Master Kung

Thom Potter

These are drawn from the teachings of Master Kung (A. K. A. Confucius), who lived about the time of Gautama Buddha, Ezra, Lau-Tzu, Sun-Tzu, and Emperor Jimmu of Japan. This was a time of great social stress and enlightenment.

The true gentleman is friendly, but not familiar: the inferior man is familiar, but not friendly.

The well-bred are dignified, but not pompous. The ill-bred are pompous, but not dignified.

When you see someone of worth, think of how you may emulate that person. When you see someone unworthy, examine your own character.

Is it not enough to think only twice and act once?

To go too far is as bad as to fall too short.

What you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others.

The Nobleman first practices what they preach and afterwards preaches according to their practice.

If, when you look into your own heart, you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?

What shall we say of the person whom all his fellow townsmen like? Is this sufficient? What is better is that the good among his fellows like him, and the evil hate him.

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