作为一部优秀的语录体散文集，《论语》以言简意赅、含蓄隽永的语言，记述了孔子的言论。《论语》中所记孔子循循善诱的教诲之言，或简单应答，点到即止；或启发论辩，侃侃而谈；富于变化，娓娓动人。

(一）子曰：“学而时习之，不亦悦乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎？”
the master said, to learn and at due times to repeat what one has learned, is that not after all a pleasure? that friends should come to one from afar, is this not after all delightful? to remain unsoured even though one's merits are unrecognized by others, is that not after all what is expected of a gentleman?

(二）子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。”
the master said, "at fifteen i set my heart upon learning. at thirty, i planted my feet firm upon the ground. at forty, i no longer suffered from perplexities. at fifty, i knew what were the biddings of heaven. at sixty, i heard them with docile ear. at seventy, i could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what i desired no longer overstepped the boundaries of right."

(三）子曰：“贤哉回也！一箪食，一瓢饮，在陋巷，人不堪其忧，回也不改其乐。贤哉回也！”
the master said, incomparable indeed was hui! a handful of rice to eat, a gourdful of water to drink, living in a mean street. others would have found it unendurably depressing, but to hui's cheerfulness it made no difference at all. incomparable indeed was hui!