“If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed.”

“The flexible are preserved unbroken. The bent become straight. The empty are filled. The exhausted become renewed. The poor are enriched. The rich are confounded. Therefore the sage embraces the one. Because he doesn't display himself, people can see his light. Because he has nothing to prove, people can trust his words. Because he doesn't know who he is, people recognize themselves in him. Because he has no goal in mind, everything he does succeeds. The old saying that the flexible are preserved unbroken is surely right! If you have truely attained wholeness, everything will flock to you.”

“he who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged;”

“To consider this desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men; and he who delights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom.”

“The wise man is one who, knows, what he does not know.”

“He who knows other men is discerning;he who knows himself is intelligent.He who overcomes others is strong;he who overcomes himself is mighty.He who is satisfied with his lot is rich;he who goes on acting with energy has a (firm) will. He who does not fail in the requirements of his position, continues long;he who dies and yet does not perish, has longevity.”

“The farther that one goes out (from himself), the less he knows.”