What does this Confucious quote mean?

Question

"Those who are without virtue cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty or hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtues, the wise desire virtue."

Answer 1

The broad outline of Aristotle's teaching is found in the
and , where he writes at great length
of the human good. The good for man, according to Aristotle, is an
active use or exercise of those faculties which are distinctively
human, that is, the powers of mind and will, as distinct from the
lower faculties of feeling, nutrition and growth.

Human excellence thus defined shows itself in two forms: the habitual
subordination of the senses and lower tendencies to rational rule and
principle, and in the exercise of reason in the search for the
contemplation of truth. The former kind of excellence is described as
moral, the latter is intellectual virtue.

A well-known feature of Aristotle's ethics which deeply influenced
Aquinas is the theory that each of the moral virtues is a mean
between excess and defect; thus courage is a mean between cowardice
and rashness, and liberality is a mean between stinginess and
prodigality.

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basicly it is saying, if one has no good in himself, or for others (virtue) he will never be happy no matter what......goodness rest within itself, without it, there is no peace... or truth

Answer 2

Without virtue is to be without morals or real belief. You are virtuous in that you always go back to what you believe in, if you have no virtue, you are not happy because you cannot understand the steadiness and unfaltering of the virtuous.

Belief that there is good in all humans for example is a virtue, and if you believe this you will never give up on them, and you will recognize the goodness when it is demonstrated. Peace be with you.

Answer 3

The first sentence means that people need to have virtue to be able to live in whatever condition they are in, be it in a condition of poverty or hardship, or of enjoyment. Thus people need virtue not only in bad times but even in good times. The reason for that is something you and I need to reflect upon.

The second sentence which is related to the first, tells us that those who possess virtue find rest..they are at peace.. while the wise, knowing what virtue brings, desires it.

We observe how people who are virtuous are at peace in whatever condition they are in. It is virtue that makes them patient in times of uncertainty, and humble in happy times. If we are wise we should desire virtue to be like them.

Think of people whom you know are virtuous and see how this food for thought from Confucious is reflected in the way they live.

Answer 4

Poverty and hardship force a person to do things that may be wrong (not virtuous). People who have much enjoyment are sometimes doing wrong things also. People who only do good are comforted by the fact that they have done no wrong, but they don't have much else. A wise person knows that sometimes you have to do things that aren't virtuous but he wishes that he didn't have to.

Answer 5

I think what he meant was that people who encompass virtue (however he defined it) are better able to endure hardships and also enjoy happiness. That those without these virtues struggle more.

Answer 6

It means virtuitous activity is a virtue, but not for virgins.

Answer 7

Be virtuous and you will be a happy man. True.

Answer 8

it means, if you are not virtuous, you aint worth a chit

Answer 9

What does it mean? Are you serious? Confuscious is always full of clarity, he tells it like it is, right from the hip. He means what he says and if you don't get it, forget it.