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Those who follow the part of themselves which is great are great men; those who follow the part which is little are little men.

Mencius

The great person never loses a childlike spirit.
MENCIUS

Attitude Greatness Person Spirit
Truth uttered before its time is dangerous.
MENCIUS

Honesty Time Truth
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
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
People are eager to comment on something when they themselves are not in the situation of doing it.
MENCIUS

Advice People Talk
Listen to a man’s words and look at the pupil of his eye. How can a man conceal his character?
MENCIUS

Character Eyes Hide Men Word
The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all.
MENCIUS

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

Choice Justice Right Togetherness
Never has there been one possessed of complete sincerity who did not move others. Never has there been one who had not sincerity who was able to move others.
MENCIUS

Ability Change Sincere
The way of truth is like a great highway. It is not hard to find.
MENCIUS

Path Philosophy Truth Way
If you know that a thing is unrighteous, then use all dispatch in putting an end to it–why wait till next year?
MENCIUS

End Evil Wait Years
The feeling of compassion is the beginning of humanity.
MENCIUS

Compassion Feeling Humanity
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
To act without clear understanding, to form habits without investigation, to follow a path all one’s life without knowing where it really leads; such is the behavior of the multitude.
MENCIUS

Act Ignorance Leadership Life Understand
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
The Way lies at hand yet it is sought afar off; the thing lies in the easy yet it is sought in the difficult.
MENCIUS

Difficult Hands Lying Warrior

Those who follow the part of themselves which is great are great men; those who follow the part which is little are little men.

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Those who follow the part of themselves which is great are great men; those who follow the part which is little are little men.

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