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Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.

Mencius

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.
MENCIUS

Confidence Family Foundation Nation World
It is not difficult to govern. All one has to do is not to offend the noble families.
MENCIUS

Authority Difficult Family Government
A man must first despise himself, and then others will despise him.
MENCIUS

Hate Men
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 Failure Heart Men
I dislike death, however, there are some things I dislike more than death. Therefore, there are times when I will not avoid danger.
MENCIUS

Avoid Danger Death Myself
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.
MENCIUS

Deep Feeling Human People Philosophy Spiritual
The disease of men is that they neglect their own fields and go to weed the fields of others.
MENCIUS

Avoid Destroy Hate Man
Where it is permissible both to die and not to die, it is an abuse of valour to die.
MENCIUS

Death Freedom
Human nature is disposed to do good.
MENCIUS

Goodness Human Nature One Liner Spirituality
Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.
MENCIUS

Evil Heaven Men Reality
Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.
MENCIUS

Kindness Men Reputation
A small country cannot contend with a great; the few cannot contend with the many; the weak cannot contend with the strong.
MENCIUS

Country Greatness Strong Weakness
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

Artist Desire Men Stupidity
He who wishes to be benevolent will not be rich.
MENCIUS

Choice Himself Rich
Virtue alone is not sufficient for the exercise of government; laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice.
MENCIUS

Alone Enough Exercise Government Law Practice Virtue
The myriad things are complete in us. There is no greater joy than to reflect on ourselves and become sincere.
MENCIUS

Happiness Joy Reflection Sincere
The tendency of mans nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downward.
MENCIUS

Flow Human Nature Water
He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature.
MENCIUS

Himself Mind Nature
There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.
MENCIUS

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

Enemy Government Love
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.
MENCIUS

Goodness Human Humanity Men Nature Water
He who loves others is always loved by them, and he who respects others is always respected by them.
MENCIUS

Love Reaction Respect Treat
The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all.
MENCIUS

Compassion Love
The sole concern of learning is to seek one’s original heart.
MENCIUS

Heart Learning Seek
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 Simplicity Thinking
Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.
MENCIUS

Character Kindness Men
The best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.
MENCIUS

Dream Friendship Life Material Memories

Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.

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Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.

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