565 Quotes by Laozi

Yet mystery and reality emerge from the same source.

When the great Tao is forgotten, goodness and piety appear. When the body’s intelligence declines, cleverness and knowledge step forth. When there is no peace in the family, filial piety begins. When the country falls into chaos, patriotism is born.

There is one appointed supreme executioner. Truly, trying to take the place of the supreme executioner is like trying to carve wood like a master carpenter. Of those who try to carve wood like a master carpenter, there are few who do not injure their hands.

Take time to listen to what is said without words, to obey the law too subtle to be written, to worship the unnameable and to embrace the unformed.

Your name or your body, what is dearer? Your body or your wealth, what is worthier?

Failure is the foundation of success: success is the lurking place of failure.

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.

Goodie-goodies are the thieves of virtue.

Misery is what happiness rests upon. Happiness is what misery lurks beneath.