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A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.

Xunzi

If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction.
XUNZI

Bravery Daring Fierce Guidance Impulsive Instruction Stay Violent
When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
XUNZI

Activity Agriculture Concentrate Frugal Industry Moderate Rest Sharp
The drum is surely the lord of music, is it not?
XUNZI

Drum Feel Lord Music Surely
Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.
XUNZI

Cause Goodness Human Intentional Moment Nature Study
Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
XUNZI

Born Each Other Human Inclination Nature Ove People Profit Snatch Struggle
Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.
XUNZI

Concern Devotion Feel Longing Sacrifice
The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him.
XUNZI

Believe Boast Desire Eager Make Man Other Pretty Should
Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
XUNZI

Achieve Human Nature People Refer Study Work
Now it is human nature to want to eat to ones fill when hungry, to want to warm up when cold, to want to rest when tired. These all are a part of people’s emotional nature.
XUNZI

Cold Fill Human Nature Hungry Now One Rest Tired Wantmwam
They are done merely for ornament. … the common people regard them as supernatural.
XUNZI

Common Done Merely Ornament People Regard Supernatural
If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one’s desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
XUNZI

Approve Conform Desire Even Good Heat Many Order Pattern Proper
The noble person uses things; the lesser man is used by things.
XUNZI

Lesser Man Nobel Person Thing Use
Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher’s instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order.
XUNZI

Change Gude Instruction Person Ritual Teacher
The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
XUNZI

Bound Broken Cause Pilable Right Themselves
The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere.
XUNZI

Attempt Erson Get Nowhere Once Road Travel
The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one’s inner power.
XUNZI

Coming Disgrace Honor Inner Must One Power Reflection

A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.

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A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Xunzi Quotes