Best Laozi Quotes

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

There is no calamity greater than lightly engaging in war.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

Because of a great love, one is courageous.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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