Attribution note: This quote is commonly attributed to this author, but its original source is disputed or unverified.
About Confucius
551 BC – 479 BC
Ancient Chinese philosopher and teacher whose teachings on ethics, family, and governance shaped East Asian thought for millennia. His Analects remain widely studied today.
See all 39 Confucius quotes →More from Confucius
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
Related quotes
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
“Learn what dwells in man, what is not given to man, and what men live by.”
“We must all learn to live together as brothers, or we will all perish together as fools.”
“The more that learn to read the less learn how to make a living.”