Laozi

The perfect square lacks corners.

— Laozi

Simple, like uncarved wood.

— Laozi

The Tao's principle is spontaneity.

— Laozi

What's the difference between yes and no?

— Laozi

The small is easy to scatter.

— Laozi

The rigid tree will be felled.

— Laozi

Be who you are, and go the whole way.

— Laozi

Pursue without interfering.

— Laozi

Searching for precious goods leads astray.

— Laozi

Stay at the center and let all things take their course.

— Laozi

Peace and quiet are preferred. Victory should not be praised.

— Laozi

Solve it before it happens. Order it before chaos emerges.

— Laozi

The sage regards things as difficult, and thereby avoids difficulty.

— Laozi

Rule your mind with serenity rather than with force and manipulation.

— Laozi

The wise man doesn't compete; therefore nobody can compete with him.

— Laozi

One who believes in himself has no need to convince others.

— Laozi

That the soft overcomes the hard, and the yielding overcomes the resistant, is a fact known by all, but practiced by few.

— Laozi

To the good I would be good; to the not-good I would also be good, in order to make them good.

— Laozi

Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.

— Laozi

Supreme good is like water. Water greatly benefits all things, without conflict. It flows through places that people loathe. Thereby it is…

— Laozi

Learn from the people. Plan with the people. Begin with what they have. Build on what they know.

— Laozi

Surrender your self-interest. Love others as much as you love yourself. Then you can be entrusted with all things under heaven.

— Laozi

Force is followed by loss of strength. This is not the way of the Tao. That which goes against the Tao comes…

— Laozi

It is because every one tinder Heaven recognizes beauty as beauty that the idea of ugliness exists.

— Laozi

In order to contract, It is necessary first to expand. In order to weaken, It is necessary first to strengthen. In order…

— Laozi

Why is the sea king of a hundred streams? Because it lies below them... If the sage would guide the people, he…

— Laozi

Seeing the small is called Clarity. Keeping flexible is called Strength. Using the shining Radiance, You enter the Light, Where no harm…

— Laozi

The natural laws of the universe are inviolable... what you say and do determines what happens in your life... You are the…

— Laozi

Just as the value of a house lies in its location, The value of a mind lies in its depth, The value…

— Laozi

When the Way is lost there is virtue. When virtue is lost there is benevolence. When benevolence is lost there is righteousness.…

— Laozi

If princes and kings could follow it (Tao), all things would by themselves abide, Heaven and Earth would unite and sweet dew…

— Laozi

The Tao gives birth to One. One gives birth to yin and yang. Yin and yang give birth to all things... The…

— Laozi

What honor can there be without humility? What heights can be reached without being low? The pieces of a chariot are useless…

— Laozi

In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious, the earth is solid and full, all creature flourish together, content…

— Laozi

Arms are instruments of ill omen… When one is compelled to use them, it is best to do so without relish. There…

— Laozi

All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power. If you want to…

— Laozi

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever…

— Laozi

The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine…

— Laozi

The supreme good is like water, which nourishes all things without trying to. It is content with the low places that people…

— Laozi

True words aren't eloquent; eloquent words aren't true. Wise men don't need to prove their point; men who need to prove their…

— Laozi