What is over and done with, one does not discuss. What has already taken its course, one does not criticize; what already belongs to the past, one does not censure.

成事不说、遂事不谏、既往不咎。

Confucius

Quoted in Analects

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More information about this quote

Topic

Letting go of the past The past

Speaker

Confucius

Source

Analects

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Chinese

Time

221 BC 220s BC 3rd century BC

Occupation

Philosopher

From

China Asia

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

Confucius. 論語 [The Analects]. c. 479 BCE.

Current Citation

Confucius. The Analects, edited and translated by Annping Chin. Penguin Classics, 2014.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Confucius about letting go of the past: “What is over and done with, one does not discuss. What has already…”
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A quote by Confucius about letting go of the past: “What is over and done with, one does not discuss. What has already…”
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A quote by Confucius about letting go of the past: “What is over and done with, one does not discuss. What has already…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote about The past

For the one thing even God cannot do is change the past.

Agathon

Quoted in The Nicomachean Ethics, by Aristotle

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More information about this quote
Topic
God's power God Changing the past The past
Speaker
Agathon

Author

Aristotle
Source
The Nicomachean Ethics
Genre
Philosophical literature
Language
Greek
Time
5th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation

Agathon. Quoted in Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia [Nicomachean Ethics], written by Aristotle. c. 350 BC, bk. 6.

Current Citation

Agathon. Quoted in Nicomachean Ethics, written by Aristotle, translated by Terence Irwin. Hackett Publishing Company, 2019, bk. 6, ch. 2.

Another quote originally in Chinese

Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.

Sun Tzu

The Art of War

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More information about this quote
Topic
Military strategy

Author

Sun Tzu
Source
The Art of War
Medium
Treatise
Genre
Military treatise
Language
Chinese
Time
490 BC 490s BC 5th century BC
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation

Sun Tzu. 孫子兵法 [The Art of War]. c. 475 BC, ch. 6.

Current Citation

Sun Tzu. The Art of War: The Essential Translation of the Classic Book of Life, translated by John Minford. Penguin Classics, 2009, ch. 6.