Stand on your tiptoes and you will fall over.
Overextend your stride and you will tire quickly.
Focus on yourself and you will never learn anything.
Sit stubbornly and you will never move forward.
Admire yourself and you will never be admired.
In this way, nature self-corrects itself,
And prevents the selfish from persevering.
From the point of view of the Tao,
Excessive and greedy actions are like tumors.
This is why people naturally detest them.
A follower of Tao rejects them as a matter of principle.
You may order or download The Tao Te Ching here.
List of verses here