Tao Te Ching

Better stop short than fill to the brim. Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt. Amass a store of gold and jade, and …

The highest good is like water. Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive. It flows in places men reject and …

Heaven and Earth last for ever. Why do Heaven and Earth last for ever? They are unborn, So ever living. The sage stays behind, thus …

Heaven and earth are ruthless; They see the ten thousand things as dummies. The wise are ruthless; They see the people as dummies. The space …

The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled. Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things! Blunt the sharpness, Untangle the knot, …

Not exalting the gifted prevents quarrelling. Not collecting treasure prevents stealing. Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart. The wise therefore rule by …

Under Heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil. Therefore …

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 …

Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know. Keep your mouth closed. Guard your senses. Temper your sharpness. Simplify your problems. …

Practice non-action. Work without doing. Taste the tasteless. Magnify the small, increase the few. Reward the bitterness with care. See simplicity in the complicated. Achieve …