Tao Te Ching

by Lao Tzu

Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing anything, and conveys his instructions without the use of speech.

Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised?

The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Tao.

When the work is done, and one's name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven.

the sage seeks to satisfy (the craving of) the belly, and not the (insatiable longing of the) eyes.

Who can (make) the muddy water (clear)? Let it be still, and it will gradually become clear. Who can secure the condition of rest? Let movement go on, and the condition of rest will gradually arise.

He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many goes astray.

In the same way the sage is always skilful at saving men, and so he does not cast away any man; he is always skillful at saving things, and so he does not cast away anything.

He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it.

Heaven and Earth (under its guidance) unite together and send down the sweet dew, which, without the directions of men, reaches equally everywhere as of its own accord.

The relation of the Tao to all the world is like that of the great rivers and seas to the streams from the valleys.

He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich; he who goes on acting with energy has a (firm) will.

Fishes should not be taken from the deep; instruments for the profit of a state should not be shown to the people.

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Simplicity without a name Is free from all external aim. With no desire, at rest and still, All things go right as of their will.

Thus it was that when the Tao was lost, its attributes appeared; when its attributes were lost, benevolence appeared; when benevolence was lost, righteousness appeared; and when righteousness was lost, the proprieties appeared.

The farther that one goes out (from himself), the less he knows.

It produces them and makes no claim to the possession of them; it carries them through their processes and does not vaunt its ability in doing so; it brings them to maturity and exercises no control over them;—this is called its mysterious operation.

the multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the people;

the more implements to add to their profit that the people have, the greater disorder is there in the state and clan;

the more display there is of legislation, the more thieves an...

He is straightforward, but allows himself no license; he is bright, but does not dazzle.

Governing a great state is like cooking small fish.

Even men who are not good are not abandoned by it.

Why was it that the ancients prized this Tao so much?

Which ancients ?

1. (It is the way of the Tao) to act without (thinking of) acting; to conduct affairs without (feeling the) trouble of them; to taste without discerning any flavour; to consider what is small as great, and a few as many; and to recompense injury with kindness.

All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small. Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things.

he who is continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult. Therefore the sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has any difficulties.

the journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.

That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;—it is thus that they are the kings of them all. So it is that the sage (ruler), wishing to be above men, puts himself by his words below them, and, wishing to be before them, places his person behind them.

They who know me are few, and I am on that account (the more) to be prized.

It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.

Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Tao!

Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:—he doe...

There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it;—for there is no...

Words that are strictly true seem to be paradoxical.

there is no partiality of love; it is always on the side of the good man.

Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere.

With all the sharpness of the Way of Heaven, it injures not; with all the doing in the way of the sage he does not strive.