Full Idea
Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful.
Gist of Idea
Truth is not beautiful; beautiful speech is not truthful
Source
Laozi (Lao Tzu) (Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) [c.530 BCE], II.LXXXI.194)
Book Reference
Lao Tzu: 'Tao Te Ching', ed/tr. Lau,D.C. [Penguin 1963], p.143
A Reaction
A sharp disagreement with Keats ('Ode to a Grecian Urn'). A deep and important question, especially in relation to Plato's discussion of rhetoric (where he is very ambivalent). Great mathematics is beautiful. Truth can harsh. On the whole, I disagree.