Have you wondered what Confucious said about wisdom?
I have assembled the quotes for you.
All references to "wisdom"
(in bold font) are from The Analects of Confucius, translation by James
Legge. This version is available for
free download from Project Gutenberg. I
downloaded this version as a text file and did a text search on the word "wisdom."
BOOK V
CHAP. XVII.
The Master said, 'Tsang Wan kept a large tortoise in a house, on the capitals
of the pillars of which he had hills made, and with representations of duckweed
on the small pillars above the beams supporting the rafters.-- Of what sort was
his wisdom?'
BOOK V
CHAP. XX. The
Master said, 'When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Wu acted the part
of a wise man. When his country was in disorder, he acted the part of a stupid
man. Others may equal his wisdom,
but they cannot equal his stupidity.'
BOOK VI
CHAP. XX. Fan
Ch'ih asked what constituted wisdom.
The Master said, 'To give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men, and,
while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.' He asked about perfect virtue.
The Master said, 'The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his
first business, and success only a subsequent consideration; -- this may be
called perfect virtue.'
BOOK XVII
CHAP.
XXIV
1.
Tsze-kung said, 'Has the superior man his hatreds also?' The Master said, 'He
has his hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the
man who, being in a low station, slanders his superiors. He hates those who have
valour merely, and are unobservant of propriety. He hates those who are forward
and determined, and, at the same time, of contracted understanding.'
2. The Master
then inquired, 'Ts'ze, have you also your hatreds?' Tsze-kung replied, 'I hate
those who pry out matters, and ascribe the knowledge to their wisdom. I hate those who are only not
modest, and think that they are valorous. I hate those who make known secrets,
and think that they are straightforward.'
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