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Where it is permissible both to die and not to die, it is an abuse of valour to die.

Mencius

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Mencius
Philosopher
Writer
Zhulou
Meng Ke
ሜንግዙ
Meng-tze
Permissible
Valour
Abuse
Dies
Death

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If the King loves music, it is well with the land.
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When the men of antiquity realized their wishes, benefits were conferred by them on the people. If they did not realize their wishes, they cultivated their personal character, and became illustrious in the world. If poor, they attended to their own virtue in solitude if advanced to dignity, they made the whole empire virtuous as well.
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A man must not be without shame, for the shame of being without shame is shamelessness indeed.
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To lay hold of the mean without taking into account the occasion is like grasping one thing only.
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Only when someone refuses to do certain things will he be capable of doing great things.
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When Heaven is about to confer a great office upon you, it first exercises your mind with suffering and your sinews and bones with toil.
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Virtue alone is not sufficient for the exercise of government laws alone cannot carry themselves into practice.
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The path of duty lies in what is near, and men seek for it in what is remote the work of duty lies in what is easy, and men seek for it in what is difficult.
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Water indeed will flow indifferently to the east or west, but will it flow indifferently up or down? The tendency of our nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downwards. There are none but have this tendency to good, just as all water flows downward.
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In abundance prepare for scarcity.
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He who loves others is constantly loved by them. He who respects others is constantly respected by them.
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Heaven sees as the people see. Heaven hears as the people hear.
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