← Back to quotes

67

"The world calls me great great but useless because I am great I am useless if I were of use I would have stayed small but I possess three treasures I treasure and uphold first is compassion second is austerity third is reluctance to excel because I am compassionate I can be valiant because I am austere I can be extravagant because I am reluctant to excel I can be chief of all tools if I renounced compassion for valour austerity for extravagance reluctance for supremacy I would die compassion wins every battle and outlasts every attack what Heaven creates let compassion protect"

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

English

"The world calls me great great but useless because I am great I am useless if I were of use I would have stayed small but I possess three treasures I treasure and uphold first is compassion second is austerity third is reluctance to excel because I am compassionate I can be valiant because I am austere I can be extravagant because I am reluctant to excel I can be chief of all tools if I renounced compassion for valour austerity for extravagance reluctance for supremacy I would die compassion wins every battle and outlasts every attack what Heaven creates let compassion protect"

Loading…
Loading the web debug toolbar…
Attempt #