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

Mencius

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

Death Freedom
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
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

Force Heart Men Power Resistance
The way is near, but men seek it afar. It is in easy things, but men seek for it in difficult things.
MENCIUS

Easy Men Philosophy Seek Way
The way of learning is none other than finding the lost mind.
MENCIUS

Lost Mindset Way
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

Divine Failure Perfection Philosophy Right
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
If the prince of a State love benevolence, he will have no opponent in all the empire.
MENCIUS

Enemy Government Love
By exhaustively examining one’s own mind,one may understand his nature. One who understands his own nature understands Heaven.
MENCIUS

Heaven Mind Nature Understand
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.
MENCIUS

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

Path View Virtue
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 people turn in allegiance to Humanity, as surely as water flows downward or as a wild animal takes cover in the wilderness.
MENCIUS

Animal Humanity People Water Wild
Secure property in hand leads to peace in mind.
MENCIUS

Freedom Hands Mindset One Liner Security
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

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

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

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