Lao Tzu quote about hardness from Tao Te Ching - Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.
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Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.
 Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching (4th century BC). copy citation

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Author Lao Tzu
Source Tao Te Ching
Topic hardness softness flexibility
Date 4th century BC
Language English
Reference
Note Translated by Stephen Mitchell
Weblink https://terebess.hu/english/tao/mitchell.html

Context

“When taxes are too high, people go hungry.
When the government is too intrusive, people lose their spirit. Act for the people's benefit.
Trust them; leave them alone.
76 Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plats are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible
is a disciple of death.
Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and supple will prevail.
77 As it acts in the world, the Tao is like the bending of a bow.
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