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
To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage, or of principle.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the importance of both recognizing moral truths and having the courage to act on them.
Confucius emphasizes that merely knowing what is right is not sufficient; true integrity and strength lie in the ability to act according to that knowledge. To fail to do what one knows to be right indicates a lack of courage or a deviation from principled living, which are essential qualities for personal and moral growth.
Themes
CouragePrincipleIntegrityActionMorality
In practice
Example use cases
In a leadership seminar discussing ethical decision-making, one could use this quote to stress the importance of taking action based on one's values.
More from Confucius
All quotes βEarnest 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.
ConfuciusRead
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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