“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?”

Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them.

If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity.

They are done merely for ornament. … the common people regard them as supernatural.

I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study.

The noble person uses things; the lesser man is used by things.

Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same.

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.

When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state.

You look upon the seasons with expectation and await them: wy not seize the seasonal opportunities and exploit them?

Sacrifices are concerned with the feelings of devotion and longing.

Pride and excess bring disaster for man.

Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.

Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that.

Music is a fantastic peacekeeper of the world, it is integral to harmony, and it is a required fundamental of human emotion.

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.

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.

Focus on impact, not approval. If you believe you can change the world, which I hope you do, do what you believe is right and expect resistance and expect attackers. Keep calm and carry on!

Abstinence is approved of God.

I am dragged along by a strange new force. Desire and reason are pulling in different directions. I see the right way and approve it, but follow the wrong.

I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not know.

I try more and more to be myself, caring relatively little whether people approve or disapprove.

I would love to have an ocean of love right now. That said, the number-one rule of acting is, ‘Do not seek approval from the audience.’ People don’t realize that. You can’t do stuff to get applause. You have to live in the truth.

A moral being is one who is capable of reflecting on his past actions and their motives – of approving of some and disapproving of others.

It doesn’t matter who likes you or doesn’t like you, all that matters is that God likes you. He accepts you, he approves of you.