What is strong and rigid is snapped and laid low. What is flexible and soft will always prevail.
The superior student listens to the Way and follows it closely. The average student listens to the Way and follows some and some not. The lesser student listens to the Way and laughs out loud. If there were no laughter it would not be the Way.
The softest in the world surpasses the hardest in the world.
Other people are occupied, I alone am unwilling, like the outcast.
Those who know are not learned. Those who are learned do not know.
Thus it is that "Some things are increased by being diminished, others are diminished by being increased." What others have taught, I also teach; verily, I will make it the root of my teaching.