Lao Tzu Quotes on Man (14 Quotes)

The wise man is one who, knows, what he does not know.

The Wise Man is square but not sharp, honest but not not malign, straight but not severe, bright but not dazzling.

A mans excellence is like that of water It benefits all things without striving It takes to the low places shunned by men. Water is akin to Tao.... In all the earth nothing weaker than water, Yet in attacking the hard, nothing superior, Nothing so certain in wearing down strength There is no way to resist it. Note then The weak conquer the strong, The yielding outlast the aggressors.

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 shou

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.

He who gains a victory over other men is strong but he who gains a victory over himself is all powerful.

The man of superior virtue is not conscious of his virtue, And in this way he really possesses virtue. The man of inferior virtue never loses sight of his virtue, And in this way he loses his virtue.

With good and harm, with honor and disgrace. This therefore is the highest state of man.

To know men is to be wise to know oneself is to be illumined

A tree trunk the size of a man grows from a blade as thin as a hair. A tower nine stories high is built from a small heap of earth.

How could man rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?

I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness the second is frugality the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold be frugal and you can be liberal avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.

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.

By the accident of fortune a man may rule the world for a time, but by virtue of love he may rule the world forever.