A List of Famous Laozi Quotes By Reference

A list of quotes from Laozi. Here are the best Laozi quotes on various subjects. The Laozi quotations list is alphabetical but can be sorted by any column. Enjoy these sayings coined by Laozi. You may copy this list to build your own just like it, re-rank it to fit your opinions, then publish it to share it on Facebook, Twitter or any other social sites you frequent.

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Order Name Author Subjects

1

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants.

Laozi

Arts and Artists
2

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. But of a good leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.

Laozi

Leaders and Leadership
3

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

Laozi

Comfort
4

A tree trunk the size of a man grows from a blade as thin as a hair. A tower nine stories high is built from a small heap of earth.

Laozi

Growth
5

A violent wind does not last for a whole morning...

Laozi
6

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

Laozi

Things and Little Things
7

Because of a great love, one is courageous.

Laozi

Courage
8

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.

Laozi

Attachment
9

Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.

Laozi

Meaning of life
10

Favor and disgrace are like fear. Favor is in a higher place, and disgrace in a lower place. When you win them you are like being in fear, and when you lose them you are also like being in fear. So favor and disgrace are like fear.

Laozi

Fear
11

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

Laozi

Potential
12

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

Laozi

Self control
13

He who gains a victory over other men is strong; but he who gains a victory over himself is all powerful.

Laozi

Power
14

He who is contented is rich.

Laozi

Riches
15

He who knows he has enough is rich.

Laozi

Riches
16

He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent...

Laozi
17

He who knows others is clever; He who knows himself has discernment.

Laozi

Self-knowledge
18

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

Laozi

Satisfaction
19

He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.

Laozi

Giving
20

He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm...

Laozi
21

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

Laozi

Ambition
22

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 leader among men.

Laozi

Leaders and Leadership
23

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

Laozi

Giving
24

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.

Laozi

Water
25

It is the Vague and Elusive. Meet it and you will not see its head. Follow it and you will not see its back.

Laozi

Leaders and Leadership
26

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

Laozi

Kindness
27

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.

Laozi

Power
28

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.

Laozi

Change
29

Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.

Laozi

Desire
30

Nature is not human hearted.

Laozi

Nature
31

Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.

Laozi

Power
32

Of the best rulers, The people only know that they exist; the next best they love and praise the next they fear; and the next they revile. When they do not command the people's faith, some will lose faith in them, and then they resort to oaths! But of the best when their task is accomplished, their work done, the people all remark, We have done it ourselves.

Laozi

Government
33

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.

Laozi

Failure
34

Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao...

Laozi
35

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

Laozi

Happiness
36

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

Laozi

Cunning
37

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

Laozi

Understanding
38

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.

Laozi

Misers and Misery
39

The skillful traveller leaves no traces of his wheels...

Laozi
40

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

Laozi

Self-love
41

The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong.

Laozi
42

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.

Laozi

Victory
43

The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without even having to fight them.

Laozi

Victory
44

The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout...

Laozi
45

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.

Laozi

Leaders and Leadership
46

There is no calamity greater than lightly engaging in war.

Laozi

War
47

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.

Laozi

Knowledge
48

To lead people walk behind them.

Laozi

Leaders and Leadership
49

To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.

Laozi

Courage
50

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

Laozi

Virtue
51

To see things in the seed is genius.

Laozi

Genius
52

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

Laozi

Words
53

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

Laozi

Patriotism
54

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

Laozi

Leaders and Leadership
55

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.

Laozi

Morality
56

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.

Laozi

Travel and Tourism

Showing items 1 - 25 of 56

A List of Famous Laozi Quotes you can use this list to help make your own ranked list about this topic

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. But of a good leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.

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

A tree trunk the size of a man grows from a blade as thin as a hair. A tower nine stories high is built from a small heap of earth.

A violent wind does not last for a whole morning...

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

Because of a great love, one is courageous.

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.

Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.

Favor and disgrace are like fear. Favor is in a higher place, and disgrace in a lower place. When you win them you are like being in fear, and when you lose them you are also like being in fear. So favor and disgrace are like fear.

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

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

He who gains a victory over other men is strong; but he who gains a victory over himself is all powerful.

He who is contented is rich.

He who knows he has enough is rich.

He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent...

He who knows others is clever; He who knows himself has discernment.

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

He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.

He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm...

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

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

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.

It is the Vague and Elusive. Meet it and you will not see its head. Follow it and you will not see its back.

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.

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.

Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.

Nature is not human hearted.

Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.

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.

Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao...

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

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

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

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.

The skillful traveller leaves no traces of his wheels...

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

The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong.

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.

The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without even having to fight them.

The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout...

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 calamity greater than lightly engaging in war.

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.

To lead people walk behind them.

To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.

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

To see things in the seed is genius.

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

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

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

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.

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.