Laozi — "Therefore even the sage treats some things as difficult. That is why in the end …"
Therefore even the sage treats some things as difficult. That is why in the end no difficulties can get the better of him.
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More from Laozi
"Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt."
"One who makes promises rashly rarely keeps good faith; One who is in the habit of considering things easy meets with frequent difficulties."
"The best ruler is one whose existence is merely known by the people. The next best is one who is loved and praised. The next is one who is feared. The next is one who is despised."
"The sage attends to the belly, and not to what he sees."
"The greatest good is like water. Water benefits all things and does not contend."
About Laozi (c. 6th century BCE (semi-legendary))
Reputed founder of Taoism and author of the Tao Te Ching, whose wu wei (effortless action) shaped East Asian philosophy. Closely associated with Zhuangzi (later Taoist who extended Laozi's framework). For an intellectual contrast, see Confucius, near-contemporary Chinese sage of social ritual and duty — Confucius systematized social order through ritual and hierarchy; Laozi argued that all such systems were the disease, not the cure — the two founding poles of Chinese moral philosophy.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
Even wise people deliberately approach certain tasks as if they were hard, staying alert and careful instead of assuming ease. By respecting difficulty upfront, they prepare thoroughly, avoid shortcuts, and prevent small problems from compounding into crises. The result is that genuine obstacles never overwhelm them, because they have already accounted for what could go wrong. Treating things as difficult is a posture of humility and attentiveness, not pessimism, and it keeps competence ahead of complication.
Relevance to Laozi
Laozi, the legendary keeper of the Zhou dynasty royal archives, spent his life observing how rulers and scholars stumbled by underestimating problems. As the founder of Taoism, he taught wu wei, effortless action rooted in patient awareness, and warned that arrogance invites collapse. This saying captures his signature paradox: the sage succeeds by assuming difficulty, mirroring his withdrawal from court life to write the Tao Te Ching rather than chase status he considered treacherous.
The era
Laozi lived during the late Zhou dynasty, roughly the 6th century BCE, as central authority crumbled and regional lords fought constant wars that would escalate into the Warring States period. Ministers were executed on whims, alliances collapsed overnight, and ambitious reformers often died young. In this volatile climate, treating ordinary decisions as dangerous was literal survival advice. Laozi's counsel to respect difficulty spoke directly to advisors, generals, and rulers whose overconfidence could cost entire kingdoms and thousands of lives.
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