Best & Inspiring Mencius Quotes
Everyone is afraid of the unknown.
Everything changes, and nothing remains.
The best way to live with no regrets is simply to keep moving forward, always striving for better things, never looking back or standing still in the past.
Change your mind about things that give you too much pain to think about them long enough not even once a day, but do it at least once a week; then you won’t regret anything for as long as your memory lasts.”
The more you know, the more you realize that there is a lot you don’t know.
Only the superior man practices benevolence and righteousness for love of his fellow men.
The superior man looks down upon the people he surpasses in wisdom for their humility, but does not disdain them as inferior to himself; but always looks down upon himself for his pride, and would rather not rise above men of lesser knowledge than to remain behind them.”
We know how to sigh, but we do not sigh for the right reasons.
Man’s heart is like a shuttlecock that flies back and forth over the net of heaven.
The superior man brings perfect order out of complete confusion, makes the small as large and the few as many, brings unity out of multiplicity, and by levity gives weight. Therefore the Superior Man is master of the fate of all things.”
Among mankind, the most difficult things to deal with are questions about love.
Let your mind be without fault, just as a mirror reflects the image in front of it; then you will succeed in penetrating all mysteries.
There is only one problem and that is human nature itself, no matter what anyone else might do for that nature.”
You should never truly value anything other than love because it is the one thing on earth that cannot be taken away from you.”
To love men is to see them as capable of goodness.
The superior man loves his kind and helps them, but does not go to the limits of including them in his own power or glory.
When one sees what a man is capable of doing, if he knows how to do it clearly, it is right to make him ruler over others. But if he cannot do it well, it is not right to let him rule over others.”
The superior man learns for his own fulfillment. He thinks about what he does and does not do it frivolously. He will love to learn, but he is not always learning.”
The superior man through his thoughtfulness will never let an opportunity of kindness escape him.”
The noble young people regard doing their duty to their seniors as a great joy, even though they have no hope for personal gain.”
When a man of true virtue is driven to extreme straits, he will not think of that as being the greatest danger he has ever faced.”
When I was young, I followed after my father’s steps, but now that I am old I follow after my own.”
If you do not have a scrap of good fortune, then you must make your own luck. Truly a liberal man, the one who thinks freely and acts for himself without relying on others is called a “superior man”.
The superior man in his teaching and guidance of the people is like the moon while it keeps on its course!
When you are undecided between two courses of action, simply decide by doing nothing. Each action requires a full commitment and then there will be no room for regret.”
The best time to do something is right now, tomorrow may be too late.”
The superior man who is not on good terms with himself will find that his relations with other men are not good either.”
If you are able to succeed then you are on the right path; if you fail then it was a bad time, but it is not the first time that will happen.
A superior person is willing to take on the challenge of being different and to do what others find difficult.”
The superior man who knows himself knows others.”
If you have a good arm, when your mind does not rest on material things, your arm will become stronger.”
When you speak, you should be truthful. When you promise, you should fulfill. When you act, should be exactly as your words. Then the Superior Man will follow your example.”
If no one is without merit then everyone must be a minister.”
The superior man takes action in accordance with what is right; the small man takes action in accordance with his own interests.”
The superior man understands what is right and does not remain indifferent to worldly matters because of his understanding.”
It is better to be a person with worries than to have nothing to worry about at all.”
The superior man is not worried about the small details of life, but he is prepared for them; this means that he does his best whatever the situation so that when trouble comes he will not be taken by surprise.”
The superior man would sooner forget his position and fame than his words and promises.”
It is better to be plain and true than to be ornamental and false.”
The superior man who follows after the goodwill not have his goodness come to an end; he who does good works will not lack for them.”
The superior man thinks of virtue as eternal, not as having long and short duration.”
The superior man is able to recognize what is right when it comes before him. He may be slow on the uptake, but eventually, he grasps everything.”
The superior man can lead the people without pushing them.”
The superior man who nourishes his virtue will find it grow; he who nourishes his virtue will not die.”
A good leader questions himself, but does not question his subordinates.”
When a man is not afraid of death, there are no lengths he may not go to in order to preserve his life.”
If a scholar does not learn continuously, then he cannot serve as an example for others.”
If a merchant does not work for the common good, he cannot gain the respect of people.”
If a person is quick-tempered, then he is not fit to lead.”
The superior man may utter words of wisdom, but the common man will regard it as a joke.”
Do not be so quick to judge people; when judging others you may be discarding good material.”
A superior person does not worry about others’ responses when saying what they think is right.
