Lao Tzu Quotes

1. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

2. “The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself.”

3. “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

4. “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”

5. “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

6. “Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”

7. “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”

8. “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

9. “Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.”

10. “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”

11. “He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.”

12. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

13. “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”

14. “When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.”

15. “The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.”

16. “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.”

17. “Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.”

18. “He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.”

19. “He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”

20. “I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.”

21. “Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.”

22. “Silence is a source of great strength.”

23. “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”

24. “He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty.”

25. “Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge.”

26. “Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.”

27. “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”

28. “By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning.”

29. “Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.”

30. “Treat those who are good with goodness, and also treat those who are not good with goodness. Thus goodness is attained. Be honest to those who are honest, and be also honest to those who are not honest. Thus honesty is attained.”

31. “When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'”

32. “Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses.”

33. “Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.”

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

35. “From caring comes courage.”

36. “Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish - too much handling will spoil it.”

37. “In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.”

38. “Great acts are made up of small deeds.”

39. “He who does not trust enough, Will not be trusted.”

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

41. “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”

42. “Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.”

43. “At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.”

44. “The words of truth are always paradoxical.”

45. “Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.”

46. “An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.”

47. “When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish.”

48. “To see things in the seed, that is genius.”

49. “Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.”

50. “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.'”

51. “If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence.”

52. “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.”

53. “Be the chief but never the lord.”

54. “He who is contented is rich.”

55. “If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.”

56. “The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.”

57. “From wonder into wonder existence opens.”

58. “Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself.”

59. “When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.”

60. “A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.”

61. “To lead people walk behind them.”

62. “People in their handlings 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.”

63. “The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”

64. “To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect.”

65. “The career of a sage is of two kinds: He is either honored by all in the world, Like a flower waving its head, Or else he disappears into the silent forest.”

66. “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.”

67. “The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.”

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

69. “There was something undifferentiated and yet complete, which existed before Heaven and Earth. Soundless and formless, it depends on nothing and does not change. It operates everywhere and is free from danger. It may be considered the mother of the universe. I do not know its name; I call it Tao.”

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

71. “All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.”

72. “If the Great Way perishes there will morality and duty. When cleverness and knowledge arise great lies will flourish. When relatives fall out with one another there will be filial duty and love. When states are in confusion there will be faithful servants.”

73. “In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it.”

74. “To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.”

75. “Nature is not human hearted.”

76. “Because of a great love, one is courageous.”

77. “He who talks more is sooner exhausted.”

78. “Without stirring abroad, One can know the whole world; Without looking out of the window One can see the way of heaven. The further one goes The less one knows.”

79. “The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast; even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covet praise; yet cannot avoid its rewards in honours.”

80. “He who knows himself is enlightened.”

81. “Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere.”

82. “Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens.”

83. “Heaven is long-enduring, and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves.”

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

85. “He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.”

86. “Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.”

87. “I do not concern myself with gods and spirits either good or evil nor do I serve any.”

88. “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; the Named is the mother of all things.”

89. “Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline; simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weakness postulates strength.”

90. “How could man rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?”

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

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

93. “All things in the world come from being. And being comes from non-being.”

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

95. “It is better to do one's own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never sins.”