Fellow G-L ers,
I thought i should share the following quotations attributed to Confucius,
translated from Chinese to English language by James Legge (1815-1897)
Confucius was asked, "What say you are the essentials of good government?"
He answered," The ruler should esteem the five excellences and avoid the
four evils. The five excellences are: plenitude without extravagance;
taxation without exciting discontent; desire without COVETOUSNESS (taking
what belongs to others); dignity without arrogance; majesty without
fierceness. The four evils to be avoided are: without instruction in the
law, to inflict punishment-that is tyranny; without proper warning, to
expect perfect adherence-that is oppression; late in giving orders and
expecting early obedience- that is robbery; to tax and spend in a stingy
manner-that is misuse of government function.
******************
When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to
be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things
to be ashamed of.
******************************
To see what is right and and not do it, that is cowardice
********
It is as hard to be poor without complaining as to be rich without becoming
arrogant
**********
Confucius was asked "What do you say of the remark,'Repay enmity with
kindness'?" And he replied, "How then will you repay kindness? Repay
kindness with kindness, and enmity with justice."
***************
Not to teach a man who can be taught, is to waste a man; to teach a man who
cannot be taught, is a waste of words. The wise will lose neither men nor
words.
***************
Not to react after commiting an error is in itself an error
****************
Only the supremely wise and abysmally ignorant do not change
****************
Confucius said, "I will not be afflicted at men's not knowing me; I will be
afflicted that i do not know men."
**********************
The Duke Ai asked, saying, "What should be done in order to secure the
submission of the people?" Confucius replied, Advance the upright and set
aside the crooked, then the people will submit. Advance the crooked and set
aside the upright, then the people will not submit."
****************************
To see what is right and not do it is want of courage
****************
Confucius said, "Riches and honours ae what men desire. If they cannot be
obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness
are what men dislike. If they cannot be avoided in the proper way, they
should not be avoided."
*************
Confucius said, "The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind
either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow."
**********************
Confucius said, "The mind of the superior man is conversant with
righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain."
*******************
Confucius said, "The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance
to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up
to them."
*****************************
"now the man of perfect virtue, wishing to be established himself, seeks
also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to
establish others."
*****************************
Confucius said,"When i walk along with two others, they may serve as my
teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad
qualities and avoid them."
**************************
"Having not and yet affecting to have, empty and yet affecting to be full,
straitened and yet affecting to be at ease:- it is difficult with such
characteristics to have constancy."
**********************
"The superior man seeks to perfect the admirable qualities of men, and does
not seek to perfect their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposit of
this."
*********************************************
Tze-chang, one of Confucius students asked, "What must the officer be, who
may said to be distinguished?"
Confucius said, "What is it you call being distinguished?"
Tze-chang replied,"It is to be heard of through the state, to be heard of
through throughout his clan".
Confucius replied, "That is notoriety, not distinction."
"The man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves
righteousness. He examines peoples words, and looks at their countenances.
He is anxious to humble himself to others. Such a man will be distiguished
in the country; he will be distinguished in his clan."
"As to the man of notoriety, he assumes the appearance of virtue, but his
actions are opposed to it, and he rests in this character without any doubt
about himself. Such a man will be heard of in the country; he will be heard
of in the clan."
***************************************
The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and the
moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he reforms and all men look
up to him.
The yoke of oppression must be shattered!
BMK
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