Two hundred and eighty years before Christ, Epicurus said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Three hundred and fifty years before Christ, Socrates said: “Act toward others as you desire them to act toward you.”
Three hundred and seventy years before Christ, Aristippus said: “Cherish reciprocal benevolence, which will make you as anxious for another’s welfare as your own.”
Three hundred and eighty-five years before Christ, Aristotle wrote: “We should conduct ourselves toward others, as we would have them act toward us.”
Four hundred years before Christ, Sextus said: “What you wish your neighbors to be to you, such be also to them.”
Four hundred and twenty years before Christ, Plato wrote: “May I do to others as I would have them do to me.”
Five hundred years before Christ, Confucius taught: “Do unto another what you would have him do to you, and do not to another what you would not have him do unto you: it is the foundation principle of all the rest.” (24th Maxim Confucius.) Jesus concludes by saying, “For this is the law and the prophets,” and Confucius closes his rule by observing, “Thou only needst this law alone; it is the foundation and principle of all the rest.”
And it should not be overlooked that Jesus, in thus attributing the golden rule to “the law and the prophets,” disclaims its authorship. Confucius does the same.
Six hundred years before Christ, Thales said: “Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.”
Six hundred and fifty years before Christ, Pittacus taught: “Do not do to your neighbor what you would take ill from him.”