Lao Tzu (commonly translated as “Old Master”) also rendered as Laozi and Lao-Tze, was an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer. He is the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching, the founder of philosophical Taoism, and a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions. A semi-legendary figure, Lao Tzu was usually portrayed as a 6th-century BC contemporary of Confucius, but some modern historians consider him to have lived during the Warring States period of the 4th century BC. A central figure in Chinese culture, Laozi is claimed by both the emperors of the Tang dynasty and modern people of the Li surname as a founder of their lineage. Laozi’s work has been embraced by both various anti-authoritarian movements and Chinese Legalism. We bring you the compilation of the best Lao Tzu Quotes, hope you like it.
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Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.— Lao Tzu
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— Lao Tzu
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.— Lao Tzu
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.— Lao Tzu
Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.— 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 produce things and to rear them, To produce, but not to take possession of them, To act, but not to rely on one’s own ability, To lead them, but not to master them This is called profound and secret virtue.— Lao Tzu
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.— Lao Tzu
To conquer others is to have power, to conquer yourself is to know the way.— Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.— Lao Tzu
The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. Through this I know the advantage of taking no action.— 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
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
Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself.— Lao Tzu
When the highest type of men hear Tao, They diligently practice it. When the average type of men hear Tao, They half believe in it. When the lowest type of men hear Tao, They laugh heartily at it.— Lao Tzu
Arms are instruments of ill omen When one is compelled to use them, it is best to do so without relish. There is no glory in victory, and to glorify it despite this is to exult in the killing of men When great numbers of people are killed, one should weep over them with sorrow. When victorious in war, one should observe mourning rites.— LaoTzu
All things in the world come from being. And being comes from nonbeing.— Lao Tzu
Learning builds daily accumulation, but the practice of Tao builds daily simplification. Simplify and simplify, until all contamination from relative, contridictory thinking is eliminated. Then one does nothing, yet nothing is left undone. One who wins the world does so by not meddling with it. One who meddles with the world loses it.Tao te Ching, 48. — LaoTzu
To lead people, walk beside them… As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate… When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves!’— 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

Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.— Lao Tzu
The men who are great live with that which is substantial, they do not stay with that which is superficial they abide with realities, they remain not with what is showy. The one they discard, the other they hold.— Lao Tzu
If the Great Way perishes there will morality and duty. When cleverness and knowledge arise great lies will flourish. When relatives fall out with one another there will be filial duty and love. When states are in confusion there will be faithful servants— Lao Tzu
From of old the things that have acquired unity are these: Heaven by unity has become clear; Earth by unity has become steady; The Spirit by unity has become spiritual; The Valley by unity has become full; All things by unity have come into existence.— Lao Tzu
Great acts are made up of small deeds.— Lao Tzu
To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.— Lao Tzu
He who tiptoes cannot stand he who strides cannot walk.— Lao Tzu
To be worn out is to be renewed.— Lao Tzu
Pride attaches undue importance to the superiority of one’s status in the eyes of others And shame is fear of humiliation at one’s inferior status in the estimation of others. When one sets his heart on being highly esteemed, and achieves such rating, then he is automatically involved in fear of losing his status.— Lao Tzu
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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 rewards in honors.— 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
He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.— Lao Tzu
Clay is molded to form a cup, But it is on its nonbeing that the utility of the cup depends. Doors and windows are cut out to make a room, But it is on its nonbeing that the utility of the room depends. Therefore turn being into advantage, and turn nonbeing into utility.— Lao Tzu
He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.— Lao Tzu
The best man is like water. Water is good it benefits all things and does not compete with them. It dwells in lowly places that all disdain. This is why it is so near to Tao.— Lao Tzu
Conquering others takes force, conquering yourself is true strength.— LaoTzu
It is better to do one’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.— Lao Tzu

The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be.— Lao Tzu
Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish too much handling will spoil it.— Lao Tzu
Manifest plainness, Embrace simplicity, Reduce selfishness, Have few desires.— Lao Tzu
He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.— Lao Tzu
Silence is a source of great strength.— Lao Tzu
A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him.— LaoTzu
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.— LaoTzu, Tao Te Ching
Be the chief but never the lord.— Lao Tzu
Know the masculine, keep to the feminine.— 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
While day by day the overzealous student stores up facts for future use, He who has learned to trust nature finds need for ever fewer external directions. He will discard formula after formula, until he reaches the conclusion Let nature take its course. By letting each thing act in accordance with its own nature, everything that needs to be done gets done.— Lao Tzu
He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know.— Lao Tzu
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.— Lao Tzu
When armies are mobilized and issues are joined, The man who is sorry over the fact will win.— Lao Tzu
Stop thinking, and end your problems.— Lao Tzu
He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.— 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
There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontentment. And there is not greater disaster than greed.— Lao Tzu
I have three treasures. Guard and keep them The first is deep love, The second is frugality, And the third is not to dare to be ahead of the world. Because of deep love, one is courageous. Because of frugality, one is generous. Because of not daring to be ahead of the world, one becomes the leader of the world.— Lao Tzu

Knowing others is intelligence knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.— Lao Tzu
The career of a sage is of two kinds: He is either honored by all in the world, Like a flower waving its head, Or else he disappears into the silent forest.— Lao Tzu
The heavy is the root of the light. The tranquil is the ruler of the hasty.— Lao Tzu
The highest goodness is like water. Water benefits all things and does not compete. It stays in the lowly places which others despise. Therefore it is near The Eternal.— Lao Tzu
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage.— Lao Tzu
Man’s enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself.— Lao Tzu
When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.— Lao Tzu
Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.— Lao Tzu
One who is too insistent on his own views finds few to agree with him.— Lao Tzu
The Way of Heaven does not compete, And yet it skillfully achieves victory. It does not speak, and yet it skillfully responds to things. It comes to you without your invitation.— Lao Tzu
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It is the Vague and Elusive. Meet it and you will not see its head. Follow it and you will not see its back.— Lao Tzu
Of all that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just. Perseverance is the foundation of all actions.— Lao Tzu
The Eternal generates the One. The One generates the Two. The Two generates the Three. The Three generates all things.— Lao Tzu
Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.— Lao Tzu
Great indeed is the sublimity of the Creative, to which all beings owe their beginning and which permeates all heaven.— Lao Tzu
The good man is the teacher of the bad, And the bad is the material from which the good may learn. He who does not value the teacher, Or greatly care for the material, Is greatly deluded although he may be learned. Such is the essential mystery.— LaoTzu
The sage wears clothes of coarse cloth but carries jewels in his bosom He knows himself but does not display himself He loves himself but does not hold himself in high esteem.— Lao Tzu
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.— Lao Tzu

Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Nonbeing is the greatest joy.— Lao Tzu
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.— LaoTzu, The Way of LaoTzu
People are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge.— Lao Tzu
From wonder into wonder existence opens.— Lao Tzu
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.— Lao Tzu
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.— Lao Tzu
Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of happiness.— Lao Tzu
The people are hungry: It is because those in authority eat up too much in taxes.— Lao Tzu
He who conquers others is strong He who conquers himself is mighty.— Lao Tzu
The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without even having to fight them— Lao Tzu
When the people of the world all know beauty as beauty, There arises the recognition of ugliness. When they all know the good as good, There arises the recognition of evil.— Lao Tzu
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Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretch her fingers to touch the heavens.— Lao Tzu
Without going outofdoors, one can know all he needs to know. Without even looking out of his window, one can grasp the nature of everything. Without going beyond his own nature, one can achieve ultimate wisdom. Therefore, the intelligent man knows all he needs to know without going away, And sees all he needs to see without looking elsewhere, And does all he needs to do without undue exertion.— Lao Tzu
He who loves the world as his body may be entrusted with the empire.— Lao Tzu
How could man rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?— Lao Tzu
Heaven endures and the earth last a long time because they do not live for themselves.— Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
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
To know that you do not know is the best. To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.— LaoTzu, The Way of — LaoTzu
There is no need to run outside for better seeing… Rather abide at the center of your being For the more you leave it the less you learn. Search your heart and see… The way to do is to be.— Lao Tzu
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.— Lao Tzu
To have little is to possess. To have plenty is to be perplexed.— Lao Tzu
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