The more weapons of violence, the more misery to mankind. The triumph of violence ends in a festival of mourning.

Rule a kingdom as though you were cooking a small fish - don't overdo it.

If princes and kings could follow it (Tao), all things would by themselves abide, Heaven and Earth would unite and sweet dew would fall. People would by themselves find harmony, without being commanded.

The sage regards things as difficult, and thereby avoids difficulty.

The weak overcomes the strong. The soft overcomes the hard. Everybody in the world knows this, still nobody makes use of it.

Weapons are ominous tools. They are abhorred by all creatures. Anyone who follows the Way shuns them.

Good men are bad men's instructors, And bad men are good men's materials.