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" I once tried thinking for an entire day, but I found it less valuable than one moment of study. "

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" I say that human nature is the original beginning and the raw material, and deliberate effort is what makes it patterned, ordered, and exalted. "

" Music is a fantastic peacekeeper of the world, it is integral to harmony, and it is a required fundamental of human emotion. "

" If the quickness of the mind and the fluency of the tongue are too punctilious and sharp, moderate them in your activity and rest. "

" Pride and excess bring disaster for man. "

" If the blood humor is too strong and robust, calm it with balance and harmony. "

" I once tried standing up on my toes to see far out in the distance, but I found that I could see much farther by climbing to a high place. "

" The coming of honor or disgrace must be a reflection of one's inner power. "

" Mencius said that human nature is good. I disagree with that. "

" Therefore, a person should first be changed by a teacher's instructions, and guided by principles of ritual. Only then can he observe the rules of courtesy and humility, obey the conventions and rules of society, and achieve order. "

" If there were no human nature, then there would be nothing for deliberate effort to be applied to. If there were no deliberate effort, then human nature would not be able to beautify itself. "

" Thus, anybody who follows this nature and gives way its states will be led into quarrels and conflicts, and go against the conventions and rules of society, and will end up a criminal. "

" There are successful scholars, public-spirited scholars, upright scholars, cautious scholars, and those who are merely petty men. "

" A person is born with feelings of envy and hate. If he gives way to them, they will lead him to violence and crime, and any sense of loyalty and good faith will be abandoned. "

" Those whose character is mean and vicious will rouse others to animosity against them. "

" Whether the gentleman is capable or not, he is loved all the same; conversely the petty man is loathed all the same. "

" If the gentleman has ability, he is magnanimous, generous, tolerant, and straightforward, through which he opens the way to instruct others. "

Straightforward

" The person attempting to travel two roads at once will get nowhere. "

" A person is born with a liking for profit. "

" The rigid cause themselves to be broken; the pliable cause themselves to be bound. "

" If what the heart approves conforms to proper patterns, then even if one's desires are many, what harm would they be to good order? "

" If knowledge and foresight are too penetrating and deep, unify them with ease and sincerity. "

" Human nature is such that people are born with a love of profit If they follow these inclinations, they will struggle and snatch from each other, and inclinations to defer or yield will die. "

" Quarreling over food and drink, having neither scruples nor shame, not knowing right from wrong, not trying to avoid death or injury, not fearful of greater strength or of greater numbers, greedily aware only of food and drink - such is the bravery of the dog and boar. "

" When you locate good in yourself, approve of it with determination. When you locate evil in yourself, despise it as something detestable. "

" Human nature and deliberate effort must unite, and then the reputation of the sage and the work of unifying all under Heaven are thereupon brought to completion. "

" Since the nature of people is bad, to become corrected they must be taught by teachers and to be orderly they must acquire ritual and moral principles. "

" The petty man is eager to make boasts, yet desires that others should believe in him. He enthusiastically engages in deception, yet wants others to have affection for him. He conducts himself like an animal, yet wants others to think well of him. "

" If the impulse to daring and bravery is too fierce and violent, stay it with guidance and instruction. "

" When you concentrate on agriculture and industry and are frugal in expenditures, Heaven cannot impoverish your state. "

" When a man sees something desirable, he must reflect on the fact that with time it could come to involve what is detestable. When he sees something that is beneficial, he should reflect that sooner or later it, too, could come to involve harm. "