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.

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

There is something obscure which is complete before heaven and earth arose; tranquil, quiet, standing alone without change, moving without peril. It could be the mother of everything. Not knowing its name, I call it Tao.

Conquering the world and changing it, I do not think it can succeed.

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.

Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habit.

Good Government is not intrusive the people are hardly aware of it; the next best is felt yet loved; then comes that which is known and feared; the worst government is hated.