Lao Tzu Quotes

Most popular Lao Tzu Quotes

The way to do is to be. - Lao Tzu quote.
The way to do is to be.
— Lao Tzu

action

A man who is content is rich. - Lao Tzu quote.
A man who is content is rich.
— Lao Tzu
That is real which never changes. - Lao Tzu quote.
That is real which never changes.
— Lao Tzu
The wise man knows without traveling. - Lao Tzu quote.
The wise man knows without traveling.
— Lao Tzu
Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear. - Lao Tzu quote.
Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear.
— Lao Tzu
People starve if taxes eat their grain. - Lao Tzu quote.
People starve if taxes eat their grain.
— Lao Tzu
To see things in the seed, that is genius. - Lao Tzu quote.
To see things in the seed, that is genius.
— Lao Tzu

vision genius

To perceive things is the gem of intelligence. - Lao Tzu quote.
To perceive things is the gem of intelligence.
— Lao Tzu
A man who stands on tiptoe does not stand firm. - Lao Tzu quote.
A man who stands on tiptoe does not stand firm.
— Lao Tzu
He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted. - Lao Tzu quote.
He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.
— Lao Tzu
If nature does not have to insist, why should man? - Lao Tzu quote.
If nature does not have to insist, why should man?
— Lao Tzu
A leader is best when people barely know he exists. - Lao Tzu quote.
A leader is best when people barely know he exists.
— Lao Tzu
Not to accept destiny is to face death blindfolded. - Lao Tzu quote.
Not to accept destiny is to face death blindfolded.
— Lao Tzu
Which brings more to you . . . .you or what you own? - Lao Tzu quote.
Which brings more to you . . . .you or what you own?
— Lao Tzu
Find the great in the small and the many in the few. - Lao Tzu quote.
Find the great in the small and the many in the few.
— Lao Tzu
Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river. - Lao Tzu quote.
Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river.
— Lao Tzu
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao Tzu quote.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
— Lao Tzu
Those who know do not tell, those who tell do not know. - Lao Tzu quote.
Those who know do not tell, those who tell do not know.
— Lao Tzu
Let life ripen and then fall, will is not the way at all. - Lao Tzu quote.
Let life ripen and then fall, will is not the way at all.
— Lao Tzu
Of all noble qualities, loving compassion is the noblest. - Lao Tzu quote.
Of all noble qualities, loving compassion is the noblest.
— Lao Tzu
If I keep from imposing on people, they become themselves. - Lao Tzu quote.
If I keep from imposing on people, they become themselves.
— Lao Tzu
The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step. - Lao Tzu quote.
The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.
— Lao Tzu
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. - Lao Tzu quote.
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
— Lao Tzu

Travel

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment. - Lao Tzu quote.
Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.
— Lao Tzu
The faults of starving people are the faults of their rulers. - Lao Tzu quote.
The faults of starving people are the faults of their rulers.
— Lao Tzu
Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power. - Lao Tzu quote.
Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.
— Lao Tzu

self-control power

One who knows others is learned; One who knows himself is wise. - Lao Tzu quote.
One who knows others is learned; One who knows himself is wise.
— Lao Tzu
Be utterly humble and you shall hold to the foundation of peace. - Lao Tzu quote.
Be utterly humble and you shall hold to the foundation of peace.
— Lao Tzu
Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of happiness. - Lao Tzu quote.
Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of happiness.
— Lao Tzu

happiness

He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened. - Lao Tzu quote.
He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.
— Lao Tzu
A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. - Lao Tzu quote.
A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.
— Lao Tzu

Travel

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. - Lao Tzu quote.
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.
— Lao Tzu

how to live life Travel

Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of unhappiness. - Lao Tzu quote.
Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of unhappiness.
— Lao Tzu
He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire. - Lao Tzu quote.
He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire.
— Lao Tzu

power

Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it. - Lao Tzu quote.
Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.
— Lao Tzu

government

Conquering others requires force. Conquering oneself requires strength. - Lao Tzu quote.
Conquering others requires force. Conquering oneself requires strength.
— Lao Tzu
The surest test if a man be sane is if he accepts life whole, as it is. - Lao Tzu quote.
The surest test if a man be sane is if he accepts life whole, as it is.
— Lao Tzu
There are many paths to enlightenment. Be sure to take one with a heart. - Lao Tzu quote.
There are many paths to enlightenment. Be sure to take one with a heart.
— Lao Tzu

enlightenment

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. - Lao Tzu quote.
The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.
— Lao Tzu
The biggest problem in the world could have been solved when it was small. - Lao Tzu quote.
The biggest problem in the world could have been solved when it was small.
— Lao Tzu

problems

A sensible man is wiser than he knows, while a fool knows more than is wise. - Lao Tzu quote.
A sensible man is wiser than he knows, while a fool knows more than is wise.
— Lao Tzu
A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar. - Lao Tzu quote.
A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
— Lao Tzu

comfort

A man with outward courage dares to die, one with inward courage dares to live. - Lao Tzu quote.
A man with outward courage dares to die, one with inward courage dares to live.
— Lao Tzu
Manifest plainness - Embrace simplicity - Reduce selfishness - Have few desires. - Lao Tzu quote.
Manifest plainness - Embrace simplicity - Reduce selfishness - Have few desires.
— Lao Tzu
He who overcomes others is strong, but he who overcomes himself is mightier still. - Lao Tzu quote.
He who overcomes others is strong, but he who overcomes himself is mightier still.
— Lao Tzu Tao-te Ching

self-control

The universe is deathless; deathless because, having no finite self, It stays infinite. - Lao Tzu quote.
The universe is deathless; deathless because, having no finite self, It stays infinite.
— Lao Tzu
Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking. - Lao Tzu quote.
Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.
— Lao Tzu

government

The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days. - Lao Tzu quote.
The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.
— Lao Tzu

intuition

To be good I would be good. To the not-good I would also be good in order to make them good. - Lao Tzu quote.
To be good I would be good. To the not-good I would also be good in order to make them good.
— Lao Tzu
Rigidity and hardness are companions of death. Softness and tenderness are companions of life. - Lao Tzu quote.
Rigidity and hardness are companions of death. Softness and tenderness are companions of life.
— Lao Tzu
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage. - Lao Tzu quote.
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
— Lao Tzu
When one no longer thinks of the personal body as self, neither failure nor success can ail him. - Lao Tzu quote.
When one no longer thinks of the personal body as self, neither failure nor success can ail him.
— Lao Tzu
At the center of your being you have the answer;you know who you are and you know what you want. - Lao Tzu quote.
At the center of your being you have the answer;you know who you are and you know what you want.
— Lao Tzu
At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want. - Lao Tzu quote.
At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.
— Lao Tzu

know yourself

When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you. - Lao Tzu quote.
When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.
— Lao Tzu
Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses. - Lao Tzu quote.
Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses.
— Lao Tzu
Wouldst thou know if a society be well governed, if its laws be good or bad? Examine the music it practices. - Lao Tzu quote.
Wouldst thou know if a society be well governed, if its laws be good or bad? Examine the music it practices.
— Lao Tzu
When a man cares he is unafraid, when he is fair he leaves enough for others, when he is humble he can grow. - Lao Tzu quote.
When a man cares he is unafraid, when he is fair he leaves enough for others, when he is humble he can grow.
— Lao Tzu
By accident of fortune a man may rule the world for a time, but by virtue of love he may rule the world forever. - Lao Tzu quote.
By accident of fortune a man may rule the world for a time, but by virtue of love he may rule the world forever.
— Lao Tzu

love

Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love. - Lao Tzu quote.
Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.
— Lao Tzu

kindness

The best captain does not plunge headlong nor is the best soldier a man hot to fight. The greatest victor wins without a battle. - Lao Tzu quote.
The best captain does not plunge headlong nor is the best soldier a man hot to fight. The greatest victor wins without a battle.
— Lao Tzu
Law after law breeds a multitude of thieves. The greater the number of laws and enactments, the more thieves and robbers there will be. - Lao Tzu quote.
Law after law breeds a multitude of thieves. The greater the number of laws and enactments, the more thieves and robbers there will be.
— Lao Tzu
Failure is the foundation of success, and the means by which it is achieved.  Success is the lurking place of failure; but who can tell when the turning-place will come? - Lao Tzu quote.
Failure is the foundation of success, and the means by which it is achieved.  Success is the lurking place of failure; but who can tell when the turning-place will come?
— Lao Tzu Tao-te Ching

success & failure success failure

Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there. - Lao Tzu quote.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.
— Lao Tzu
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 others. - Lao Tzu quote.
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 others.
— Lao Tzu
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
— Lao Tzu

love

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