Every duty is a charge, but the charge of oneself is the root of all others.
– Mencius
Evil exists to glorify the good. Evil is negative good. It is a relative term. Evil can be transmuted into good. What is evil to one at one time, becomes good at another time to somebody else.
– Mencius
Friendship is one mind in two bodies.
– Mencius
He who attends to his greater self becomes a great man, and he who attends to his smaller self becomes a small man.
– Mencius
If the king loves music, there is little wrong in the land.
– Mencius
It is not difficult to govern. All one has to do is not to offend the noble families.
– Mencius
Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.
– Mencius
Let not a man do what his sense of right bids him not to do, nor desire what it forbids him to desire. This is sufficient. The skillful artist will not alter his measures for the sake of a stupid workman.
– Mencius
Mankind fears an evil man but heaven does not.
– Mencius
The great man is he who does not lose his child-heart. He does not think beforehand that his words shall be sincere, nor that his acts shall be resolute; he simply abides in the right.
– Mencius
There is no greater delight than to be conscious of sincerity on self-examination.
– Mencius
Truth uttered before its time is always dangerous.
– Mencius
We live, not as we wish to, but as we can.
– Mencius
Men must be decided on what they will not do, and then they are able to act with vigor in what they ought to do.
– Mencius
Never has a man who has bent himself been able to make others straight.