Quotes from Laozi

Observe how endings become beginnings.

The wise man does not lay up treasure. The more he expends on others, the more he gains for himself. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.

Knowledge studies others, wisdom is self known.

Trustable words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not trustable.

Always without desire we must be found, If its deep mystery we would sound; But if desire always within us be, Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.

The farther you go, the less you know.

It is wisdom to know others. It is enlightenment to know oneself.

The best people are like water, which benefits all things and does not compete with them. It stays in lowly places that others reject. This is why it is so similar to the Way.

If the majority doesn't laugh at you, beware that you must be saying something wrong. When the majority thinks you are a fool, only then is there some possibility of you being a wise man.

When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster.

He who has achieved this state Is unconcerned with friends and enemies, With good and harm, with honor and disgrace. This therefore is the highest state of man.

Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe.

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.

Man's enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.

The more laws and restrictions there are, The poorer people become. The sharper men's weapons, The more trouble in the land.

The man of knowledge acquires something new everyday, and the man of Tao lets go of something new every day.

Nature's way is simple and easy, but men prefer the intricate and artificial.

Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools. He uses them only when he has no choice.

The way is light and fluid for the man with no preferences.

The Wise Man is square but not sharp, honest but not not malign, straight but not severe, bright but not dazzling.

The wise man puts himself last and finds himself first.

A foolish man is always doing, Yet much remains to be done.

A sound man is good at salvage, at seeing nothing is lost

Man is ruled by Earth. Earth is ruled by Heaven. Heaven is ruled by the Way. The Way is ruled by itself.