Quote collection
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"He who stands on tiptoe is not steady. He who strides cannot maintain the pace. He who makes a show is not enlightened. He who is self-righteous is not respected. He who boasts achieves nothing. He who brags will not endure. According to followers of the Tao, "These are extra food and unnecessary luggage." They do not bring happiness, therefore followers of the Tao avoid them."
"The sage wears coarse clothes, concealing jade."
"Kindness in thought leads to wisdom. Kindness in speech leads to eloquence. Kindness in action leads to love."
"The scholar gains every day; the man of Tao loses every day."
"So sometimes things are ahead and sometimes they are behind; Sometimes breathing is hard, sometimes it comes easily; Sometimes there is strength and sometimes weakness; Sometimes one is up and sometimes down. Therefore the sage avoids extremes, excesses, and complacency."
"Without going outside, you may know the whole world!"
"When the hares have all been caught, the hunting dogs are cooked."
"Attending fully and becoming supple, Can you be as a newborn babe?"
"Happiness perches on misery. Misery crouches beneath happiness."
"The sage does not hoard. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself, The more he gives to others, the more he gets himself. The Way of Heaven does one good but never does one harm. The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete."
"Who can rest until the moment of action?"
"He who prides himself upon wealth and honor hastens his own downfall."
"Those who know do not speak; Those who speak do not know. Stop up the openings, Close down the doors, Rub off the sharp edges. Unravel all confusion. Harmonize the light, Give up contention: This is called finding the unity of life."
"A brave and passionate man will kill or be killed. A brave and calm man will always preserve life. Of these two which is good and which is harmful?"
"The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail."
"Stillness is easy to maintain."
"Why is the sea king of a hundred streams? Because it lies below them... If the sage would guide the people, he must serve with humility. If he would lead them, he must follow behind. In this way when the sage rules, the people will not feel oppressed."
"Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil. Therefore having and not having arise together. Difficult and easy complement each other. Long and short contrast each other. High and low rest upon each other. Voice and sound harmonize each other. Front and back follow one another."
"The wise man is one who knows what he does not know."
"The soft and weak can overcome the hard and strong."