FREE: The Sayings of Confucius a Mentor Classic 1957

Confucius was born in 550 BCE. The Jesuits who carried his teachings to Europe called him Confucius, although his name was K'ung Fu-tzu. He died in 479 BCE at age 71.

Confucius did not write The Sayings of Confucius. Some scholars think that it was composed by a disciple of his based on what his teacher actually said. However, there are passages that speak of events long after his death. The general consensus is that the book was composed by students or admirers around 400 BCE. The following are a sample of sayings:

* Smooth words and fawning looks are seldom found with love.
* Put faithfulness and truth first; have no friends unlike thyself; be not ashamed to mend thy ways.
* A gentleman that does not seek to eat his fill...may be said to love learning.
* Not to be known is no sorrow. My sorrow is not knowing men.
* A gentleman puts words into action first, and follows them with words.
* Learning without thought is naught; thought without learning is dangerous.
* To know what we know, and know what we do not know, is wisdom.