Laozi

"A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live."

"Pursue Tao, and you become Tao. Pursue virtue, and you become virtuous. Pursue loss, and you will lose."

"The great Tao flows everywhere—to the left and to the right, it loves and nourishes all."

"Wisdom and virtue are not far apart; to know them is to become them."

"Do not seek illumination unless you seek it as a man whose house is on fire seeks a pond."

"To hold back is to pull forward; to push forward is to hold back."

"When I try to stand, I fall; when I stop trying, I remain standing."

"Things that are inflexible and strong are followers of death; things that are supple and weak are followers of life."

"The only way to win a war is to keep from fighting it."

"If you are easily angered, you cannot be wise."

"The softest word in the universe accomplishes the hardest task."

"Do you have faith in your own fundamental decency?"

"Speak little words of wisdom; the loudest words are unnecessary."

"The great square has no corners; the great sound makes no noise."

"A journey of a thousand miles is walked one step at a time."

"The more you talk about it, the less you understand it."

"The way to do is to be."

"To keep your balance, you must keep moving."

"The highest virtue is like deep valleys."

"Knowing how to be silent is knowing when to listen."

"The greatest riches are simple—found in the silence of one's own heart."

"When you accept the worst, you will know how to deal with it."