Thoughts by Lao Tzu

May you find inspiration in these thoughts and quotes by Lao Tzu from my large Daily Inspiration library of inspiring quotes and inspirational words.

One can not reflect in streaming water.
Only those who know internal peace can give it to others.
- Lao Tzu

He who is contented is rich.
- Lao Tzu

By letting it go it all gets done.
The world is won by those who let it go.
But when you try and try.
The world is beyond the winning.
- Lao Tzu

Silence is a source of great strength.
- Lao Tzu

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- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
- Lao Tzu

A good traveler has no fixed plans,
and is not intent on arriving.
- Lao Tzu

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
- Lao Tzu (Chinese Proverb)

The words of truth are always paradoxical.
- Lao Tzu

To the mind that is still,
the whole universe surrenders.
- Lao Tzu

To know yet to think that one does not know is best;
Not to know yet to think that one knows
will lead to difficulty.
- Lao Tzu

He who knows others is wise.
He who knows himself is enlightened.
- Lao Tzu

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.
- Lao Tzu

Without stirring abroad,
One can know the whole world;
Without looking out of the window,
One can see the way of heaven.
The further one goes, The less one knows.
- Lao Tzu

Man's enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.
- Lao Tzu

Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.
- Lao Tzu

From caring comes courage.
- Lao Tzu

Be content with what you have,
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.
- Lao Tzu

Freedom from desire leads to inner peace.
- Lao-Tzu

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures.
The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
- Lao Tzu

I do not concern myself with gods and spirits
either good or evil, nor do I serve any.
- Lao Tzu

Life and death are one thread,
the same line viewed from different sides.
- Lao Tzu

Because of a great love, one is courageous.
- Lao Tzu

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

Treat those who are good with goodness,
and also treat those who are not good with goodness.
Thus goodness is attained.
Be honest to those who are honest,
and be also honest to those who are not honest.
Thus honesty is attained.
- Lao Tzu

The wise man looks back into the past,
and does not grieve over what is far off,
nor rejoice over what is near;
for he knows that time is without end.
- Lao Tzu

When you are content to be simply yourself
and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.
- Lao Tzu

The Tao abides in non-action,
Yet nothing is left undone.
- Lao Tzu

Great indeed is the sublimity of the Creative,
to which all beings owe their beginning
and which permeates all heaven.
- Lao Tzu

If you would take, you must first give,
this is the beginning of intelligence.
- Lao Tzu

Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
- Lao Tzu

Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline;
simulated fear postulates courage;
simulated weakness postulates strength.
- Lao Tzu

Mastering others is strength.
Mastering yourself is true power.
- Lao Tzu

He who controls others may be powerful,
but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.
- Lao Tzu

Be merciful, moderate, and modest.
- Lao Tzu

The Tao of the sage is work without effort.
Practice non-action. Work without doing.
- Lao Tzu

He who conquers others is strong;
He who conquers himself is mighty.
- Lao Tzu

If you realize that all things change,
there is nothing you will try to hold on to.
If you are not afraid of dying,
there is nothing you cannot achieve.
- Lao Tzu

To realize that you do not understand is a virtue;
Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect.
- Lao Tzu

The key to growth is the introduction of
higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
- Lao Tzu

From wonder into wonder existence opens.
- Lao Tzu

The wise man looks into space,
and does not regard the small as too little,
nor the great as too much;
for he knows that there is no limit to dimensions.
- Lao Tzu

How could man rejoice in victory
and delight in the slaughter of men?
- Lao Tzu

Those who have knowledge, don't predict.
Those who predict, don't have knowledge.
- Lao Tzu

To see things in the seed, that is genius.
- Lao Tzu

In the world there is nothing more
submissive and weak than water.
Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong,
nothing can surpass it.
- Lao Tzu

An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.
- Lao Tzu

The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white.
Neither need you do anything but be yourself.
- Lao Tzu

To love someone deeply gives you strength.
Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.
- Lao Tzu

Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity,
reduce selfishness, have few desires.
- Lao Tzu

The wicked leader is he who the people despise.
The good leader is he who the people revere.
The great leader is he who the people say, "We did it ourselves."
- Lao Tzu

A leader is most effective when people barely know he exists.
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
his troops will feel they did it themselves.
- Lao Tzu

A leader is best when people barely know he exists;
when his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
they will say: we did it ourselves.
- Lao Tzu

A tree that is unbending, is easily broken.
- Lao Tzu

People in their handlings of affairs
often fail when they are about to succeed.
If one remains as careful at the end
as he was at the beginning,
there will be no failure.
- Lao Tzu

He who knows, does not speak.
He who speaks, does not know.
- Lao Tzu

He who knows that enough is enough
will always have enough.
- Lao Tzu

Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.
- Lao Tzu

One who is too insistent on his own views,
finds few to agree with him.
- Lao Tzu

He who knows himself is enlightened.
- Lao Tzu

Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.
- Lao Tzu

To manage your mind,
know that there is nothing,
and then relinquish all attachment to nothingness.
- Lao Tzu

Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.
- Lao Tzu

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength;
loving someone deeply gives you courage.
- Lao Tzu

Loving, hating, having expectations:
all these are attachments.
Attachment prevents the growth of one's true being.
- Lao Tzu

Violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.
- Lao Tzu

When the best leader's work is done the people say,
"We did it ourselves."
- Lao Tzu

To lead people walk behind them.
- Lao Tzu

Be the chief but never the lord.
- Lao Tzu

The Master acts without doing, and everything gets done.
- Lao Tzu

Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.
- Lao Tzu

Do the difficult things while they are easy
and do the great things while they are small.
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.
- Lao Tzu

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May the world be kind to you,
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- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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