immortalized in his works and in the sayings that have been recorded in history They will make you reflect on how you lead your life and the direction you want to take.

1. "No matter what you do in life, do it with all your heart"

Always choose to take your life in the direction that makes you happy.

2. "Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one"

Flaws make us unique.

3. "Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues"

This phrase speaks for itself, in any circumstance, be humble.

4. “If I walk with two men, each of them will be my teachers. I will choose the good points of one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and I will correct them in myself "

Never seek to imitate the people you admire, but to take them for inspiration.

5. "Just as water takes the shape of the container that contains it, a wise man must adapt to circumstances"

Life is constant and it is beneficial to embrace change.

6. "Do not seek to be friends with someone who is not better than you"

Surround yourself with people who make you grow.

7. "Ignorance is the night of the mind: but a night without moon and without stars"

Ignorance is not synonymous with ignorance but with not wanting to know.

8. "You must always keep your head cold, warm your heart and hold out your hand"

Use your mind to reason and listen to your heart to shelter.

9. "We should feel pain, but not sink under its oppression '"

This phrase teaches us that we should not let ourselves be marked by bad experiences.

10. "Each thing has its beauty, but not everyone can see it as one wants"

Not everyone appreciates the same things as you.

11. "When the objective seems difficult to you, do not change the objective; look for a new way to get there "

Remember again, the important thing is that you adapt and learn from the environment.

12. “Knowing that what is known is known and that what is not known is not known. That is the true knowledge "

Although a bit confusing, he talks about the importance of being honest about what we can and cannot do.

13. "Learning without thinking is wasting energy"

Each learning brings a moral that is important to apply.

14. "It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them"

Remember that trust sometimes cannot be rebuilt.

15. "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he will eat for a lifetime "

Education is the foundation for future growth.

16. "Give advice only to the one who seeks knowledge after realizing his ignorance"

Only give your opinion to those who request it

17. "Whoever wants constant happiness and wisdom, he must accommodate frequent changes"

Again Confucius invites us to accept and adapt to the changes in life.

18. "All good things are hard to come by and all bad things are very easy to come by"

In the same way, good things last, while bad things last.

19. "Where there is education there is no distinction of classes"

Discrimination is an act of the ignorant.

20. "Time flows like water in the river"

A hard reflection on how time passes quickly.

21. "Never give a sword to a man who cannot dance"

Be careful what you give to people. Especially if you are not sure of their intentions.

22. "Five are the necessary conditions for the welfare of the people: seriousness, honesty, generosity, sincerity and delicacy"

An ideal society is one that enjoys values.

23. "A man who does not think and plan for his future will find trouble from his own door"

It is not only necessary to plan but to take into account the consequences of the actions.

24. “The archer is a model for the sage. When he has failed the target, he looks for the cause in himself. "

Never blame others, if what has happened is your responsibility.

25. "A little impatience can ruin a great project"

Do not despair in the face of obstacles, without first seeing if there is a solution.

26. “In a well-governed country, poverty is a shame. In a badly governed country, wealth is a shame. "

A model society is one that enjoys popular welfare.

27. "One who does not know how to govern himself, how will he know how to govern others?"

In the same way, if you don't love yourself, how do you expect to love another?

28. "The prudent does not take away the brave"

On the contrary, it is a synonym of respect for yourself.

29. "If you get angry, he thinks about the consequences"

That is why it is important not to argue angrily, because later he may regret what you say.

30. "He who does not know what life is, how will he know what death is?"

A significant reflection on the importance of living to the fullest.

31. “Reading without thinking makes us a messy mind. Thinking without reading makes us unbalanced "

Never stop looking for new knowledge.

32. "The most powerful warrior is the one who conquers himself"

After all, fears live within us.

33. “He who learns but does not think, he is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger "

It is useless if you know something but you will put it into practice.

34. "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you, nor do to yourself what you would not do to others"

It is important to treat others with the respect that we deserve.

35. "The true gentleman is the one who only preaches what he practices"

He well says that an action is worth a thousand words.

36. "When the wise point to the moon, the fool looks at the finger"

You cannot prevent others from making mistakes because of your stubbornness.

37. "Respect yourself and others will respect you"

Loving yourself is vital.

38. "A strong voice cannot compete with a clear voice, even if it is a simple whisper"

The importance of always telling the truth.

39. "Study the past if you want to predict the future"

Especially if you want to avoid mistakes already made.

40. "Don't ever give up if you want to go home"

Dreams are not going to be achieved alone.

41. “It does not matter if little progress is made; the important thing is not to stop "

So stop making excuses and start achieving your goals.

42. “You can take his army from a general, but his will from a man”

He always keeps going regardless of obstacles.

43. "A man does not try to see himself in running water, but in calm water, because only what is calm in itself can give peace to others"

No matter what you do, find what gives you peace.

44. "To be like the sandalwood that perfumes the ax that cuts it"

A beautiful reflection on avoiding violence.

45. "If you make a mistake and don't correct it, that's called a mistake"

It is not what you do wrong, but that you do not learn from it.

46. “It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are hard to come by; and bad things are easy to achieve "

Sadly, we put more weight on the bad things and tend to ignore or downplay the good.

47. "Do not try to put out a fire with fire, or remedy a flood with water"

Look for solutions that are functional and durable.

48. "You can't open a book without learning something"

So take note of all the lessons learned.

49. "Before embarking on a journey of revenge, dig two graves"

Revenge takes an essential part of us.

50. "Knowing what is fair and not doing it is the worst of cowardice"

That is why we must never shut up in the face of injustices.

51. "Life is very simple, but we insist that it be complicated"

This sentence needs no further explanation.

52. “The biggest mistake is succumbing to despondency; all other errors can be fixed, this one cannot "

Well, despondency can destroy our confidence in ourselves.

53. "He who knows all the answers has not asked all the questions"

Never make the mistake of being arrogant

54. "Silence is a friend who never betrays"

Sometimes the best we can say is to say nothing.

55. "A man of virtuous words is not always a virtuous man"

Remember that some use words to deceive.

56. "Do not complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when it also covers the threshold of your house"

Don't judge anyone, especially if you commit the same sin.

57. “Is there a precept that can guide the action of a lifetime? To love"

Love is powerful in any situation.

58. "It is man who makes the truth great, and not the truth that makes man great"

After all, we are the people who place importance on honesty.

59. "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness"

Solve one problem at a time so you won't hate your situation.

60. “If you can't reach your goals, don't change them; modify your actions "

Remember that the important thing is that you know how to adapt to changes.

61. "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we fall"

So it doesn't matter how many times you fall, but how many times you get up.

62. “Virtue was not born to live alone. Whoever practices it ends up surrounded by neighbors "

Keep your values ​​high at all times.

63. “Demand a lot from yourself and expect little from others. This way you will avoid disappointments "

Have you put this phrase into practice?

64. "Accept the unexpected. Accept the unacceptable "

Thus we will not feel the changes that we do not control.

65. "If they spit on your back, it means that you are ahead"

I mean, if they try to break you down, it's because you're doing it right.

66. "The strength of a nation is derived from the integrity of the home"

Good homeschooling is everything.

67. "A man without virtue cannot dwell long in adversity, nor in happiness"

It is almost like a ghost, which no one can see.

68. "The best indication of wisdom is the agreement between words and deeds"

If they do not have equity with each other, how can we expect trust?

69. “If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; in terms of ten years, plant trees, in terms of 100 years, teach people "

Knowledge is the only thing that can last over time.

70. "Only the most excellent sages, and the most finished fools, are incomprehensible"

So don't try to make an effort to understand who doesn't want to be understood.

71. "I have not yet seen anyone who loves virtue as much as physical beauty is loved"

A harsh criticism of our inclination towards the material and the superficial, above all else.

72. "The only thing that is never recovered in life when it is lost is the elapsed time"

So don't waste it, take advantage of every second.

73. "I heard it and I forgot it. I saw and understood. I did it and I learned it "

Practice makes a master.

74. "When you speak, make sure your words are better than silence"

Never use your words for anything other than good.

75. "Success depends on prior preparation but without such preparation failure is certain"

That is why studying is essential before going fully into practice.

76. "We can become wise through three different ways. First, through reflection, which is the noblest. Second, by imitation which is the easiest. And the third from experience, which is the bitterest "

But no matter which one you prefer, create your own path.

77. "The man who moves mountains begins by moving small stones"

So it doesn't matter if it's little or short, just start.

78. Loving and recognizing the defects of those who love each other; hating and recognizing the qualities of those who hate each other, are two quite rare things under heaven

If you admire both, why the disagreement?

79. "The wise man looks for what he wants inside of him; the unwise seeks it in others "

Pursue your own dream, instead of fulfilling someone else's.

80. “You ask me why I buy rice and flowers? I buy rice to live and flowers to have something to live for "

Life is also something that we must nurture on a daily basis.

81. “When we are in front of worthy people, we must try to imitate them. When we are in front of unworthy people, we must look at ourselves and correct our mistakes "

Take the examples of those who are honest and real.

82. "Vices come as passengers, visit us as guests and remain as masters"

A not-so-subtle reminder of how harmful vices can be.

83. "Choose a job that you like and you will not have to work a day of your life"

Do you agree with this thought?

84. "No matter how busy you are, you must make time to read or give in to ignorance"

After all, if you don't learn what's trending, you'll be stuck.

85. “Some money avoids worry; a lot, it attracts them "

Money can become a monster that consumes us.

86. "If you serve Nature, she will serve you"

Respecting nature is that we can enjoy its benefits.

87. “By nature, men are almost the same; by practice, they become widely separated "

It is your momentum that will get you far.

88. "The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor can man be perfected without evidence"

See obstacles as a challenge to win and a lesson to learn.

89. "We have to be at peace with ourselves, otherwise we cannot guide others in the search for peace"

Confucius again tells us that we must love ourselves.

90. "A superior man is modest in his speech, but he exceeds in his actions"

Great people are those whose actions speak for themselves.

What phrase from Confucius made you reflect on your life?