I alone have the mind of a fool, and am all muddled and vague. The people are so smart and bright. While I am just dull and confused.

Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses.

Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.

No disaster is worse than being discontented.

I have three treasures that I cherish. The first is compassion. The second is moderation. The third is not claiming to be first in the world.

When superior people hear of the Way, they carry it out with diligence. When middling people hear of the Way, it sometimes seems to be there, sometimes not. When lesser people hear of the Way, they ridicule it greatly. If they didn't laugh at it, it wouldn't be the Way.

The Tao never acts with force, yet there is nothing that it can not do.