Once upon a time a man whose ax was missing suspected his neighbor's son. The boy walked like a thief, looked like a thief and spoke like a thief. But the man found his ax while digging in the valley, and the next time he saw his neighbor's son, the boy walked, looked and spoke like any other child.

All things in the world come from being. And being comes from non-being.

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

The sage attends to the belly, and not to what he sees.

In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it.

Correct becomes defect. Good becomes ominous. People's delusions have certainly lasted long.

Those who defeat others are strong, those who defeat themselves are mighty.