Laozi
Chinese thinker traditionally named as the author of the Daodejing, also called the Laozi; said in Chinese sources to have flourished in the sixth century BCE, though some modern scholars hold that he is entirely legendary; that authorship is traditional and legendary.
Laozi did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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Their wordsThe Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 1st of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsThe highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 2nd of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsHe who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 3rd of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsHe who knows (the Tao) does not (care to) speak (about it); he who is (ever ready to) speak about it does not know it.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 4th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsIn the kingdom the multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the people; the more implements to add to their profit that the people have, the greater disorder is there in the state and clan; the more acts of crafty dexterity that men possess, the more do strange contrivances appear; the more display there is of legislation, the more thieves and robbers there are.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 5th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsThe tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine storeys rose from a (small) heap of earth; the journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 6th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsThere is no calamity greater than lightly engaging in war.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 7th of 8 in this piece
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Their wordsSincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere.
↗Tao Teh King, traditionally ascribed to Laozi (tr. James Legge, 1891)gutenberg.org 8th of 8 in this piece
The line under a date fills as the words age, a quarter at a time: past a month, six months, a year, and three years. Empty means said within the last month; full, more than three years ago. It says when, not whether it still holds — a change of mind is marked on the claim itself.
Dashed means we only know the words existed by that date; they may be older.