Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.

Those who are unswerving have resolve

If you can let go of (the Tao) with your mind and surround it with your heart, it will live inside you forever.

The most straight seems curved.

Because of deep love, one is courageous. Because of frugality, one is generous. Because of not daring to be ahead of the world, one becomes the leader of the world.

The Tao of the sage is work without effort.

These possessions of a simpleton being the three I choose and cherish: to care, to be fair, to be humble.