Lao-Tzu

Therefore the skilful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
Sun Tzu

Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.
Sun Tzu

Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory.
Sun Tzu

If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.
Sun Tzu

When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
Sun 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

Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.
Lao-Tzu

To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.
Lao-Tzu

Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.
Lao-Tzu

When the best leader's work is done the people say, ''We did it ourselves.''
Lao-Tzu

Seek not happiness too greedily, and be not fearful of unhappiness.
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

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

The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.
Lao-Tzu

Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline; simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weakness postulates strength.
Lao-Tzu

Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.
Lao-Tzu

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.
Lao-Tzu

Nature is not human hearted.
Lao-Tzu

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

The sage does not hoard. Having bestowed all he has on others, he has yet more; having given all he has to others, he is richer still.
Lao-Tzu

He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.
Lao-Tzu

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.
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

He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much.
Lao-Tzu

A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
Lao-Tzu

A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
Lao-Tzu

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

He who knows others is clever; He who knows himself has discernment.
Lao-Tzu

Without stirring abroad, one can know the whole world; Without looking out of the window one can see the way of heaven. The further one goes the less one knows.
Lao-Tzu

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants.
Lao-Tzu

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.
Lao-Tzu

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.
Lao-tzu

He who knows he has enough is rich.
Lao-tzu

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.
Lao-Tzu

All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.
Lao-Tzu

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

Know they thyself, presume not God to scan. The proper study of mankind is man.
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

He who tip-toes cannot stand; he who strides cannot walk.
Lao-Tzu

To lead the people, walk behind them.
Lao-Tzu

When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish.
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

To lead people walk behind them.
Lao-Tzu

Warm weather fosters growth: cold weather destroys it. Thus a man with an unsympathetic temperament has a scant joy: but a man with a warm and friendly heart overflowing blessings, and his beneficence will extend to posterity
Hung Tzu-Cheng

Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.
Lao-Tzu

Favor and disgrace are like fear. Favor is in a higher place, and disgrace in a lower place. When you win them you are like being in fear, and when you lose them you are also like being in fear. So favor and disgrace are like fear.
Lao-Tzu

If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence.
Lao-Tzu

Because of a great love, one is courageous.
Lao-Tzu

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
Lao-Tzu