By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection; second, by imitation; third, by experience.
In plain words
You get wise by thinking, by copying good examples, and by trying things.
Where these words come from
- 55% sureLots of sources credit Confucius with this, and they agree with each other. The book or the speech it first came from hasn't turned up yet.
- Attributed to The Analects via 20th-century compilations (Chambers 1997; Montapert 1986); wording unmatched to a primary classical text
