“When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe.”

“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.”

“If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness.”

“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).”

“With these three qualities, it cannot be made the subject of description; and hence we blend them together and obtain The One.”

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

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