Quotes from Lao Tzu

He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty.

He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know.

He who knows enough is enough will always have enough.

He who knows others is wise.He who knows himself is enlightened.

He who tip-toes cannot stand he who strides cannot walk.

Manifest plainness, Embrace simplicity, Reduce selfishness, Have few desires.

No day shall erase you from the memory of time. An inscription on a wall from 911 by Virgil Aeneid.

One who is too insistent on his own views finds few to agree with him.

People are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge.

People in their handling of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure.

Pride attaches undue importance to the superiority of one's status in the eyes of others And shame is fear of humiliation at one's inferior status in the estimation of others. When one sets his heart on being highly esteemed, and achieves such rating, then he is automatically involved in fear of losing his status.

Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of happiness.

The best man is like water. Water is good it benefits all things and does not compete with them. It dwells in lowly places that all disdain. This is why it is so near to Tao.

The Eternal generates the One. The One generates the Two. The Two generates the Three. The Three generates all things.

The heavy is the root of the light. The tranquil is the ruler of the hasty.

The highest goodness is like water. Water benefits all things and does not compete. It stays in the lowly places which others despise. Therefore it is near The Eternal.

The men who are great live with that which is substantial, they do not stay with that which is superficial they abide with realities, they remain not with what is showy. The one they discard, the other they hold.

The sage wears clothes of coarse cloth but carries jewels in his bosom He knows himself but does not display himself He loves himself but does not hold himself in high esteem.

The Way of Heaven does not compete, And yet it skillfully achieves victory. It does not speak, and yet it skillfully responds to things. It comes to you without your invitation.

The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'

There is no need to run outside for better seeing... Rather abide at the center of your being For the more you leave it the less you learn. Search your heart and see... The way to do is to be.

Thus it is said: The path into the light seems dark, the path forward seems to go back, the direct path seems long, true power seems weak, true purity seems tarnished, true steadfastness seems changeable, true clarity seems obscure, the greatest are seems unsophisticated, the greatest love seems indifferent, the greatest wisdom seems childish. The Tao is nowhere to be found. Yet it nourishes and completes all things.

To be worn out is to be renewed.

To know that you do not know is the best. To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.