Lao Tzu

The softest things in the world override the hardest.

The pursuit of book-learning brings about daily increase. The practice of Tao brings about daily loss.

He who knows others is clever, but he who knows himself is enlightened. He who overcomes others is strong, but he who overcomes himself is mightier still. He is rich who knows when he has enough.

here is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, yet for attacking things that are hard and strong there is nothing that surpasses it, nothing that can take its place.
The soft overcomes the hard; the weak overcomes the strong.

Why are excessive care and great anxiety alike bad for one? The very reason I have anxiety is because I have a body. If I have not body why would I be anxious?
Therefore if he who administers the empire, esteems it as his own body, then he is worthy to be trusted with the empire.

If you fix upon your consciousness the fact that the desire you feel for the possession of riches is one with the desire of Omnipotence for more complete expression, your faith becomes invincible

The Tao that can be Told

Is not the True Tao;

Names that can be Named

Are not True Names.

The Origin of Heaven and Earth

Has no Name.

The Mother of the Myriad Things

Has a Name.

Free from Desire,

Contemplate the Inner Marvel;

With Desire,

Observe the Outer Radiance.

These issue from One Source,

But have different Names.

They are both a Mystery.

Mystery of Mysteries,

Gateway to All Marvels

The Tao that can be Told is the mundane Tao of the Art of Government, as opposed to the True Tao of Nature, of the So-of-Itself, of Long Life, of Self-Cultivation through Non-Action. This is the Deep Tao, which cannot be Told in Words, which cannot be Named. The Names that can be Named are such worldly things as Wealth, Pomp, Glory, Fame, and Rank

The Ineffable Tao

Emulates the Wordless Infant,

It resembles

The Unhatched Egg,

The Bright Pearl within the Oyster,

The Beauteous Jade amongst Pebbles.

It cannot be Named.

The Taoist glows with Inner Light, but seems outwardly dull and foolish. The Tao itself has no Form, it can never be Named.

The Root of the Tao

Proceeds from Void,

From Non-Being,

It is the Origin,

The Source of Heaven and Earth,

Mother of the Myriad Things,

Nurturing All-under-Heaven,

As a Mother Nurtures her Children

The Tao itself

Can never be

Seen.

We can but witness it

Inwardly,

Its Origin,

Mother of the Myriad Things.

The Tao itself can never be

Named,

It cannot be Told