Quotes from book
Tao Te Ching

Name: Tao Te Ching
Author: Laozi

Laozi Original title 道德經

The Tao Te Ching , also known as Lao Tzu or Laozi, is a Chinese classic text traditionally credited to the 6th-century BC sage Laozi. The text's authorship, date of composition and date of compilation are debated. The oldest excavated portion dates back to the late 4th century BC, but modern scholarship dates other parts of the text as having been written—or at least compiled—later than the earliest portions of the Zhuangzi.The Tao Te Ching, along with the Zhuangzi, is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism. It also strongly influenced other schools of Chinese philosophy and religion, including Legalism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, which was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts when it was originally introduced to China. Many artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and gardeners, have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration. Its influence has spread widely outside East Asia and it is among the most translated works in world literature.

“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.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 48, as translated by Raymond B. Blakney (1955)

“Since before time and space were,
the Tao is.
It is beyond is and is not.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 21, as interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)
Context: Since before time and space were,
the Tao is.
It is beyond is and is not.
How do I know this is true?
I look inside myself and see.

“Qiān lǐ zhī xíng shǐ yú zú xià.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

千里之行始於足下。
A journey of a thousand li starts with a single step.
Variant translations:
A journey of a thousand [miles] starts with a single step.
A journey of a thousand miles started with a first step.
A thousand-mile journey starts from your feet down there.
As translated by Dr. Hilmar Klaus
Every journey begins with a single step.
Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 64, line 12

“Thirty spokes unite at the single hub;
It is the empty space which makes the wheel useful.
Mold clay to form a bowl;
It is the empty space which makes the bowl useful.
Cut out windows and doors;
It is the empty space which makes the room useful.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 11

“The Tao is called the Great Mother:
empty yet inexhaustible,
it gives birth to infinite worlds.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 6, as interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)

“Governing a large country is like frying a small fish.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 60

“To attain knowledge, add things every day.
To attain wisdom, remove things every day.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 48

“A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is. Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn't reject anyone.
He is ready to use all situations
and doesn't waste anything.
This is called embodying the light.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Variants:
A good traveller has no fixed plan and is not intent on arriving.
As quoted in In Search of King Solomon's Mines‎ (2003) by Tahir Shah, p. 217
A true traveller has no fixed plan, and is not intent on arriving.
Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 27, as interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)

“Therefore the Sage embraces the One,
And becomes the model of the world.
He does not reveal himself,
And is therefore luminous.
He does not justify himself,
And is therefore far-famed.
He does not boast himself,
And therefore people give him credit.
He does not pride himself,
And is therefore the ruler among men.
It is because he does not contend
That no one in the world can contend against him.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 22, as translated by Lin Yutang (1948)

“A way can be a guide but not a fixed path
names can be given but not permanent labels
Nonbeing is called the beginning of heaven and earth
being is called the mother of all things
Always passionless thereby observe the subtle
ever intent thereby observe the apparent
These two come from the same source but differ in name
both are considered mysteries
The mystery of mysteries is the gateway of marvels”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 1, as translated by Thomas Cleary (2004)

“A violent wind does not outlast the morning; a squall of rain does not outlast the day. Such is the course of Nature. And if Nature herself cannot sustain her efforts long, how much less can man!”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 3 as translated by Lionel Giles

“The universe is deathless; Is deathless because, having no finite self, it stays infinite. A sound man by not advancing himself stays the further ahead of himself, By not confining himself to himself sustains himself outside himself: By never being an end in himself he endlessly becomes himself.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 7

“Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Variant translation by Lin Yutang: "He who knows others is learned; he who knows himself is wise".
Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 33, as interpreted by Stephen Mitchell (1992)

“The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Variant translation: The more prohibitions there are, the poorer the people will be.
Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 57

“When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 72, translated by Gia Fu Feng

“Block the passages, shut the doors,
And till the end your strength shall not fail.
Open up the passages, increase your doings,
And till your last day no help shall come to you.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 52 as translated by Arthur Waley (1934)

“There is a thing inherent and natural,
Which existed before heaven and earth.
Motionless and fathomless,
It stands alone and never changes;
It pervades everywhere and never becomes exhausted.
It may be regarded as the Mother of the Universe.
I do not know its name. If I am forced to give it a name, I call it Tao, and I name it as supreme.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 25, as translated by Ch'u Ta-Kao (1904)

“A leader is best when people barely know that he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worst when they despise him. Fail to honor people, They fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aims fulfilled, they will all say, "We did this ourselves."”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

A longer paraphrase of this quotation, with modern embellishments, is often attributed to Laozi: see "Misattributed" below.
Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 17

“This source is called darkness.
Darkness born from darkness.
The beginning of all understanding.”

Laozi book Tao Te Ching

Source: Tao Te Ching, Ch. 1, as translated by J.H.McDonald (1996) http://www.wright-house.com/religions/taoism/tao-te-ching.html [Public domain translation]
Context: The tao that can be described
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be spoken
is not the eternal Name.
The nameless is the boundary of Heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother of creation.
Freed from desire, you can see the hidden mystery.
By having desire, you can only see what is visibly real.
Yet mystery and reality
emerge from the same source.
This source is called darkness.
Darkness born from darkness.
The beginning of all understanding.