On Human Relations
Superior men keep harmonious relations with each other but they never form cliques. On the contrary, inferior men tend to form cliques but fail to keep harmonious relations with each other.
I do not know what use a man can be put to, whose words are untruthful. How can a wagon be made to go if it has no yoke or a carriage, or if it has no harness?
If a gentleman always maintains reverence without ignorance behaves with courtesy to others, and observes the rules of ritual, then all within the Four Oceans are his brothers.
One must stand by one's words and must not stop one's action until success is achieved.
Superior men appreciate harmony instead of sameness whereas inferior men appreciate sameness instead of harmony.
How intolerable are those who tend to spend a whole day together without ever once mentioning things righteous, but are fond of performing petty acts of cunning.
A gentleman takes righteousness as-his character, the rites as a guide for his actions, honesty as the way to set out his plan, and sincerity as the means by which his plan is realized.
A gentleman is distressed by his own lack of capacity. He is never distressed at the failure of others to recognize his merits.
A gentleman is unyielding but not quarrelsome; he is agreeable but not cliquey.
Never do to others what you would not like them to do to you.
When it comes to benevolence, one need not avoid competing with one's teacher.
There are three sorts of friends that are helpful, and three sorts that are harmful. Friendship with the upright, with the trustworthy, and with the learned is helpful. Friendship with the obsequious, with the outwardly kind but inwardly wicked, and with those of cunning words is harmful.