Lao Tzu

Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Taoism

Lao Tzu (604-517 B.C.)
Chinese silk painting, British Museum

Know Thyself
Knowing others, one is learned;
Knowing thyself, one is enlightened.
Conquering others requires force;
Conquering oneself requires strength.
Knowing contentment, one is rich;
Having perseverance, one is firm;
Abiding in the center, one endures;
Even in dying, one enjoys eternal life.

— Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, XXXIII
Translated by Peter Y. Chou for “Tao of Writing” Seminar
presented at Writers Connection, Cupertino, CA (April 23, 1988)