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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

Men must be decided on what they will not do, and then they are able to act with vigor in what they ought to do.
MENCIUS

Decision Men Vigor
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
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
Only those who develop their minds and spirits to the utmost can serve Heaven and fulfill their own destinies.
MENCIUS

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

Death Freedom
The great man is he who does not lose his child’s heart.
MENCIUS

Children Greatness Heart Man Wisdom
The feeling of right or wrong is the beginning of wisdom.
MENCIUS

Beginning Feeling Right Wisdom Wrong
Evil exists to glorify the good. Evil is negative good. It is a relative term. Evil can be transmuted into good. What is evil to one at one time, becomes good at another time to somebody else.
MENCIUS

Deep Evil Goodness Negative Perspective Philosophy Spiritual
A man must not be without shame, for the shame of being without shame is shamelessness indeed.
MENCIUS

Character Existence Men Shame
Benevolence is one of the distinguishing characters of man.
MENCIUS

Character Kindness Men
Sincerity is the way to heaven; to think how to be sincere is the way of man.
MENCIUS

Heaven Men Thinking
He who goes to the bottom of his own heart knows his own nature; And knowing his own nature, he knows heaven.
MENCIUS

Heart Heaven Philosophy
Incessant falls teach men to reform, and distress rouses their strength. Life springs from calamity, and death from ease.
MENCIUS

Born Fall Men Philosophy Spirituality Spring
Is it only the mouth and belly which are injured by hunger and thirst? Men’s minds are also injured by them.
MENCIUS

Food Hunger Injury Men Mindset
A real man is he whose goodness is a part of himself.
MENCIUS

Goodness Man Reality
Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.
MENCIUS

Duty Responsibility Roots

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.

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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.

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