Silence is a source of great strength.
— Lao Tzu
All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.
The sage does not hoard. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself, The more he gives to others, the more he gets himself. The Way of Heaven does one good but never does one harm. The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete.
Treat those who are good with goodness, and also treat those who are not good with goodness. Thus goodness is attained. Be honest to those who are honest, and be also honest to those who are not honest. Thus honesty is attained.
Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
He who talks more is sooner exhausted.
Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.
Great acts are made up of small deeds.
The people are hungry: It is because those in authority eat up too much in taxes.
Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'
One who is too insistent on his own views, finds few to agree with him.
The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.
People in their handlings of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure.
Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens.
The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast; even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covet praise; yet cannot avoid its rewards in honours.
It is better to do one's own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never sins.
A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.
When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning.
Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.
An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.
From wonder into wonder existence opens.
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.
Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.
The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
The career of a sage is of two kinds: He is either honored by all in the world, Like a flower waving its head, Or else he disappears into the silent forest.
Of all that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just. Perseverance is the foundation of all actions.
Great indeed is the sublimity of the Creative, to which all beings owe their beginning and which permeates all heaven.
To see things in the seed, that is genius.
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge.
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses.
If the Great Way perishes there will morality and duty. When cleverness and knowledge arise great lies will flourish. When relatives fall out with one another there will be filial duty and love. When states are in confusion there will be faithful servants.
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.
