Allow your softer, more intuitive, and less dominating feminine qualities to rise to the fore, so that you’re surrendering rather than dominating, receiving rather than broadcasting, loving rather than fighting.
Those who praise themselves do not prevail.
Return animosity with virtue.
Watch your thoughts, they become words...
Words spoken about the Way have no taste. When looked at, there’s not enough to see. When listened to, there’s not enough to hear. When used, it is never exhausted.
The great Way is very straight, but people prefer to deviate.
True words seem false.
What has not yet emerged is easy to prevent.
Yielding is the way of the Tao.
Man’s enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.
Open yourself to the truth, then trust in your natural responses, and everything will fall into place.
A good person is the bad person’s teacher. A bad person is the good person’s task.
Reputation should be neither sought nor avoided.
By the accident of fortune a man may rule the world for a time, but by virtue of love and kindness he may rule the world forever.
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.
Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.
True words are not pleasing. Pleasing words are not true.
Free from desire, you realize the mystery, caught in the desire, you see only the manifestations.
In this world, there is nothing softer or thinner than water. But to compel the hard and unyielding, it has no equal. That the weak overcomes the strong, that the hard gives way to the gentle – this everyone knows. Yet no one asks accordingly.
Face the simple fact before it comes involved. Solve the small problem before it becomes big.