The Tao never does anything, yet through it all things are done. If powerful men and women could venter themselves in it, the whole world would be transformed by itself, in its natural rhythms. People would be content with their simple, everyday lives, in harmony, and free of desire. When there is no desire, all things are at peace.

There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontent. And there is no greater disaster than greed.

Heaven and earth are ruthless, and treat the various creatures as straw dogs; the sage is ruthless, and treats others as straw dogs.

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

Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish, too much handling will spoil it.

What makes a kingdom great is its being like a down-flowing river,--the central point towards which all the smaller streams under Heaven converge; or like the female throughout the world, who by quiescence always overcomes the male. And quiescence is a form of humility.

Since before time and space were, the Tao is. It is beyond is and is not.