There was someting undifferentiated and yet complete, which existed before Heafen and Earth. Soundless and formless, it depends on nothin and does not change. It operates everywhere and is free from danger. It may be cnsidered the moter of the universe. I do not know its name; i call it Tao.
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All things in the world come from being. And being comes from non-being.
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Sincere wordas are not fine; fine words are not sincere.
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Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law from the Heaven; Heaven takes its law from the Tao. The law of the Tao is being what it is.
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Heaven is long-enduring, and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because tey do not live of, or for, themselves.
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If you keep feeling a point that has ben sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpeness.
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The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; the Named is the moter of al things.
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Without stirring abroud, one can know the whloe world; Without looking out of the window one can see the way of heaven. The further one goes the less one knows.
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I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.
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He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.
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At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you knwo what you want.
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One can not reflect in streaming water. Only thos who know internal peace can give it to other.
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If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence.
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I do not concern mysqlf with gods and spirits either good or evel nor do I serve any.
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Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothin can resist it.
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He who conquers others is stron; He who conquers himself is mights.
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Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.
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From caring comes courage.
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Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.
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He who is contented is rich.
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He who does not trust enough, will not be trusted.
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Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself.
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Man's enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.
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How could man rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?
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Be the chief but never the lord.
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To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect.
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To lead people, walk behind them.
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He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.
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Because of a great love, one is courageous.
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In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking taht which is hard and stron nothing can surpass it.
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From wonder into wonder existence opens.
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The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.
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When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost, right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.
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Nature is not human hearted.
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To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to thins that one knows will lead to difficulty.
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Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline; simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weaknes postulates strenth;
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When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish.
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The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be.
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He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.
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The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you to do anything to be yourself.
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To the mind that is still, the whole universum surrenders.
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The words of truth are always paradoxical.
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He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.
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Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
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Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.
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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.
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Silence is a source of great strength.
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All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great thins in that which is small.
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Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she strech her fingers to touch the heavens.
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The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
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The career of a sage is of two kinds: He is eiter honored by all in the world, like a flower waving its head, or else he disappers into the silent forest.
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The sage does not hoard. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself. The more he gives to others, the more he gets himself The way of heaven does one good but never does one harm. The way of the sage is to act but not to compete.
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The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast; even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covet praise; yet cannot avoid its reward in honours.
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Threat those who are good with goodness, and also treat those who are not good with goodnes. 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.
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Of all that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautifus. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just.  Perseverance is the foundation of all actions.
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It is better to do ones's own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never sins.
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Great indeed is the sublimity of the creative, to which all beings owe their beginning and which permeates all heaven.
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To see things in the seed, that is genius.
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A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
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Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
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The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leder is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, 'We did it ourselvers.'
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Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.
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One who is too insistent on his own views, finds few to agree with him.
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He who talks more is sooner exhausted.
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Great acts are made up of small deeds.
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If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
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He who knows that enught is enough will always have enough.
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If the Great Way perishes there wil be morality and duty. When cleverness and knowledge arise, great lies will flourish. When relatives fall out with one onother, there will be filial duty and love. When states are in confusion, there will be faithful servants.
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The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consiciousness into our awareness.
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Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from both sides.
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Thos who have knwoledge, don' predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge.
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An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.
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Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
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Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the sense.
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Do the difficult things while they are easy and the do the great things while they are small. 
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The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.
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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.
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When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
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Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
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Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
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Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.
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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.
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The people are hungry: It is because those in authority eat up to much in taxes.
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A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.
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Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.
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In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.
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At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.
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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.
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Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.
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I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.
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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.
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When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.
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The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
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The words of truth are always paradoxical.
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Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.
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Mastering others is strength;  mastering yourself is true power.