“Human nature is good, just as water seeks low ground. There is no man who is not good, just as there is no water that does not flow downward.”

When Heaven is about to confer a great office upon you, it first exercises your mind with suffering and your sinews and bones with toil.

All people have the common desire to be elevated in honour, but all people have something still more elevated in themselves without knowing it.

The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.

Friendship is one mind in two bodies.

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

He who wishes to be benevolent will not be rich.

The myriad things are complete in us. There is no greater joy than to reflect on ourselves and become sincere.

The foundation of the world lies in the nation. The foundation of the nation lies in the family. The foundation of the family lies in the individual.

He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature.

The Way lies at hand yet it is sought afar off; the thing lies in the easy yet it is sought in the difficult.

Only when someone refuses to do certain things will he be capable of doing great things.

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

The regular path of virtue is to be pursued without any bend, and from no view to emolument.

If you let people follow their feelings, they will be able to do good. This is what is meant by saying that human nature is good.

The path of duty lies in what is near, and men seek for it in what is remote; the work of duty lies in what is easy, and men seek for it in what is difficult.

So I like life and I like righteousness; if I cannot keep the two together, I will let life go and choose righteousness.