Laozi Taoism Quotes & Sayings

The one who is filled by virtue is like a newborn baby. — Laozi

Why did the ancients praise the Way? Did they not say it was because you find what you seek and are saved from your wrongdoings? — Laozi

Make the small big and the few many. — Laozi

All things such as grass and trees are soft and supple in life. At their death they are withered and dry. — Laozi

Thirty spokes are joined in the wheel's hub. The hole in the middle makes it useful. — Laozi

To have enough of enough is always enough. — Laozi

Heavy is the root of light. — Laozi

The great Way is all-pervading. It reaches to the left and to the right. All things depend on it with their existence. Still it demands no obedience. — Laozi

The supreme rulers are hardly known by their subjects. The lesser are loved and praised. The even lesser are feared. The least are despised. — Laozi

Do not strive for the shine of jade, but clatter like stone. — Laozi

Seal the openings, shut the doors, and until your last day you will not be exhausted. Widen the openings, interfere, and until your last day you will not be safe. — Laozi

Holding on to the weak is called strength. — Laozi

When you accurately perceive the fluidity of things, you can also begin to perceive the constancy behind them: the creative, transformative, boundless, immutable Tao. — Laozi

The most able seems clumsy. — Laozi

A good door needs no lock, still it can't be opened. — Laozi

Use the light to return to clarity. — Laozi

Approach your own inner life with a loving quality that accepts who you are without trying to change who you are. — Laozi

Ancient masters of excellence had a subtle essence, and a depth too profound to comprehend. — Laozi

To retreat after a work well done is Heaven's Way. — Laozi

Not valuing wealth prevents theft. — Laozi

Wary, as if surrounded by strangers. — Laozi

In the world there are four greats, and the king is one of them. — Laozi

To rule by knowledge ravages the country. — Laozi

Weapons are ominous tools. They are not the noble ruler's tools. He only uses them when he can't avoid it. — Laozi

The high must make the low its base. — Laozi

The sage embraces the one, and is an example to the world. — Laozi

The purest white seems stained. — Laozi

By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule. — Laozi

A sage is skilled at helping people without excluding anyone. — Laozi

The sage acts without taking credit. He accomplishes without dwelling on it. He does not want to display his worth. — Laozi

Good leaders reach solutions, and then stop. They do not dare to rely on force. — Laozi

Return animosity with virtue. — Laozi

The sage has no concern for himself, but makes the concerns of others his own. — Laozi

The most straight seems curved. — Laozi

A good mooring needs no knot, still no one can untie it. — Laozi

The progress of the Way seems retreating. — Laozi

Those who know are not learned. Those who are learned do not know. — Laozi

Those who are quiet value the words. When their task is completed, people will say: We did it ourselves. — Laozi

The Master doesn't seek fulfillment. For only those who are not full are able to be used which brings the feeling of completeness. — Laozi

Those who defeat others are strong, those who defeat themselves are mighty. — Laozi

The highest virtue does nothing. Yet, nothing needs to be done. The lowest virtue does everything. Yet, much remains to be done. — Laozi

The great Way is very straight, but people prefer to deviate. — Laozi

The grandest virtue seems deficient. — Laozi

The Tao principle is what happens of itself. — Laozi

Excellent leaders of people lower themselves. — Laozi

Fine words are traded. Noble deeds gain respect. But people who are not good, why abandon them? — Laozi

As it acts in the world, the Tao is like the bending of a bow. The top is bent downward; the bottom is bent up. It adjusts excess and deficiency so that there is perfect balance. — Laozi

The Way is hidden and nameless. Still only the Way nourishes and completes. — Laozi

To bear the country's disgrace is to rule the shrines of soil and grain. To bear the country's misfortunes is to be the king of the world. — Laozi

I am wearied, as if I lacked a home to go to. — Laozi

I alone am different from the others, because I am nourished by the great mother. — Laozi

The hard and stiff are death's companions. The soft and weak are life's companions. — Laozi

Weapons are ominous tools. They are abhorred by all creatures. Anyone who follows the Way shuns them. — Laozi

The weak overcomes the strong. The soft overcomes the hard. Everybody in the world knows this, still nobody makes use of it. — Laozi

Those who boast are not respected. — Laozi

Never take over the world to tamper with it. Those who want to tamper with it are not fit to take over the world. — Laozi

Why is the tao so valuable? Because it is everywhere, and everyone can use it. This is why those who seek will find, And those who reform will be forgiven; Why the good will be rewarded, And the thief who is cunning will escape. — Laozi

A good speaker does not stutter. — Laozi

If you scramble about in search of inner peace, you will lose your inner peace. — Laozi

Tao loves and nourishes all things, but does not dominate it over them. — Laozi

When good thing are accomplished, it does not claim (or name) them. This is Te, which is close in meaning to power or virtue. It is something within a person, and it is enhanced by following the Tao, or 'that from which nothing can deviate'. — Laozi

Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal. — Laozi

The sage does not strive to be great. Thereby he can accomplish the great. — Laozi

Although there are weapons for tens and hundreds of soldiers, they will not be used. — Laozi

Peace and quiet govern the world. — Laozi

If the sage wants to stand above people, he must speak to them from below. If he wants to lead people, he must follow them from behind. — Laozi

By compassion one can be brave. — Laozi

The ancients said: Hulk to be whole. — Laozi

A multitude of words is tiresome, unlike remaining centered. — Laozi

See others as yourself. See families as your family. See towns as your town. See countries as your country. See worlds as your world. — Laozi

When the government is quite unobtrusive, people are indeed pure. When the government is quite prying, people are indeed conniving. — Laozi

A good wanderer leaves no trace. — Laozi

I do not know its name. I call it the Way. For the lack of better words I call it great. — Laozi

It (Tao) is eternally without desire. So, it can be called small. All things return to it, although it does not make itself their ruler. So, it can be called great. — Laozi

By moderation one can be generous. — Laozi

The sturdiest virtue seems fragile. — Laozi

Those who stand on their toes are not steady. — Laozi

Let people return to making knots on ropes, instead of writing. — Laozi

The highest virtue is not virtuous. Therefore it has virtue. The lowest virtue holds on to virtue. Therefore it has no virtue. — Laozi

The Tao is told is not the Tao. — Laozi

Excellent warriors are not violent. — Laozi

When the palace is magnificent, the fields are filled with weeds, and the granaries are empty. — Laozi

When the sage stands above people, they are not oppressed. When he leads people, they are not obstructed. The world will exalt him and not grow tired of him. — Laozi

If people live in constant fear of death, and if breaking the law is punished by death, then who would dare? — Laozi

When the Way is lost there is virtue. When virtue is lost there is benevolence. When benevolence is lost there is righteousness. When righteousness is lost there are rituals. — Laozi

My words are very easy to understand and very easy to practice. Still, no one in the world can understand or practice them. — Laozi

The Way is empty, yet inexhaustible, like an abyss! — Laozi

Those who have compassion when they do battle will be victorious. Those who likewise defend themselves will be safe. Heaven will rescue and protect them with compassion. — Laozi

Who has excess and supplies the world? Only the one who follows the Way. — Laozi

What is well planted will not be uprooted. — Laozi

Hold on to the great image, and the whole world follows, follows unharmed, content and completely at peace. — Laozi

Seeing the small is called clarity. — Laozi

People starve. The rulers consume too much with their taxes. That is why people starve. — Laozi

All men desire to free themselves solely from death; they do not know how to free themselves from life. — Laozi

Heaven's Way is like stretching a bow. The high is lowered and the low is raised. Excess is reduced and deficiency is replenished. Heaven's Way reduces excess and replenishes deficiency. People's Way is not so. They reduce the deficient and supply the excessive. — Laozi

The small is easy to scatter. — Laozi

Although he travels all day, the sage never loses sight of his luggage carts. — Laozi

Those who are unswerving have resolve — Laozi

Intelligent people know others. Enlightened people know themselves. — Laozi

A great country is like the lower outlet of a river. It is the world's meeting ground, the world's female. — Laozi