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 and fill us with joy, cause us restlessness 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 say, they become a criticism to be analyzed or a symbol of strength for those who cannot find motivation.
But above all it is a sense of life in general, which is not pink or black and white, but diverse.
The great philosophers of antiquity were the first to observe the heartrending beauty of words and their influence on people, so many of them left immortalized some phrases in history that (whether they knew it or no) would continue to resonate loudly thousands of years later.
Therefore, in this article we will show you the best phrases of one of the most renowned philosophers in history, Confucius, to that you can reflect on your life.
Who was Confucius?
He was one of the most famous Chinese philosophers, as he was considered a wise master of words and promoting strong character, with an inclination 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 wanted to hear his exploits and the lessons learned from his experiences.
However, he was not always a philosopher. He was born into a we althy family until the death of his father, and although that triggered a time of difficulties, his family did everything possible to give him a first-class education. In his youth he served as an administrator of state and advanced in his career to position himself as minister of justice.
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 Phrases
These quotes immortalized in his works and in the sayings that have been recorded in history will make you reflect on how you lead your life and the direction you want to take.
one. “No matter what you do in life, do it with all your heart”
Always choose to lead your life in the direction that makes you happy.
2. “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one”
Defects 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 correct them myself”
Never seek to imitate the people you admire, but take inspiration from them.
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 cool, your heart warm and your hand long”
Use your mind to reason and listen to your heart to shelter.
9. “We must feel pain, but not sink under its oppression'”
This phrase teaches us that we should not allow ourselves to be marked by bad experiences.
10. “Everything has its beauty, but not everyone can see it as one wants”
Not everyone appreciates the same things as you.
"eleven. When the objective seems difficult, do not change the objective; look for a new path to reach him"
Again remember, 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. Here is the true knowledge”
Although a bit confusing, it speaks to us about the importance of being honest about what we can and cannot do.
13. "Learning without thinking is wasting energy"
Each lesson brings a moral that is important to apply.
14. “It is more shameful to mistrust our friends than to be deceived by them”
Remember that sometimes trust cannot be rebuilt..
"fifteen. 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 one who seeks knowledge after realizing his ignorance"
Only give your opinion to those who request it
17. "Whoever seeks constant happiness and wisdom, he must accommodate frequent changes"
Again Confucius invites us to accept and adapt to life's changes.
"18. All good things are hard to come by and all bad things are very easy to come"
In the same way, good things are lasting, while bad things are fleeting.
19. "Where there is education there is no distinction of classes"
Discrimination is an act of ignorance.
twenty. “Time flows like water in a river”
A harsh reflection on how time passes quickly.
twenty-one. “Never give a sword to a man who can't dance”
Be careful what you give to people. Especially if you're not sure of his intentions.
22. “There are five necessary conditions for the well-being 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 his future will find trouble at his very doorstep "
It is not only necessary to plan but also to take into account the consequences of actions.
24. “The archer is a model for the sage. When he has missed 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 when faced with obstacles, without first seeing if there is a solution.
26. “In a well-governed country, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a poorly governed country, we alth is something to be ashamed of”
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 can you expect to love another?
"28. The prudent does not take away the brave"
On the contrary, it is a synonym for self-respect.
29. “If you get angry, think about the consequences”
That's why it's important not to argue in anger, because later you 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's useless to know something if you don't put it into practice.
"3. 4. 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 we deserve.
35. “The true gentleman is the one who only preaches what he practices”
Well says an action is worth a thousand words.
"36. When the wise man points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger"
You can't 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 just a 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. Never give up if you want to go home"
Dreams will not come true on their own.
41. “It doesn't 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 away his army from a general, but not his will from a man”
Always keep going no matter what the obstacles.
43. “A man does not try to see himself in the water that he runs, but in calm water, because only what is calm in itself can give calm to others”
No matter what you do, he seeks what gives you peace
"44. To be like the sandalwood that perfumes the ax that cuts it"
A beautiful reflection on avoiding violence.
Four. Five. “If you make a mistake and don't correct it, that's called a mistake”
It's not what you do that's wrong, it's that you don't learn from it.
46. “It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. Here's how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are hard to come by; and bad things are easy to get”
Sadly, we give more weight to the bad things and tend to ignore or diminish the good things.
47. "Do not try to put out a fire with fire, nor 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.
fifty. “Knowing what is fair and not doing it is the worst of cowards”
That is why we must never remain silent in the face of injustice.
"51. Life is very simple, but we insist on making it complicated"
This sentence needs no further explanation.
52. “The biggest mistake is to succumb to despondency; all other errors can be fixed, this one can't”
Well, despondency can destroy our self-confidence.
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 thing to 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. “Don't complain about snow on your neighbor's roof when it also covers your doorstep”
Do not judge anyone, especially if they commit the same sin.
57. “Is there a precept that can guide the action of a lifetime? 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 attach importance to honesty.
59. "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness"
Solve one problem at a time so you don'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”
Have your values up all the time.
63. “Demand a lot from yourself and expect little from others. This way you will avoid disappointment”
Have you put this sentence into practice?
"64. Accept the unexpected. Accept the unacceptable"
So we won't feel the changes we don't control.
65. “If they spit on your back, it means you're ahead”
That is, if they try to bring 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's almost like a ghost, that no one can see.
"68. The best indicator of wisdom is the concordance between words and deeds"
If they do not have equity among themselves, 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 wise men, and the most complete fools, are incomprehensible”
So don't try to make an effort to understand someone 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 time elapsed"
So don't waste it, make the most of every second.
"73. I heard it and forgot it. I saw and understood. I did it and I learned it"
Practice makes a master.
74. “When you speak, make sure that 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 most bitter"
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 short or short, just start.
78. Love and recognize the defects of those who love each other; hating and recognizing the qualities of those who hate themselves are two very rare things under heaven
If you admire both, why the disagreement?
"79. The wise man searches for what he desires within him; the unwise look for it in others"
Follow 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 we must nurture daily.
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 stay as masters”
A not-so-subtle reminder of how harmful vices can be.
"83. Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life"
Do you agree with this thought?
84. “No matter how busy you are, you should 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 worries; much, 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 equal; by practice, they become widely separated”
It's your drive that will get you far.
88. “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor the man perfected without tests”
Perceive 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 once again tells us that we must love ourselves.
90. “A superior man is modest in his speech, but excels in his actions”
Great people are those whose actions speak for themselves.
What phrase from Confucius made you reflect on your life?