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

I do not concern myself with gods and spirits either good or evil nor do I serve any.

If you want everything, you first have to give everything up.

The Way to do is to be.

If a great country yields to a small country, it will conquer the small country. If a small country yields to a great country, it will be conquered by the great country.

When the Way governs the world, the proud stallions drag dung carriages. When the Way is lost to the world, war horses are bred outside the city.

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