“not to prize articles which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming thieves;”

“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.”

“not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep their minds from disorder.”

“All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small.”

“Therefore the sage desires what (other men) do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get; he learns what (other men) do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed by.”

“He constantly (tries to) keep them without knowledge and without desire, and where there are those who have knowledge, to keep them from presuming to act (on it).”

“Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves;”