Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
Ch. 3
The sage is detached, thus at one with all. Through selfless action he attains fulfillment.
Ch. 7
In dwelling, be close to the land. In meditation, go deep in the heart. In dealing with others, be gentle. In speech, be true...In action, be aware of the time and the season. Do not fight. Do not blame.
Ch. 8
Claim wealth and titles and disaster will follow.
Ch. 9
Working, yet not taking credit. Leading, yet not dominating.
Ch. 10
Accept being unimportant, do not be concerned with loss or gain....Surrender yourself humbly, then you can be trusted to care for all things. Love the world as your own self, then you can truly care for all things.
Ch. 13
Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment; not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change.
Ch. 15
Empty yourself of everything, let the mind become still. The ten thousand things rise and fall while the self watches their return...
Knowing constancy is insight, not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
Have an open mind and an open heart, and you will be at one with the Tao - being at one with the Tao is eternal.
Ch. 16
Yield, and overcome.
Bend, and be straight.
Empty, and be full.
Wear out, and be new.
Have little, and gain.
Have much, and be confused.
Ch. 22
Not putting on a display, they shine forth. Not justifying themselves, they are distinguished. Not boasting, they receive recognition. Not bragging, they never falter. They do not quarrel so no one quarrels with them.
Yield and overcome. Be whole, and all things will come to you.
Ch. 22
Achieve results but never glory in them, achieve results but never boast. Achieve results but never be proud. Achieve results but not through violence.
Ch. 30
Without desire, there is tranquility.
Ch. 37
The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again.
The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.
If there were no laughter, the Tao would not be what it is.
Hence it is said:
The bright path seems dim. Going forward seems like retreat. The easy way seems hard. The highest virtue seems empty. Great purity seems sullied. A wealth of virtue seems inadequate. The strength of virtue seems frail. Real virtue seems unreal.
Great talents ripen late. The highest notes are hard to hear. The greatest form has no shape.
Ch. 41
One gains by losing and loses by gaining.
Ch. 42
The softest thing in the universe overcomes the hardest thing. That without substance can enter where there is no room.
Ch. 43
He who is attached to things will suffer much. He who saves will suffer heavy loss. A contented man is never disappointed. He who knows when to stop does not find himself in trouble.
Ch. 44
Great accomplishment seems imperfect yet it does not outlive its usefulness. Great fullness seems empty yet it cannot be exhausted. Great straightness seems twisted. Great intelligence seems stupid. Great eloquence seems awkward.
Stillness and tranquility set things in order in the universe.
Ch. 45
There is no greater sin than desire for possession.
There is no greater curse than discontent.
There is no greater sickness than greed.
Whoever knows true contentment will be at peace forever.
Ch. 46
Without going outside, you may know the whole world.
Ch. 47
In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped...
The world is ruled by letting things take their course. It is not ruled by interfering.
Ch. 48
The sage does not distinguish himself from the world,
Therefore the needs of others are as his own.
He is good to those who are good.
He is good to those who are not good.
His virtue is goodness itself.
He is sincere with those who are sincere.
He is sincere with those who are not sincere.
His virtue is sincerity itself.
The sage is shy and humble, and thus at one with all.
While people use their eyes and ears to discriminate,
the sage behaves with childlike innocence, and sees all has his own children.
Ch. 49
Creating without claiming, doing without taking credit, guiding without interfering.
Ch. 51
Keep your mouth closed, guard the senses and life is ever full. Open your mouth, always be busy and life is beyond hope.
Ch. 52
Seeing the small is insight. Yielding to force is strength.
Ch. 52
Reserve your judgments and words;
Smooth differences and forgive disagreements;
Dull your wit and simplify your purpose;
Accept the world.
Then,
Friendship and enmity,
Profit and loss,
Honour and disgrace,
Will not affect you;
The world will accept you.
Ch. 56
The sage does not grasp, therefore, he does not lose.
Ch. 64
The sage seeks freedom from desire. He does not collect precious things. He learns not to hold on to ideas.
Ch. 64
Because the sage does not compete, he does not meet competition.
Ch. 66
The stiff and unbending is the disciple of death, the gentle and flexible is the disciple of life.
The hard and strong will fall, the soft and meek will overcome.
Ch. 76
The sage works without recognition.
He achieves what has to be done without dwelling on it.
He does not try to show his knowledge.
Ch. 77
He who takes upon himself the humiliation of the people is fit to rule.
Ch. 78
The Tao is impartial - it stays with good men all the time.
Ch. 79
The sage never tries to store things up. The more he does for others, the more he has. The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance.
The Tao of Heaven is pointed and nourishing and does no harm.
The Tao of the sage is work without effort.
Ch. 81