Quotes by Lao-tzu

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


A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.


He who knows does not speak.
He who speaks does not know.


He who knows others is wise;
He who know himself is enlightened.


He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire.


I have three treasures. Guard and keep them:
The first is deep love,
The second is frugality,
And the third is not to dare to be ahead of the world.
Because of deep love, one is courageous.
Because of frugality, one is generous.
Because of not daring to be ahead of the world, one becomes the leader of the world.


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


People are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge.


The best [man] is like water.
Water is good; it benefits all things and does not compete with them.
It dwells in [lowly] places that all disdain.
This is why it is so near to Tao.


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