Mencius

To feed men and not to love them is to treat them as if they were barnyard cattle. To love them and not respect them is to treat them as if they were household pets.

If the King loves music, it is well with the land.

Let not a man do what his sense of right bids him not to do, nor desire what it forbids him to desire. This is sufficient. The skillful artist will not alter his measures for the sake of a stupid workman.

I dislike death, however, there are some things I dislike more than death. Therefore, there are times when I will not avoid danger.

Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.

Truth uttered before its time is dangerous.

Where it is permissible both to die and not to die, it is an abuse of valour to die.

The great man is he who does not lose his child's-heart.

The great person never loses a childlike spirit.

Only when a man will not do some things is he capable of doing great things.

I like fish, and I also like bear's paws. If I cannot have the two together, I will let the fish go, and take the bear's paws. So, I like life, and I also like righteousness. If I cannot keep the two together, I will let life go, and choose righteousness.

The Tao is near and people seek it far away.

The myriad things are complete in us. There is no greater joy than to reflect on ourselves and become sincere.

Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.

A trail through the mountains, if used, becomes a path in a short time, but, if unused, becomes blocked by grass in an equally short time.

Evil exists to glorify the good. Evil is negative good. It is a relative term. Evil can be transmuted into good. What is evil to one at one time, becomes good at another time to somebody else.

The root of the kingdom is in the state. The root of the state is in the family. The root of the family is in the person of its head.

Treat your elders as elders, and extend it to the elders of others; treat your young ones as young ones, and extend it to the young ones of others; then you can turn the whole world in the palm of your hand

Only when someone refuses to do certain things will he be capable of doing great things.

People are eager to comment on something when they themselves are not in the situation of doing it.

Friends are the siblings God never gave us.