For a Chinese philosopher, his wisdom lies in the principles of strategy and profound thinking. The art of speaking and writing should reflect these key aspects.
1、The wise use their military skills to retain those who do not return home after visiting distant lands.
2、Without a will, one does not have the capacity for power; with the proper will, one can command the world as well. Without power, one cannot possess it either.
3、My existence is short-lived, but knowledge of the future remains constant. The pursuit of knowledge will always remain constant.
4、To understand the nature of things and to hear the sound of the void requires a level of meditation beyond the physical realm.
5、The future cannot be undeterred by the present, nor can the past avoid its consequences. The universe and its events are interconnected.
6、Happening in the past is related to happening in the future; however, it does not affect or reflect it. Similarly, happening now affects what happens later.
7、When a man as old as he can be falls into the arms of his mother and her chickens, he feels profound joy. The joy comes from the presence of his mother and her chickens, but this joy cannot exceed the joy one feels when it is born.
8、The wise do not speak their mind; the fool does not think their mind. The more you know, the less you know; the more you know about what you don't know, the more you know about what you do know.
9、Since I have not found a rational explanation for my actions nor will my life's events be completely understood by my own thoughts, I must accept that my understanding is incomplete until it is revealed through something else.
10、The wise are neither too old to know everything. The more you know, the less you know; the more you know about what you don't know, the more you know about what you do know.
11、The blind man can never understand the world because he cannot see it, but he is capable of seeing it through his thoughts.
12、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less.
13、The wise with a heart of gold can love others freely, while the fool cannot love anyone without his own worries or fears.
14、The wise do not need to live a long life because he is capable of living a short life. The wise who are old in their ways are actually wise as they age.
15、The man who knows the truth will know that his life has been well-lived, but the man who does not know the truth may have lived a good life or a bad life depending on whether he knew something he didn't or something he did.
16、The wise do not refer to themselves; they reference only what is necessary. The wise who speak their mind will speak it in a way that makes sense to them, but the fool cannot understand his own words or even those of others.
17、A small stone can be moved with ease by doubling its weight, and likewise for the sun. Each star's position is determined by the combined forces of all other stars.
18、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less.
19、A stone can be made to move, but it cannot move itself unless it is moved to a new position. A star can burn itself if its position changes unless it moves into another place.
20、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less.
21、We cannot understand what others see, but we can know that they do not understand us because we do not see them understand us.
22、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less.
23、A small stone cannot be moved without a large stone moving in its place; likewise, a sun's position is fixed because it moves with the stars around it.
24、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less.
25、A man who loves his words will love everything else, but a fool cannot be lovers of all things because he does not know the truth or the sense that is present in the world.
26、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less.
27、A man may feel happy just at the point of breaking a bone, but he cannot know what it is until he has broken another bone.
28、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less.
29、Men may become rich by having power, and men may become famous by having the right name; men will never be famous unless they are famous to others.
30、A good diet is essential for maintaining good health. Reading books can improve knowledge and skills.
31、The absence of a master or guide leads one to struggle, as does the lack of preparation. Without proper guidance or preparation, life becomes difficult.
32、The world may be rich, but it will not appear so just because its people are rich; likewise, the world may have many names, but it is only those whose people are rich that truly name it. The same goes for nature: a forest may appear to be diverse, but it does not take its name from what one sees.
33、The stream flows into the land and meets its end in its own place. It drinks from the river below it and shares its nourishment with those living on its banks and shoreside. It lures the fish that wanders by its mouth, yet does not wash them away with the water that swims beneath it.
34、A small stone cannot be moved without a large stone moving in its place; likewise, a sun's position is fixed because it moves with the stars around it.
35、The wise who are old in their ways have become wise as they age. They become wise by speaking less and thinking less; they speak little, but think little, for wisdom comes from patience and quiet thought.
36、A small person is not saved from his vice just because he has a large reputation, nor does his reputation affect the man who is large in sound. He is not saved by his appearance or name, though perhaps he may be known better than others for his appearance. His fame comes when others admire him and notice that they see him differently.
37、A small stone cannot move without a large stone moving in its place; likewise, a sun's position is fixed because it moves with the stars around it.
38、The king has a hole to fill. He does not have enough wealth or skill for this purpose. The hole must be filled by someone who is both rich and skilled.
39、A fool will not go near anyone, nor will he reach many places with his means; but the wise man can reach every place with his wisdom and his abilities.
40、Man's knowledge of his own existence must be small. For that purpose it is necessary to know the true identity of the soul. Man should not become a blind mirror, for when one looks into oneself's reflection, he sees something very different from himself. In this way, only the genuine soul can be revealed.
41、A wise man and a fool share little with each other. The wise man has much to say; the fool knows nothing. The wise man speaks of what is true, while the fool talks about what he sees.
42、A small stone cannot move without a large stone moving in its place; likewise, a sun's position is fixed because it moves with the stars around it.
43、Man must not be overconfident. He must have little confidence in himself and his neighbors. He should keep his own interests in mind when he speaks to others.
44、When there is a good man in front, one can take good measures for the good of the country. When there is no good man in front, it becomes necessary to save oneself from the fate of the nation itself. So saving himself and his neighbors is also necessary; otherwise, he will be at risk.
45、A man who dies with a bad plan may die without knowing that it was wrong. When two things are not alike, one can be changed into the other by making small changes in different parts of life.
46、Man must not have his wealth depend on his name; likewise, he cannot be famous unless he has an immense reputation. Man is known best when others know him and find out how they are known to them.
47、A small person does not avoid his vice just because he has a large reputation. He does not know whom to hide from his name; likewise, the wise man knows no one who cannot be saved from his vice without his true soul's help.
48、Man must not become blind as a result of misunderstanding his own existence. For that purpose, one must understand the nature of being and what it means for a person to exist in reality.
49、A fool who knows nothing can still speak about the truth because he knows that the truth exists outside himself; likewise, a wise man knows that the truth exists within him.
50、Man must not be overconfident. He must have little confidence in himself and his neighbors. He should keep his own interests in mind when he speaks to others.
