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

The Tao is great. The universe is great. Earth is great. Man is great. These are the four great powers. Man follows the earth. Earth follows the universe. The universe follows the Tao. The Tao follows only itself.

Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.

If people are not afraid of dying, why threaten them with death?

Peace and quiet are preferred. Victory should not be praised.

At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.

He who holds balance...has attained the highest post in the world.