Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.
ConfuciusRead
If your plan is for one year plant rice. If your plan is for ten years plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years educate children.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking and investment in education for future generations.
Confucius highlights the varying scope of investment based on the time frame of one's plans. For short-term goals, one can engage in immediate actions like planting rice; for mid-term goals, tree planting represents the establishment of enduring resources. However, for the longest horizon—one hundred years—he points to the education of children as the most significant endeavor, as it shapes the future of society and ensures the continuity of knowledge and values.
Themes
EducationLong-TermPlanningChildrenFuture
In practice
Example use cases
During a keynote speech about the importance of sustainable development.
More from Confucius
All quotes →Earnest in practicing the ordinary virtues, and careful in speaking about them, if, in his practice, he has anything defective, the superior man dares not but exert himself; and if, in his words, he has any excess, he dares not allow himself such license.
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When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points.
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Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
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The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability; he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.
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Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
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