Lao Tzu's famous sayings

1. The heaven and the earth are unkind and regard all things as gullible dogs; the saints are unkind and regard the common people as gullible dogs.

2. If a great achievement is lacking, its use will not be harmful. If there is a big surplus, it will be of endless use. Great straightness is like bending, great skill is like clumsiness, great debate is like indifference.

3. Rule the country with integrity, use military force with surprise, and conquer the world with nothing. How do I know this? From this: There are many taboos in the world, but the people are poor; there are many people with sharp weapons, and the country becomes weak; there are many people with clever tricks, and strange things appear; there are many laws and regulations, and there are many thieves. Therefore, the sage said: "If I do nothing, the people will change themselves; if I like to be quiet, the people will be upright; if I have nothing to do, the people will become rich; if I have no desires, the people will be simple."

4. The five colors make one blind; the five tones make one deaf; the five tastes make one's mouth refresh; the pursuit of hunting makes one's heart go crazy; the rare goods hinder one's movement. The sage is his belly and not his eyes, so he goes to that place and takes this one.

5. Governing a big country is like cooking small dishes.

6. If you dare, you will kill; if you dare not, you will live. Both of these may be beneficial or harmful. Who knows why Heaven is evil?

7. Enjoy your food, enjoy your clothes, live comfortably, and be happy with your customs. Neighboring countries look at each other, hear the sound of cocks and dogs, and the people do not interact with each other until they grow old and die.

A collection of Lao Tzu's famous sayings

8. I don't know if I am too great; secondly, I will praise him by being close to him; secondly, fear him; thirdly, insult him. If you don't believe it enough, you don't believe it.

9. The way of heaven is to benefit but not to harm; the way of saints is to work without fighting...

10. If you love too much, you will spend a lot; if you hide too much, you will perish. Therefore, if you know what is enough, you will not be disgraced, and if you know how to stop, you will not perish, and you can last a long time.

11. Knowing but not knowing is a disease; not knowing is a disease. The sage is not sick, but he is sick by his illness. Wu Wei is sick, so he is not sick.

12. I have the Three Treasures, keep them and protect them. The first is compassion, the second is frugality, and the third is not daring to be the first in the world.

13. To blunt its sharpness, resolve its confusion, harmonize its light, and be the same as its dust, this is called "Xuan Tong". Therefore, if you are not available, you will be close; if you are not available, you will be distant; if you are not available, you will benefit; if you are not available, you will be harmed; if you are not available, you will be noble; if you are not available, you will be humble. Therefore, it is noble in the world.

14. Faithful words are not beautiful, and beautiful words are not believed. A good person does not argue, and a person who debates is not good. A person who knows is not knowledgeable, and a person who is knowledgeable does not know.

15. Weakness is better than strength. Fish cannot be escaped from the abyss, and the sharp weapons of the country cannot be shown to others.

16. Hope to speak naturally. Therefore, the wind does not last forever, and the showers last all day.

17. Being virtuous is not virtuous, so it is virtuous; being virtuous is not virtuous, so it is ungrateful. The superior virtue is nothing but thought; the inferior virtue is nothing but thought. The superior benevolence does it without thinking; the superior righteousness does it without thinking. If you don't respond to the gift, you will throw it away. Therefore, losing virtue will lead to virtue, losing virtue will lead to benevolence, losing benevolence will lead to righteousness, and losing righteousness will lead to propriety.

18. If a general wants to take over the world, I see that he has no choice but to do so. The divine weapon in the world cannot be manipulated or held. Those who do it will fail, and those who insist will lose it. Therefore, the sage does nothing, so he has no defeat; he has no attachment, so he has no failure.

19. It is a person who does not rely on saints, who does not rely on his achievements, and does not want to see virtuous people.

20. Heaviness is the root of lightness, tranquility is the king of impatience. If you are gentle, you will lose your roots; if you are impatient, you will lose your authority.

21. Good deeds only have consequences, do not use them to gain strength. Don't be proud of the fruits, don't cut down the fruits, don't be arrogant if the fruits are fruitful. Do it as a last resort, but do it without force.

22. If you reconcile big grievances, there will be residual grievances; if you repay grievances with virtue, can you do good?

23. Those who are good will be good to me; those who are not good, I will also be good to them; virtue good. Those who believe, I believe in; those who do not believe, I also believe in; virtue believes.

24. This is why the sage does nothing and teaches without saying anything; all things are done without beginning, born without being, done without relying on them, and accomplished without living. I feel like I have no place to live, so I won’t go.

25. The God of Grain is immortal and is called the mysterious female. The gate of Xuanfei is called the root of heaven and earth. If it persists, it will not be used diligently.

26. It is better to stay focused than to talk too much.