Keeping plenty of gold and jade in the palace makes no one able to defend it.

When you are sick of your sickness you will cease to be sick.

Seal the openings, shut the doors, and until your last day you will not be exhausted. Widen the openings, interfere, and until your last day you will not be safe.

The sage never strives for greatness, and can therefore accomplish greatness.

The sage acts by doing nothing.

Of the second-rate leaders people speak respectfully saying, "He has done this, he has done that." Of the first-rate leaders, they do not say this. They say, "We have done it all ourselves."

Covetousness is the greatest misfortune. One who does not know what is enough will never have enough.