Mencius Quotes - Page 3

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• In abundance prepare for scarcity.

  Mencius

  Money, Scarcity, Abundance

  19 Copy quote

• Only those who develop their minds and spirits to the utmost can serve Heaven and fulfill their own destinies.

  Mencius

  Destiny, Heaven, Mind

  27 Copy quote

• The fruit of humanity is devotion to one's parents. The fruit of righteousness is to respect one's elders. The fruit of wisdom is to understand these two and not to betray them. The fruit of propriety is to regulate and polish them. The fruit of music is the joy that comes from rejoicing in them. When one rejoices in them, they grow. When they grow, how can they be stopped? And when they cannot be stopped, unconsciously one's feet begin to dance and one's arms begin to wave.

  Mencius

  Two, Feet, Joy

  77 Copy quote

• When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit because their strength is not adequate to resist.

  Mencius

  Heart, Power, Men

  Confucius, Mencius, Ming Zuoqiu, Tso-ch'iu Ming (1861). “The Chinese Classics”

  12 Copy quote

• The way is near, but men seek it afar. It is in easy things, but men seek for it in difficult things.

  Mencius

  Men, Afar, Way

  13 Copy quote

• The Tao is near and people seek it far away.

  Mencius

  People, Effort, Taoism

  17 Copy quote

• The great man does not think beforehand of his words that they may be sincere, nor of his actions that they may be resolute- he simply speaks and does what is right.

  Mencius

  Inspirational, Men, Thinking

  Confucius, Mencius (1930). “The four books: Confucian Analects, The great learning, The doctrine of the mean, and The works of Mencius. With English notes and translation by James Legge”

  9 Copy quote

• The gap between enthusiasm and indifference is filled with failures. The great man is he that does not lose his child's heart.

  Mencius

  Children, Heart, Men

  19 Copy quote

• If the King loves music, it is well with the land.

  Mencius

  Music, Kings, Land

  44 Copy quote

• It is true that water will flow indifferently to east and west, but will it flow equally well up and down? Human nature is disposed toward goodness, just as water tends to flow downwards. There is no water but flows downwards, and no man but shows his tendency to be good. Now, by striking water hard, you may splash it higher than your forehead, and by damming it, you may make it go uphill. But, is that the nature of water? It is external force that causes it to do so. Likewise, if a man is made to do what is not good, his nature is being similarly forced.

  Mencius

  Men, Water, East

  15 Copy quote

• The feeling of commiseration is the beginning of humanity; the feeling of shame and dislike is the beginning of righteousness; the feeling of deference and compliance is the beginning of propriety; and the feeling of right or wrong is the beginning of wisdom.Men have these Four Beginnings just as they have their four limbs. Having these Four Beginnings, but saying that they cannot develop them is to destroy themselves.

  Mencius

  Men, Feelings, Humanity

  "The Mencius". 2A:6, as translated by Wing-tsit Chan in "A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy", p. 65, 1963.

  30 Copy quote

• A great man is one who has not lost the child's heart.

  Mencius

  Christian, Children, Heart

  Chʻu Chai, Confucius, Mencius (1965). “Lun Yü”, New Hyde Park, N.Y. : University Books

  23 Copy quote

• He who loves others is always loved by them, and he who respects others is always respected by them.

  Mencius

  Respect, Respecting Others

  "The Life and Works of Mencius: With Essays and Notes".

  18 Copy quote

• All things are already complete in us. There is no greater delight than to be conscious of right within us. If one strives to treat others as he would be treated by them, he shall not fail to come near the perfect life.

  Mencius

  Perfect, Insightful, Would Be

  15 Copy quote

• The root of the kingdom is in the state. The root of the state is in the family. The root of the family is in the person of its head.

  Mencius

  Roots, Kingdoms, States

  Confucius, Mencius, 左丘明 (1971). “The Chinese classics with a translation, critical and exegetical notes: prolegomena and copious indexes”

  11 Copy quote

• If the prince of a State love benevolence, he will have no opponent in all the empire.

  Mencius

  Love Is, Government, Opponents

  Confucius, Mencius, Ming Zuoqiu, Tso-ch'iu Ming (1861). “The Chinese Classics”, p.174

  9 Copy quote

• A real man is he whose goodness is a part of himself.

  Mencius

  Real, Real Men, Men

  Mencius (1861). “The Chinese Classics”, p.366

  18 Copy quote

• Friendship with a man is friendship with his virtue, and does not admit of assumptions of superiority.

  Mencius

  Friendship, Men, Doe

  Mencius (1861). “The Chinese Classics”, p.252

  15 Copy quote

• Secure property in hand leads to peace in mind.

  Mencius

  Freedom, Hands, Mind

  16 Copy quote

• It is not difficult to govern. All one has to do is not to offend the noble families.

  Mencius

  Noble, Authority, Difficult

  17 Copy quote

• All things are complete within ourselves.

  Mencius

  Perfection, All Things

  10 Copy quote

• Treat your elders as elders, and extend it to the elders of others; treat your young ones as young ones, and extend it to the young ones of others; then you can turn the whole world in the palm of your hand

  Mencius

  Hands, World, Treats

  20 Copy quote

• When the men of antiquity realized their wishes, benefits were conferred by them on the people. If they did not realize their wishes, they cultivated their personal character, and became illustrious in the world. If poor, they attended to their own virtue in solitude; if advanced to dignity, they made the whole empire virtuous as well.

  Mencius

  Solitude, Poverty, Virtue

  "The Chinese Classics".

  20 Copy quote

• A small country cannot contend with a great; the few cannot contend with the many; the weak cannot contend with the strong

  Mencius

  Country, Strong, Weak

  13 Copy quote

• Let not a man do what his sense of right bids him not to do, nor desire what it forbids him to desire. This is sufficient. The skillful artist will not alter his measures for the sake of a stupid workman.

  Mencius

  Stupid, Artist, Men

  13 Copy quote

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