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
A superior man in dealing with the world is not for anything or against anything. He follows righteousness as the standard.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The superior person remains impartial and adheres to moral principles rather than being swayed by personal biases.
This quote by Confucius emphasizes the importance of moral integrity and impartiality in one's dealings with others. A truly superior individual does not align themselves strictly with opposing sides but instead holds righteousness as their guiding principle, suggesting that moral judgment should be placed above personal gain or societal pressures.
Themes
RighteousnessMoralityIntegrityImpartialityWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting to discuss a controversial issue, one might refer to this quote to emphasize the importance of impartiality.
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.
ConfuciusRead
Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
ConfuciusRead
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.
ConfuciusRead
Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
ConfuciusRead
Similar quotes
If space is infinite, we may be at any point in space. If time is infinite, we may be at any point in time.
Jorge Luis BorgesRead
Most people catch their presuppositions from their family and surrounding society the way a child catches measles.
Francis SchaefferRead
I think that if you were to probe a lot of people's religious opinions, they would not be as religious as the numbers would suggest.
Steven PinkerRead
Killing animals for sport, for pleasure, for adventure, and for hides and furs is a phenomena which is at once disgusting and distressing. There is no justification in indulging is such acts of brutality.
Dalai LamaRead
The true principle of government is this - make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect proportion and balance to its parts; and the powers you give it will never affect your security.
Alexander HamiltonRead
Every new development for the last three centuries has brought men closer to a state of affairs in which absolutely nothing would be recognized in the whole world as possessing a claim to obedience except the authority of the State. The majority of people in Europe obey nothing else.
Simone WeilRead