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Laozi Quotes

China

老子 Lǎozi (c. 6th – 5th century BC) was a Chinese monist philosopher; also called Lao Zi, Lao Tzu, Lao Tse, or Lao Tze. The Tao Te Ching (道德經, Pinyin: Dào Dé Jīng, or Dao De Jing) represents the sole document generally attributed to Laozi.

China
Philosophers
Religious leaders

Also known as: Lao Tze, Lao Tzu, Lao Zi, Lao tsu, Lao-Tse, Lao-Tzu

Random Laozi quote

61 quotes

The Tao is like a bellows:
it is empty yet infinitely capable.
The more you use it, the more it produces;
the more you talk of it, the less you understand.

interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)

The Master has no possessions.

interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)

Without the laughter, there would be no Tao.

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

People starved because the ruler taxed too heavily.

Silence is a source of great strength.

Since before time and space were,
the Tao is.
It is beyond is and is not.
How do I know this is true?
I look inside myself and see.

interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)

A journey of a thousand [miles] starts with a single step.

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

A journey of a thousand miles started with a first step.

Governing a large country is like frying a small fish.

People are difficult to be ruled,
Because the ruler governs with personal desire and establishes too many laws to confuse the people.

A violent wind does not outlast the morning; a squall of rain does not outlast the day. Such is the course of Nature. And if Nature herself cannot sustain her efforts long, how much less can man!

To attain knowledge, add things every day.
To attain wisdom, remove things every day.

To know one's ignorance is the best part of knowledge. To be ignorant of such knowledge is a disease. If one only regards it as a disease, he will be cured of it. The wise man is exempt from this disease. He knows it for what it is, and hence is free from it.

Seeing into darkness is clarity.
Knowing how to yield is strength.
Use your own light
and return to the source of light.
This is called practicing eternity.

The Tao of heaven is like the bending of a bow. The high is lowered, and the low is raised.
If the string is too long, it is shortened; if there is not enough, it is made longer.

Block the passages, shut the doors,
And till the end your strength shall not fail.
Open up the passages, increase your doings,
And till your last day no help shall come to you.

Arthur Waley (1934)

Every journey begins with a single step.
Often misattributed to Confucius.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists; Not so good when people obey and acclaim him; worst when they despise him; but a good leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say "We did it our selves!"

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Laozi (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.