Confucius says...

More pithy bits of wisdom from the Analects of Confucius:

I. Si-ma Niu appeared worried, saying, "All men have brothers.  I alone have none."

Zi-xia said, "I have heard it said: life and death are a matter of Destiny; wealth & honour depend on Heaven.  The gentleman is reverent & does nothing amiss, is respectful towards others & observant of the rites, and all within the Four Seas are his brothers.  What need is there for the gentleman to worry about not having any brothers?" (12:5)

II. The Master said, "In hearing litigation, I am no different from any other man.  But if you insist on a difference, it is, perhaps, that I try to get the parties not to resort to litigation in the first place." (12:13)

III. Fan Chi was in attendance during an outing to the Rain Altar.  He said, "May I ask about the exaltation of virtue, the reformation of the depraved and the resolution of perplexities?"

The Master said, "What a splendid question!  To put service before the reward you get for it, is that not exaltation of virtue?  To attack evil as evil and not the evil of a particular man, is that not the way to reform the depraved?  To let a sudden fit of anger make you forget the safety of your own person or even that of your parents, is that not being perplexed?" (12:21)

IV. Fan Chi asked about benevolence.  The Master said, "Love your fellow men."  He asked about wisdom.  The Master said, "Know your fellow man."  Fan Chi failed to grasp this meaning.  The Master said, "Raise the straight over the crooked.  This can make the crooked straight." (12:22)

V. The Master said, "If a man is correct in his own person, then there will be obedience without orders being given; but if he is not correct in his own person, there will not be obedience even when orders are given." (13:6)

VI. The Master said, "The gentleman is at ease without being arrogant; the small man is arrogant without being at ease." (13:26)

VII. The Master said, "There are three things constantly on the lips of the gentlemen none of which I have succeeded in following: 'A man of benevolence never worries; a man of wisdom is never of two minds; a man of courage is never afraid.'" (14:28)

VIII. The Master said, "The gentleman is ashamed when the words he utters outstrip his deeds." (14:27)