He who rules by moral force is like the polar star, which

remains in its place while all the lesser stars do homage to

it.
Confucius
I can guess that somehow what Confucius is trying to tell is
about when a man is good in deed. And what then if a man is good?
What is the outcome of being good to ones self? Confucius is
persuading us to be good though the positive effect of having moral
force.
Moral force here means the good things or deeds one makes. It
means it is a positive motivational influence. For example He who
rules by moral force is like the polar star means someone who poses
goodness in him or her. It means being influential in a good way. Here
Confucius is talking about the North Star, Polaris, which is constant and
never moving. He is comparing this to when you have good morals.
When having good morals you will find your own place, where you
belong. Its like when you do something good to others they will do the
same and you will have a place in their lives. Although Im not sure this
is what Confucius means it is what I believe in.
This quote is somewhat a cause and effect kind. Like when you
do a kind gesture towards a person this person will look at you as good
person. A person does well to others and people will respect them.
People will approve them if others do something good to them.
Since others want to be respected they need to have qualities in
them that people may approve to. They need to be gentle, kind,
generous or anything that may appeal to others. Because of that you
will gain much more than you think. You will gain their trust, their own
kindness, approval, and of course their respect.
I can also say that in a way it says that although you stay the
same good man people will always come to you. If you stay the same
and dont change people will always go to the person who is good and
just. Because is what people seek now a days, a friendly smile and a
kind heart.

-JMV

A gentleman can see a question from all sides without bias.

The small man is biased and can see a question from only
one side.
-Confucius

A gentleman is a chivalrous, courteous, or an honorable man.

These men are polite and formal towards people especially in women.
Although here Confucius is referring gentleman as someone who is not
biased and is equal to everyone.
In this saying he categorizes a gentleman to a person who sees
not only at one point but in all sides possible. He does not rush to
conclusions and does not have a side or favoritism on a person, thing
or argument. Although it is quite different than the real meaning I still
think that it is only to prove a point or to have more emphasis in the
saying.
But he not only talks about how a gentleman is someone who
look at all sides and is not biased but also small man. A small man is
I guess someone who is small? Or maybe someone who has not grown
yet into a man? What I do know is that a small man is the opposite of a
gentleman. He or she is biased and see something in just one point.
For example when someone sees a problem as just a problem he
can be considered as a small man. But when a person sees a problem
as a lesson or an opportunity he is a gentleman. Another example is
when a person got involved in a fight and you someone became a
spectator in that fight that someone must look at the fight in all angles
to be the gentleman. Also if he or she is biased because he is friends
with that person he or she is a small person in the eyes of Confucius.
Maybe the reason as to why he said this is to let the people
know their place. To let them realize what they really are and what
they are categorized as. He told this to persuade and let us know who
we are.

-JMV

Behave in such a way that your father and mother have no

anxiety about you, except concerning our health.
-Confucius

Our parents are the ones who took care of us all these years.
Even though they sacrificed a lot for us they expect nothing in return.
Although we may think that being good or studying well for a good
college it is not for them but rather for our own good. Thats why in
return even if they didnt ask for it we must do good in everything we
do.
In our teenage years we tend to be rebellious. This is the stage of
our lives wherein we become emotional. We do things out of boredom
or just for the fun of it. What we dont know is the stupidity we do
affect not only us but also our parents. As I said our parents didnt ask
much from us so in return we need to give them a bright future for
them to be proud of. We need to make them feel anxious or worried.
This is what I think Confucius is saying.
Before we listen to our parents because we need guidance but
now we think we can live without them that we are mature enough to
live on our own or that we dont need the concern of our parents. And
if we fail our parents will still be there with open arms. Thats why in
return we need to be strong and everything they dreamt us to be.
Behaving in such a way wherein we dont disgrace the name of our
family. Behaving in a way our parents would be proud of. Behaving in a
way we dont let our parents worry.
I can also tell that this saying or ordering rather, to be good for
our parents. That we need to be the child every parent wants. If not
that then at least be someone they can be proud of. To be a child they
can tell their friends to with pride. And not someone that needed to be
patrolled twenty four seven all the time by their parents because
theyre not trusted.

-JMV

In the presence of a good man, think all the time how you
may learn to equal him. In the presence of a bad man, turn
your gaze within!
-Confucius
A good man is someone that does well. They are people that are
generous enough to give you food when you are hungry, are kind
enough to help you when you fall and loving enough to take good care
of the people around him or him. In short a good man is many things,
that is why many envy them.
A bad man is the opposite of a good man. He does things
recklessly, never care about anything, and they never feel guilty. Well
that is to put it dramatically but the gist of it is a bad man is just that,
bad.
Confucius is trying to let us know that whenever we see or know
someone that is good always remember to be at that level, to be
someone as good as him. Never envy them for being loved by other
people because there is a reason as to why they do. So instead be
equal as him, be a good man to everyone. In his presence we must
learn to equal him we must be as good as he is. Not for others but for
ones self.
Another understanding to this saying is how the people around
you affect your whole self. If you are with good people youll be
influenced to be one. When people around you are all the same and
you are the only one whos not then youll be quickly influenced by
them. Thats why this saying goes well with the quote Tell me who
your friends are, and Ill tell you who you are.
Though if your friends are bad people, then theres also a chance
for you to be one too. If all they do is do bad things and make people
lives miserable then youd probably do the same even though before
youre not that kind of person. Then again it is your choice to go to that
rode and be one of them, but remember that its your fault for not
choosing the right thing. Even though I said that you can still change if
you want to, nothing is impossible after all.

-JMV

"In old days men studied for the sake of self-improvement;

nowadays men study in order to impress other people."
- Confucius
Self-improvement is when someone wants to improve
or excel in something. This is for me, the key of being
successful in life. Self-improvement essential for itll be the
reason as to why we will be successful. Studying for selfimprovement will be a factor of having a great life in the
near future.
But why do we study so hard? Why do we sacrifice a lot
of things just to have a great mark in school? Personally, I
think that Confucius really hit the nail in this saying, before a
lot of people study for their own sake. They study because
they need to improve.
Now? I think that its true that people just want to
impress others. They want to let everybody know that they
carry knowledge. They didnt do for them self; they just want
people to know that they have knowledge. I think its
because its necessary to be approved by other people.
Although sometimes I guess that in order to impress
people we tend to self-improve but Confucius is saying that
in their mindset of studying they want to impress and not for
the sake of self-improving. The reason as to why they study
is to impress and not for improvement.
Its funny and ironic how Confucius said this so many
years ago. Although I think that its because his sayings are
universal and can still be used until now. Without these kind
of universal sayings we would have fallen.
-JMV