By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.
He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
It is easy to hate and it is difficult to love. This is how the whole scheme of things works. All good things are difficult to achieve; and bad things are very easy to get.
It is more shameful to distrust our friends than to be deceived by them.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself!
Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance.
Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
Confucius (born around 551 B.C.) was a Chinese thinker and philosopher.
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wow, wonderful words!!
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
and really, experiience is the bitterest means to learn anything……
Thanx sir!!
love it .. so true :)
Hermosisimas reflexiones que a pesar del tiempo siguen vigentes. Gracias Pablo por recordarnoslas!!
PARA OBTENER SABIDURIA DEBEMOS REFLECCIONAR Y HAPRENDER POR EJEMPLOS AJENOS (IMITAR) Y NO EXPONER NUESTRO PROPIO PELLEJO (EXPERIENCIA) PUES ESO NOS ALIVIANARA UNA MEJOR CONVIVENCIA EN NUESTRO MUNDO ACTUAL.
Its great to read such thoughts.
Its not like reading an article, but like
reading ourself….
Loved those words of wisdom. Thank you, Master.
Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself.
Isn’t it a bit pretentious? After all if everyone followed it who can decide who is better than whom?
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
This one I really like. I do and I understand…it gives a real dimension to experience and it distrusts words…I hear and forget…
the original phrase for “Never contract friendship with a man that is not better than thyself” in Chinese is 无友不如己.
It is still debatable as how best to explain this phrase without changing the meaning. but of course, all explanation /translation will still come with different meaning even when it’s done in Chinese with best effort.
A few examples – do not contract friendship with a man that is not of the same interest; do not assume a man is no better than yourself; do not contract friendship with a man of lower morality standard…etc.
and the fun part is – there is no one right answer since we can never find out the true meaning from the writer.
My humble interpretation is – they are all correct. it’s the whole philosophy of having the friends that we can learn from, grow with, and the believe that everyone can be our teacher at some point.
cheers.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
why are we so averse to work.
not everyone can choose a job they love, for better or worse most of us maybe alreday doing some work; so till we find a job we love, let’s love the job we have. and i tell u it’s the same thing, what u love is not as important as to love.
love
Thak you Paulo for such wonderful words.
There’s nothing else so add to these words.
The Extraordinary lives in the path of common people.
Love.
Chris
i just have a question..why is the symbol for this blog is a sword with a circle in it??im just confused..
If I am walking with two other men, each of them will serve as my teacher. I will pick out the good points of the one and imitate them, and the bad points of the other and correct them in myself.
-sometimes many of us are afraid to correct the wron ongs of our friends but we should for first of all we are their friends and they trust us.
Truly said by Confucius, change is supreme and always brings out something better……
And it’s also true that the wisest and the stupidest men do not change since they are too stubborn to understand the good changes around them and are too dumb to even imitate them………
Always inspired by Chinese philosophy, wise and remarkable.
Muy cierto..Todo..
la sabiduria,se obtiene de escuchar,observar,experimentar..no creer que uno lo sabe todo..siempre estar dispuesto a aprender..y modificar los errores de uno mismo..La vida es un eterno aprendizaje..un intrcambio..damos y recibimos..Besos..
Love those reflexions, that wisedom
I always refer to that one that says to straighten up the world, one has to straigthen up his interior world.
I must add when I read those words of wisedom from ancient times, ancient people, I wonder always why all those who seek with analysis, scientific this and that do not just read and reflect on those that are simple and so profound and who gives answers. I now today am more of no more rejecting all that is old and all that is new. I am more of melting both, taking back what of the old is wisedom and utilizing what is new to complete it, etc … I pray that those words that are still full of power continue to reach the human being’s heart.
Love, Jojo.
Que maravilla poder leer su pagina todos los dias , con la esperanza de encontrar un pensamiento bello y profundo, para despertar las almas, GRACIAS !!!! Saludos a tod@s
i agreed with what our character of the week, confucius, said.
life is simple but we insist on making it complicated.
that was true…
I just don’t agree with confucius in so many ways. in the west, people know his words of wisdom. But one of the main elements in his teachings is obedience, and that created a people easy to govern and never saying “STOP”. Obey authorities, your husband, the elde, your teacher….as long as you don’t ask questions and don’t think for yourself, everything’s perfect…? a big piece of crab, this philosophy, but perfect for authorities. makes ist easy for them.
Think about the real esence of obedience, what it realy means. Nobody can enslave you, can bend you, but due to your inner fears. That fears that were implanted by education, society, traditions, jaundices etc. Without them, and with faith, we can be our own master. I think that, in that period of history, Confucius had the wisdom to transcende the time and offer lessons to master and get through our own mind limits, like Mr. Coelho does in his books.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” You c. of the week, just made my sentence for 2011.
Thank You !
Oh btw the other sentences are great too…
Stunned..So true.
Estoy totalmente de acuerdo, que gran verdad con TODAS LAS COSAS CUENAS SON DIFICILES DE CONSEGUIR Y LAS COSAS MALAS MUY FACILES DE CONSEGUIR. (CONFUCIO).
“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”. Confucius
I heard this quote on Lyric Fm radio today BEFORE I knew he was your Character of the week Paulo.
Enjoyable quotes,
Love
Breda
“ES FÁCIL ODIAR Y DIFÍCIL AMAR…”, PERO, LO QUE RESULTA, EN OCASIONES IMPOSIBLE, ES PERDONAR… VALOR QUE, HA SERES COMO A MÍ, ME HACE FALTA PRACTICAR…
Excelente e valiosa escolha! Outro grande Mestre!
Beijos! Muito obrigada por tudo! <3
I love Confucius’s thought. I totally agree with “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” People always tried to make things complicated. What is wrong with simply life?
ma come si fà a far capire agli altri che la vita è un dono semplice e dolce.siamo noi uomini che con il nostro orgoglio roviniamo tutto. quando fai del bene ricevi un’amore infinito, quando ti metti in discussione trovi una forza esaltante, quando comprendi gli altri e li perdoni non ti stai umiliando ma ti stai innalzando e il cuore scoppia per la grande emozione. Provare per credere
So the famous Cloning Confucius, is back, ha?? !! missed that one!! ;o)
Love and gratitude
Annie
que grande y virtuoso el ser humano que pueda poner en practica todos etas grandes lecciones de vida que grandes pensadores nos han enseña do, ojala poder liberarc de esa manera fuera tan facil como leer y dejar vagar el pensamiento. Vivan las palabras que nos dan aliento a seguir. Y que nos hacen pensar!!!:)
NO ME CANSO DE LEER TANTA SABIDURIA,TE AGRADEZCO QUE LA COMPARTAS GRACIAS
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