"Nothing in the world is as soft..." - Quote by Lao Tzu
Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water. Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it. The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid. Everyone knows this is true, but few can put it into practice. Therefore the Master remains serene in the midst of sorrow. Evil cannot enter his heart. Because he has given up helping, he is people's greatest help. True words seem paradoxical.
More by Lao Tzu
More on Strength
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.”
“Neither smiles nor frowns, neither good intentions nor harsh words, are a substitute for strength.”
“The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all.”
More on Flexibility
“The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. Through this I know the advantage of taking no action.”
“Nature avenges herself speedily on the hard pedantry that would chain her waves. She is no literalist. Every thing must be taken genially, and we must be at the top of our condition, to understand any thing rightly.”
“There is nothing softer and weaker than water, and yet there is nothing better for attacking hard and strong things.”