Tao Te Ching 41 · 41

上士聞道，勤而行之；中士聞道，若存若亡；下士聞道，大笑之。不笑不足以為道。故建言有之：明道若昧，進道若退，夷道若類。上德若谷，大白若辱，廣德若不足。建德若偷，質真若渝。大方無隅，大器晚成，大音希聲，大象無形。道隱無名，夫唯道善貸且成。

The best student hears of the Way, and works hard to practice it. The middling student hears of the Way, and sometimes keeps it, sometimes loses it. The worst student hears of the Way and laughs loudly at it. If it were not laughed at, it would not deserve to be called the Way. So the set sayings have it: the bright Way looks dim; the Way forward looks like going back; the level Way looks ordinary. The highest virtue looks like a valley. The purest white looks soiled. The broadest virtue looks like it is not enough. Established virtue looks as if it could be stolen. Plain truth looks faded. The greatest square has no corners. The greatest vessel is finished late. The greatest note is rarely sounded. The greatest image has no shape. The Way is hidden and has no name. Now, only the Way is good at lending, and at bringing to completion.