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

Keep your mouth shut, and close up the doors of sight and sound, and as long as you live you will have no vexation. But open your mouth, or become inquisitive, and you will be in trouble all your life long.

Take [preventive] action before things happen. Establish order before disorder has begun.

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Man at his birth is supple and tender, but in death, he is rigid and hard. Thus, suppleness and tenderness accompany life, but rigidity and hardness accompany death.

Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear.

Excellent leaders of people lower themselves.