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There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.

Xunzi

The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one’s inner power.
XUNZI

Coming Disgrace Honor Inner Must One Power Reflection
Human nature refers to what is in people but which they cannot study or work at achieving.
XUNZI

Achieve Human Nature People Refer Study Work
If there is no dull and determined effort, there will be no brilliant achievement.
XUNZI

Achievement Brillant Determine Dull Effort
You look upon the seasons with expectation and await them: wy not seize the seasonal opportunities and exploit them?
XUNZI

Expectation Look Opportunity Season Seasonal Seize Upon
One must remember equality, yet also be aware of difference, for if the people are allowed to act as it pleases them without coming up against displeasure, if one gives rein to its desires without setting [any] limit, it becomes confused and can no longer take delight in anything.
XUNZI

Act Against Aware Come Difference Displeasure.Equality One Must Remember People Allow Please
Human nature is what Heaven supplies.
XUNZI

Heaven Human Nature Supply
Now it is human nature to want to eat to ones fill when hungry, to want to warm up when cold, to want to rest when tired. These all are a part of people’s emotional nature.
XUNZI

Cold Fill Human Nature Hungry Now One Rest Tired Wantmwam
Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die.
XUNZI

Born Each Other Human Inclination Nature Ove People Profit Snatch Struggle
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
XUNZI

Forget Involve Remember Teach Tell
Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher’s instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order.
XUNZI

Change Gude Instruction Person Ritual Teacher
Misery is evil; quarreling, a misfortune. There is only one possibility of avoiding both: a clear division of society. [Otherwise] the strong tyrannize the weak, the intelligent frighten the stupid, the inferior resist the superior, and the young mock the old.
XUNZI

Evil Misery Misfortune Quarrel
They are done merely for ornament. … the common people regard them as supernatural.
XUNZI

Common Done Merely Ornament People Regard Supernatural
If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony.
XUNZI

Balance Blood Calm Harmony Humor Robust Strong
The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him.
XUNZI

Believe Boast Desire Eager Make Man Other Pretty Should
When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.
XUNZI

Activity Agriculture Concentrate Frugal Industry Moderate Rest Sharp
I once tried standing up on my toes to see far out in the distance, but I found that I could see much farther by climbing to a high place.
XUNZI

Climb Could Far Farther Found High Once Out Place See Stand Toe Tries
When people lack teachers, their tendencies are not corrected; when they do not have ritual and moral principles, then their lawlessness is not controlled.
XUNZI

Control Correct Lack Lawlessness More People Ritual Teacher Tendency
Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.
XUNZI

Concern Devotion Feel Longing Sacrifice
Sacrifice is a state of mind in which our thoughts turn with longing [toward Heaven, the Ancestors], It is the supreme expression of loyalty, love, and respect.
XUNZI

Ancestor Expression Heaven Longing Love Loyalty Mind Respect Sacrifice State Supreme Through
The drum is surely the lord of music, is it not?
XUNZI

Drum Feel Lord Music Surely
The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound.
XUNZI

Bound Broken Cause Pilable Right Themselves
Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.
XUNZI

Capable Conversely Gentlemen Love Petty Same
If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one’s desires are many, what harm would they be to good order?
XUNZI

Approve Conform Desire Even Good Heat Many Order Pattern Proper
Thus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal.
XUNZI

Anybody Conflicts Convention Follow Give led Nature Quarrel Rule Society State
I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.
XUNZI

Day Entire Found Less Moment Once Study Think Valuable
If you wish to see the thousand years, look at today; if you wish to understand the millionfold, then look at the one or the two.
XUNZI

Look Millionfold One Thousand Today Two Understand Wish Year
Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles.
XUNZI

Acquire Become Correct Moral Must Taught Nature Orderly People Principle Since Teacher

There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.

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There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men.

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Popular Authors

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