Confucius

1. The rules of proper conduct serve as instruments to form men’s characters. They remove from a man all wickedness and increase what is beautiful in his nature. They make him correct.

2. There are three degrees of devotion to our parents. The highest is being a credit to our parents; the next is not disgracing them; and the lowest is merely being able to support them.

3. The services of love and reverence (deep respect) to parents when alive and those of grief and sorrow for them when dead; these completely discharge the duty of living men.

4. Lead the people by laws and regulate them by penalties, and the people will try to keep out of jail, but will have no sense of shame. Lead the people by virtue and restrain them by the rules of decorum (proper behavior) and the people will have a sense of shame, and moreover will become good.

5. If a ruler himself is upright, all will go well without orders (laws). But if he himself is not upright, even though he gives orders they will not be obeyed.

6. If you can control your selfish desires and subject them to the rules of propriety (being proper) and if you can do this for a single day, it is the beginning of “jen” for the entire world. Jen is self-sufficient and comes from your inner self; it requires no outside help.

Jen = being humane

7. When you meet a person outside of your house, greet him as if he were a great noble. If as a government official you have to impose duties on the people, you should approach your task with the same seriousness that you would use in performing a religious ritual. Don’t do to others what you yourself do not desire.

8. To be able to practice five virtues—courtesy, charity, good faith, diligence, and kindness—constitutes humanity (jen).

9. Daily I examine myself on three points: Have I failed to be loyal in my work for others? Have I been false with my friends? Have I failed to pass on that which I was taught?

10. Great Man cherishes excellence; Petty Man, his own comfort. Great Man cherishes rules and regulations; Petty Man, special favors.

11. Do not worry about not holding high position; worry rather about playing your proper role. Worry not that no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing.

12. When strict with oneself one rarely fails.

13. The gentleman calls attention to the good points in others; he does not call attention to their defects. The small man does just the reverse of this.

14. The gentleman is dignified but never haughty; common people are haughty but never dignified.

15. A gentleman is distressed by his own lack of capacity; he is never distressed at the failure of others to recognize his merits.

16. A gentleman does not accept men because of what they say, nor reject sayings because the speaker is what he is.