Lao Tzu

“The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.”

“Simplicity has no name is free of desires. Being free of desires it is tranquil. And the world will be at peace of it's own accord.”

“When pure sincerity forms within, it is outwardly realized in other people's hearts.”

“The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”

“Men are born soft and supple; dead they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.”

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”

“Learn from the people Plan with the people Begin with what they have Build on what they know Of the best leaders When the task is accomplished The people will remark We have done it ourselves.”

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.”

“When the world knows beauty as beauty, ugliness arises.”

“Existence is beyond the power of wordsTo define:Terms may be usedBut are none of them absolute.In the beginning of heaven and earth there were no words,Words came out of the womb of matter;And whether a man dispassionatelySees to the core of lifeOr passionatelySees the surface,The core and the surfaceAre essentially the same,Words making them seem differentOnly to express appearance.If name be needed, wonder names them both:From wonder into wonderExistence opens.”

“Stop thinking, and end your problems.What difference between yes and no?What difference between success and failure?Must you value what others value,avoid what others avoid?How ridiculous!Other people are excited,as though they were at a parade.I alone don't care,I alone am expressionless,like an infant before it can smile.Other people have what they need;I alone possess nothing.I alone drift about,like someone without a home.I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.Other people are bright;I alone am dark.Other people are sharp;I alone am dull.Other people have purpose;I alone don't know.I drift like a wave on the ocean,I blow as aimless as the wind.I am different from ordinary people.I drink from the Great Mother's breasts.”

“When the people of the world all know beauty as beauty, there arises the recognition of ugliness. When they all know the good as good, there arises the recognition of evil.”

“The way is easy stay on the path.”

“Great acts are made up of small deeds.”

“Thirty spokes share one hub in non-being lies the use of the cart knead clay to make vessels in non-being lies the use of the vessel cut out doors and windows to make a housetherefore form being comes what is usable and from non-being comes what is essential.”

“The way of heaven is to help and not harm.”

“True words are not fancy. Fancy words are not true. The good do not debate. Debaters are not good.”

“There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.”

“The best fighter is never angry.”

“If you want to lead them you must place yourself behind them.”

“Manage affairs before they are in a mess.”

“The difficult problems in life always start off being simple. Great affairs always start off being small.”

“Respond to anger with virtue. Deal with difficulties while they are still easy. Handle the great while it is still small.”

“If I had just a little bit of wisdom I should walk the great path and fear only straying from it.”

“Loss is not as bad as wanting more.”

“Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose.”

“The ruler attains wholeness in the correct governance of the people.”

“The master dwells in the substantial and not in the superficial. Rests in the fruit and not in the flower.”

“When things flourish they decline.”

“Accomplish but do not boast, accomplish without show, accomplish without arrogance, accomplish without grabbing, accomplish without forcing.”

“The sage shuns excess, shuns grandiosity, shuns arrogance.”

“Know glory but cleave to humiliation.”

“A good traveler leaves no tracks. Good speech lacks fault-finding.”

“If you show yourself, you will not be seen. If you affirm yourself, you will not shine. If you boast, you will have no merit. If you promote yourself, you will have no success.”

“Composure is the ruler of instability.”

“If you are untrustworthy, people will not trust you.”

“To speak little is natural. Therefore a gale does not blow a whole morning nor does a downpour last a whole day.”

“She does not show herself, and therefore is apparent. She does not affirm herself, and therefore is acknowledged. She does not boast and therefore has merit. She does not strive and therefore is successful. It is exactly because she does not contend, that nobody can contend with her.”

“With few there is attainment. With much there is confusion.”

“Possessing rare treasures brings about harmful behavior.”

“Racing and hunting madden our minds.”

“Act without expectation.”

“Boasting of wealth and virtue brings your demise.”

“An over sharpened sword cannot last long. ”

“Is it not through her selflessness that she is able to perfect herself?”

“The sage puts herself last and is first.”

“If you do not value rare treasures, you will stop others from stealing.”

“The sage produces without possessing, acts without expectations, and accomplishes without abiding in her accomplishments. It is precisely because she does not abide in them that they never leave her.”

“Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force.”

“Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?”