Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

The sage does not hoard. Having bestowed all he has on others, he has yet more; having given all he has to others, he is richer still.

Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish – too much handling will spoil it.

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

Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

Of all that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just. Perseverance is the foundation of all actions.

Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself.

Such is the essential mystery.

From of old the things that have acquired unity are these: Heaven by unity has become clear; Earth by unity has become steady; The Spirit by unity has become spiritual; The Valley by unity has become full; All things by unity have come into existence.

To perceive things in the germ is intelligence

One may know the world without going out of doors

To see things in the seed, that is genius.

Those who make their living by collecting taxes cause the people to starve; when the people starve, the tax collectors, having no one to tax starve also

The people are hungry: It is because those in authority eat up too much in taxes.

For the wise man looks into space and he knows there is no limited dimensions.

Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment; Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self needs strength

If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be fulfilled. If yourhappiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be contentwith what you have? rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there isnothing lacking, the world belongs to you.

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

If you wish to be out front, then act as if you were behind.

Stop thinking, and end your problems.

When there is silence one finds the anchor of the universe within oneself

Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law from Heaven; Heaven takes it law from the Tao. The law of the Tao is its being what it is.

When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready… The teacher will Disappear.

De wijze heeft geen onwrikbare beginselen. Hij past zich aan anderen aan.(Free translation into English: The wise man has no firm principles. He adapts to others.)

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you.

One can not reflect in streaming water. Only those who know internal peace can give it to others.

The well-run group is not a battlefield of egos.

Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

The ruler attains wholeness in the correct governance of the people.

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...

Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil.

The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.

If you understand others you are smart.If you understand yourself you are illuminated.If you overcome others you are powerful.If you overcome yourself you have strength.If you know how to be satisfied you are rich.If you can act with vigor, you have a will.If you don’t lose your objectives you can be long-lasting.If you die without...

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Watch your step.

Your own positive future begins in this moment. All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here.

The reason why the universe is eternal is that it does not live for itself; it gives life to others as it transforms.

LoveEmbracing Tao, you become embraced.Supple, breathing gently, you become reborn.Clearing your vision, you become clear.Nurturing your beloved, you become impartial.Opening your heart, you become accepted.Accepting the World, you embrace Tao.Bearing and nurturing,Creating but not owning,Giving without demanding,Controlling without authority,This is love.

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

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...

Tao invariably takes no action, and yet there is nothing left undone.

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

Rule a kingdom as though you were cooking a small fish – don’t overdo it

Nature is not human hearted.

Great indeed is the sublimity of the Creative, to which all beings owe their beginning and which permeates all heaven.

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

Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Acting without design, occupying oneself without making a business of it, finding the great in what is small and the many in the few, repaying injury with kindness, effecting difficult things while they are easy, and managing great things in their be