"A leader is bestWhen people barely know he existsOf a good leader, who talks little,When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,They will say, "We did this ourselves."

"Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge."

"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."

"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."

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."

"Any good person who is motivated to attain awareness of the whole truth should follow the Universal Way to calm his mind and harmonize it with all aspects of life."

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

"A man who knows how little he knows is well, a man who knows how much he knows is sick. If, when you see the symptoms, you can tell, Your cure is quick.A sound man knows that sickness makes him sick and before he catches it his cure is quick."

"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."

"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."

"One gains by losing and loses by gaining."

"To lead the people walk behind them."

"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."

"Music in the soul can be heard by the universe."

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

"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."

"Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it."

"As the soft yield of water cleaves obstinate stone So to yield with life solves the insolvable: To yield I have learned is to come back again."

"Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment."

"No one can insult me, because I do not want respect.No one can defeat me, because I have given up the idea of winning.How can you defeat me? You can only defeat someone who wants to win."

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

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

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

"The words of truth are always paradoxical."

"Manifest plainness,Embrace simplicity,Reduce selfishness,Have few desires."

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

"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 beginning of heaven and earth. The named is the mother of ten thousand things. Ever desireless, one can see the mystery. Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations. These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gate to all mystery."

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

"Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist 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."

"Heaven's Tao is impartial,yet those who follow its compassionate waywill always be nourished."

"Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know."

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

"Simplicity, patience, compassion.These three are your greatest treasures.Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.Patient with both friends and enemies,you accord with the way things are.Compassionate toward yourself,you reconcile all beings in the world."

"There isa time to liveand a time to diebut never to reject the moment."

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

"Your life is a piece of clay, don't let anyone else mold it for you."

"Because one believes in oneself, one doesn't try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn't need others' approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her."

"The best of all leaders is the one who helps people so that eventually they don't need him."

"Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small."

"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."

"The past has no power to stop youfrom being present now.Only your grievance aboutthe past can do that.What is grievance?The baggage of oldthought and emotion."

"A terrace nine stories high begins with a pile of earth."

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

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

"The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth."

"When people see some things as beautiful,other things become ugly.When people see some things as good,other things become bad."

"To know that you do not know is the best.To think you know when you do not is a disease.Recognizing this disease as a disease is to be free of it."

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

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