Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·49 of 348
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. — Confucius"
They never said that.
What people say
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. — Confucius"
What was actually said
"No documented pre-1980s source; the saying is not in any Confucian text." Confucius (spuriously) — Attribution undocumented
Why it stuck
Earliest print citations are American career-advice books from the late 20th century. Attribution to Confucius provides authority the phrase does not inherit from any translated source.
A 1982 Princeton Alumni Weekly column by Arthur Szathmary is an early appearance, without the Confucius tag.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.