Lao Tzu Quotes
Taking things lightly must lead to big difficulties.
Laozi. Tao Te Ching. Translated by D.C. Lau, Penguin Books, 1963, p. 68.
This was quoted by Muammar Quaddafi, the Libyan Dictator in a 2011 television appeal to the people to stop the protests over his rule. The meaning is that if you use or buy something of poor quality, you can expect negative consequences. In this case, we was warning against “buying” the opposition plan to depose him.
Lao Tzu (/ˈlaʊˈtsuː/ or /ˈlaʊˈdzʌ/), also rendered as Laozi (UK: /ˈlaʊˈzɪə/; US: /ˈlaʊˈtsiː/; Chinese: 老子, Mandarin: [làu̯.tsɹ̩]; commonly translated as "Old Master") and Lao-Tze (/ˈlaʊˈdzeɪ/), was an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer. He is the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching, the founder of philosophical Taoism, and a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions.