Tao Te Ching
by Lao Tzu
translation by James Clum

1

The way that is the way is not the common way.

The name that is a name is not the common name.

Heaven and earth arose from the nameless,

Our mother has a name.

So, without desire there is mystery.

With desire there are manifestations.

These two depart from two different names,

Together they are called unfathomable.

Being unfathomable it is profound,

The profound is the door to the mysterious.

2

Everybody knows beauty as beauty because there is ugliness.

Everybody knows friendliness as friendliness and so there is unfriendliness.

Having and not having  simultaneously arise.

Difficult and the easy simultaneously develop.

Long and short simultaneously provide shape.

High and low simultaneously generate fullness.

Tone and pitch simultaneously produce harmony.

Front and back simultaneously follow.

Persevere.

Hence, the sage manages affairs by non-action.

This is a wordless instruction.

Everybody is working and nothing has taken off.

Living yet not being possessive and dependent,

Accomplishing but not lingering.

Being neither fixed nor moving.

3

By not holding individuals in high esteem,

Others will not quarrel over their status.

By not valuing expensive items,

 People will not take what is not theirs.

By not looking at desirable things,

The people’s minds will not be troubled.

Hence, this is the way a sage manages his affairs.

By emptying his mind,

By fortifying his belly,

By weakening his will,

By strengthening his bones.

The people then are free of knowledge and desire.

The educated are not daring.

Do without doing,

Rule without governing.

4

The way is like a bowl that can never be filled.

The abyss is the ancestor of all things;

The profound exists.

I don’t know whose child it is,

It appears to be older than the gods.

5

Heaven and earth are not kind,

Everyone then becomes a straw dog;

The wise are also not kind,

So everyone becomes a straw dog.

Between heaven and earth is like a bellows.

It is empty but not vacant.

The more you use it, the more it produces.

Too many words are exhausting.

Better keep centered.

6

The valley spirit never dies,

It’s called the mysterious female.

The mysterious female is the gate,

It’s known as the root of  heaven and earth.

Without effort, existence goes on and on.

7

Heaven is eternal whereas earth is temporal.

Heaven and earth are therefore eternal and temporal.

They do not live for themselves,

So they can live forever.

The sage puts himself last and therefore can be first.

He is excluded so that he may be inclusive.

He does not strive for personal gain,

So he attains his personal aims.

8

Water reveals an lofty virtue.

Water’s virtue is that it benefits all things without a struggle,

It dwells in places disliked by the multitudes.

So, how much different is the Way?

For a good home-good foundation,

For a good heart -good depth,

For good interaction-good kindness,

For good words- good honesty,

For good justice- good governance,

For good affairs-good abilities,

For good movement -good timing,

A man then should not struggle.

 Then there will be no error.

9

It’s easier to hold a cup when it’s empty.

It’s hard to maintain the sharpness of a knife for a long time.

Gold and jade adorn the halls but then you have to watch over it.

Abundance and wealth result in arrogance,

Personal loss results in blame.

When the task is finished retreat from it,

This is heaven’s way.

10

Can you nourish the soul and embrace unity without separation?

Can you focus the vital breath to show suppleness like a child?

Can you wipe away the darkness of things you’ve seen

and not leave blemishes?

When you love your country and govern the people?

Can this be done with non-action?

Heaven’s gate opens and closes,

Can this be feminine?

Knowing the four direction,

Can you be unaware of them?

Raising livestock,

Can we allow them to live without possessing them?

Serving yet not being reliant,

Can you live a long time and not rule?

This is called a mysterious virtue.

11

Thirty spokes share one hub,

It is the spaces between them make the wheel useful.

Clay is used to make utensils,

It is the space inside that makes the utensils useful.

Chisel out doors and windows to make a room,

It is the space within that makes the room useful.

So, it is the emptiness within things that we benefit from using.

12

The five colors blind the eyes,

The five tones deafen the ears,

The five flavors deadens once taste,

Riding and hunting cause a man’s mind to race frantically,

Wanting material things does harm.

So, remove these things.

13

Whether being favored or disgraced one is shocked,

Being honored one faces great adversity.

Why does being favored or disgraced shock us?

Favor is prized,

Disgrace is despised,

Attainment is shocking and so is failure.

So, favor and disgrace are called shocking.

Why does being honored create great adversity?

I face great adversity as a person because I’m alive,

How could I have troubles if I weren’t alive?

Honor yourself as you would the people and the people will be sent to you.

Love yourself as you would the people and you will have the people’s trust.

14

That which is looked for but not seen is foreign,

That which is listened for but not heard is rare,

That which is grasped at but not obtained is microscopic.

These three cannot be unraveled and so are confused as one.

Its upper part is not bright,

Its lower part is not concealed.

Eternally nameless- It returns to nothingness.

It’s eternally empty and without form,

It’s called shapeless.

Though we greet it -We cannot see its head,

Though we follow it -We cannot see it from behind.

Hold to the ancient way, so that you may have passage into the present.

You can understand then that the origins of antiquity began with discipline.

15

The ancients were very good as studying the way,

They moved without obstruction through minute yet profound subtleties that are deep and hard to understand,

So, they were of strong countenance.

Prepare as if forging a river in winter, as if in fear of four neighbors.

Like a dignified guest,

Melted like thawing ice.

Plain and simple,

Spacious like a valley,

Murky like muddy water,

Who can be muddy and yet become pure?

Who can be still and then slowly come alive?

He who cherishes the way does not desire excesses,

Such a person’s accomplishments are not revealed.

16

To achieve total emptiness, one must guard serenity and sincerity.

All things coalesce and we watch their return.

Men’s talents and crafts return to their roots.

Returning to the root could be called serenity.

Serenity could be called returning to one’s destiny.

Returning to one’s destiny could be called eternal.

Knowing the eternal is called understanding.

Not knowing the eternal, one is damned by impetuousness.

Know eternal countenance,

Countenance is reflected in the people,

The public reflects a whole,

The whole reflects heaven,

Heaven reflects the Way,

The Way reflects perpetuity,

Without life there’s no mortality.

17

The best ruler’s presence is unknown.

Next comes the one who is familiar.

Next comes the one whom is feared.

Finally comes the one who is humiliated.

When there isn’t enough trust, the people don’t have faith.

His words are honorable yet spoken pensively.

Upon completing his assignment successfully,

Everyone says that it just happened naturally.

18

The great way has been abandoned despite kindness and righteousness.

     When knowledge and intelligence surface there is always mendacity.

Families are in discord despite filial piety and affection.

The states are falling into anarchy despite our loyal ministers.

19

when scholars disappear knowledge is abandoned and everyone becomes a little brighter.

When humanity abandons righteousness, the people return to ancestral worship and kindness.

When the clever abandon their advantages, stealing and thievery disappear.

These three can be summarized as one-exhaustible.

So they belong in the same category.

Find the pure and embrace the simple,

Keep few secrets and fewer desires,

When education disappears so do worries.

20

Between promises and flattery-How much difference is there?

Between good and evil-How far are they apart?

A man already afraid cannot be made to fear though a catastrophe is eminent.

Crowds of people are cheerful as if enjoying a great sacrifice or spring festival.

I, alone, am anchored and with no prophetic sign,

I’m murky,

Like an infant son that is not yet a child.

Like a puppet,

I’ve got nothing to return to.

Everyone seems to have more than enough and yet I am alone and forsaken.

I am a foolish man with a foolish mind.

To a common person this will be apparent,

I, alone, feel feint,

To a common person this can be observed,

I, alone, feel depressed.

Calm like the sea,

Endless as a high wind,

Everyone seems to have what he needs,

I, alone, feel obstinate and vulgar,

I, alone, am different from the others,

I value being fed by the mother.

 21

The penetrable opening into virtue comes only through the way.

The way is something that is both profound and absurd.

Being profound and absurd gives it shape.

Being absurd and profound gives it materiality.

Being sublime and dark gives it its essence.

Its essence is real and believable.

Naturally it came to the ancients and its name hasn’t escaped us.

It is still experienced by everyone.

What is it that I know and everyone else can experience?

It is this.

22

Carve out a cup to make it whole,

Make the crooked become straight,

Make the deep pool become overflowing,

By so doing, the cultivated person embraces oneness and is a model for all.

It isn’t normally seen, therefore it’s radiant.

It isn’t normally present, so it’s obvious.

It isn’t normally put down, therefore it’s worthy of merit.

It isn’t normally deserving of sympathy, so it can be enduring.

He doesn’t struggle so he has no one under heaven to struggle with.

The ancients called this,“Carving out a cup to make it whole.”

Are these just hollow words?

Return to sincerity to become whole.

23

Saying little is natural.

A gusting wind does not last all morning,

A pounding rain does not last all day.

What causes this?

Heaven and earth.

If heaven and earth can’t last forever, how can man?

So follow this and you follow the way.

A man of the way follows the way.

A man of virtue follows virtue.

A man of failure follows his losses.

By following the way you’ll happily find it.

By practicing virtue you’ll happily become virtuous.

By following your losses you happily become a failure.

Without faith, how can faith be sufficient?

24

On your toes you cannot stand firmly,

Taking strides you cannot step,

Self-display is not enlightening,

Self-righteousness is not demonstrative,

Self-criticism is without merit,

Self-pity is not enduring.

In regard to the Way it is said that a surplus of food creates hatred,

So, a man of the way does not dwell on things.     

 25

Something was formed from chaos          

Before eeaven and earth came about.

Still and deserted,

It still stands yet is has not changed,

Going cautiously although there is no danger,

It is able to become the mother of the world.

I don’t know its name,

Its child is called the way.

It became strong and its name is called greatness.

Greatness is called passing away.

Passing away it is called far.

Far away it is called opposite.

Hence, the way is great.

Heaven is great,

Earth is great,

Man is also great.

The region’s center has four greatnesses,

Man dwells in only one.

Man’s law is earth’s.

Earth’s law is heaven’s

Heaven’s law is the way’s.

The way’s law is nature.

26

Gravity is the essence of lightness,

Tranquility is the master of impetuousness,

So at the end of the day, the master doesn’t leave with his covered wagon full and heavy.

Although the kingdom is displayed in its glory,

It is over-managed, however.

There are ten thousand masters and their multiplying

Yet they belittle the people.

Lightness then loses its essence,

Impetuousness then loses its master.

27

Great walks leave no cart tracks,

Great words are flawless and without blame,

Great numbers cannot be counted using bamboo strips,

Great locking doors don’t close with bolts and yet the doors cannot be reopened.

Great knots are without the rope binding and yet they cannot be untied.

Therefore, a cultivated person is good at saving others.

Hence, he doesn’t abandon anyone.

The highest virtue is saving things.

Hence things are not abandoned.

This is considered an attack on our understanding.

So a good man is a bad man’s teacher.

A bad man is a good man’s resource.

A teacher without high esteem is an unappreciated resource.

Although knowledge is a source of great confusion,

It is considered wonderfully subtle.

 28

Know the masculine but guard the feminine,

Become like a mountain stream for the world,

By being a mountain stream to the world, you will always be virtuous and never depart,

You will return to being like an infant.

Know the pure but guard the disgraced,

Become a valley for the world,

By being a valley for the world, you will always be virtuous and consequently always have enough.

Return to simplicity,

Simple like a bowl that a sage uses,

It is long-lasting.

Hence, great control should do no harm.

29

Do you desire the world you see but cannot have?

The world is a sacred vessel,

It cannot be obtained.

It cannot be grasped,

You will only be defeated if you try to grasp it as it will be lost.

Therefore, the cultivated one does not act and so is not ruined

Without grasping, there is no loss.

Sometimes we lead and sometimes we follow,

Sometimes we breathe hard and sometimes we breathe easily,

Sometimes we are strong and sometimes we are weak,

Sometimes we take things in and sometimes we turn things over.

Therefore, a sage abandons pleasures,

Abandons extravagance,

30

In accordance with the way, while assisting officials,

Military force should not be recommended in dealing with the affairs of the world.

Following the divisions of soldiers, thorns grow,

When an army returns, unlucky years follow.

Virtue comes from not daring to use force,

Don’t be esteemed,

Don’t be boastful,

Don’t be arrogant,

Don’t be proud,

Don’t be powerful.

Strength fails with age,

This is not the way,

Without the way things come to an early end.

31

Man’s weapons are not auspicious instruments,

These things may cause evils,

Hence, one who lives by the way does deal with them.

A gentleman takes the honored position on the left,

An officer takes his honored position on the right.

Weapons are not auspicious instruments,

If there is no other choice than to use them,

It is best to remain peaceful and indifferent,

There is no beauty in victory.

There is no happiness in killing.

A person who takes joy in killing can never express the will of the people.

The auspicious place is on the left,

The ominous place is on the right,

The general of the army is on the left,
His subordinate officer  is on the right,

Words are prepared for a funeral.

When there’s been a slaughter of many,

It is a time for grief, sorrow and crying,

When the battle is victorious funeral rites are soon arranged.

32

The eternal way is a nameless block of wood.

The world gets ministers, marquises, and kings to protect it.

Guests prepare themselves to honor it.

Heaven and Earth are in harmony and join together to pour down sweet dew.

There are none who command and can treat all equally.

When the block is cut,

Names are present,

Once names are present,

It’s time to stop.

Knowing when to stop you will be free of danger.

Like a creek in the valley that flows into the rivers and into the sea.

33

Knowing people is wisdom,

Knowing yourself shows understanding.

Victory over others requires strength,

Victory over oneself requires power.

Knowing what is sufficient is wealth.

A person who uses power may get his way,

But only what is not lost can endure long.

What dies but does not perish lives on.

34

The great way overflows to left and to the right.

All things rely on it in order to live yet it never abandons them.

Great achievements happen and yet it doesn’t take recognition.

We are clothed and taken care of and yet it does not lord over us.

Always without desire,

We can call it insignificant,

All things return to it and yet it does not lord over us.

We can call it great.

It doesn’t consider itself great,

Hence, it can accomplish great things.

35

The great image was grasped by the world of the past,

Yet is did no harm and provided tremendous peace.

Celebration and cakes caused guests to stop by.

The way pours forth,

Insipid?   It is not without flavor,

Look at it and it seems lacking in appearance.

Listen to it and it seems inaudible.

Use it and it seems already insufficient.

36

If you want something to shrink, you must stretch it.

If you want to make something weak, you must first make it strong.

If you want to abolish something, you must first make it popular.

If you wish to receive, then you must first give.

This is called “a little understanding.”

The soft and weak are victorious over the hard and strong.

37

The eternal way is without “doing,” and yet it leaves nothing undone.

Marquises and kings can guard it,

All things are transformed by it.

Transformed yet longing to do things,

I will restrain myself by not naming it “simple.”

Without a name and being plain no one longs for it.

Without desire there’s calm,

Everything is put in its own natural order.

 38

By not upholding virtue as a virtue,

Virtue can thereby be obtained.

When virtue is devalued one does not lose his own virtue,

Though it seems there isn’t virtue.

Higher virtues are without action and are not based on action.

Lesser virtues are also without action but are based on action.

Great humanity requires doing something even though nothing may get done.

Great justice requires action and that action be taken.

Great etiquette could exist without feedback from anyone.

So, when the way has been lost, people return to being virtuous,

By losing their virtue they return to being humane,

By losing their humanity they return to being just,

By losing justice they return to proper etiquette.

A man of decorum is loyal and trustworthy and despises disorder.

Earlier knowledge about the way was splendid yet it was stupid and elementary.

When dealing with the thick he does not dwell on the thin.

When dealing with reality he does not get hung up on the ornamental.

So he chooses one and not the other.

39

Long ago there was wholeness.

From heaven we obtained wholeness from its essence,

From earth we obtained wholeness from its peace,

From god we obtained wholeness from its spirit,

From the great valley we obtained wholeness from its abundance,

All things obtain wholeness from life.

Marquis and kings obtain wholeness from the sacrifices made by their people.

From such devotion it has been said that if heaven were without essence the people would split apart in fear.

Earth without peace would cause the people to be crippled by fear.

God without spirit would cause the people to afraid to sleep.

The great valley without abundance would cause the people to fear famine.

Without new life things would fear being extinguished.

Marquis and kings without the sacrifices made by their people would fear being trampled.

The cheap is the standard of which the expensive is measured,

The lowly is the foundation for the esteemed,

With that said, marquis and kings consider themselves as orphans and widows without grain.

This is not what I mean by humility and this is the basis of wickedness, right?

The highest reputation is without reputation,

Not desiring nephrite and jadeite as precious jade,

Necklaces then are just stones.

40

Going through life,

 The Way seems to turn everything upside down.

A feeble person knows the Way.

Everybody everywhere is full of life.

            Having life though is nothingness.

41

When an esteemed scholar hears about the way, he just walks away.

When an average scholar hears about the way, he considers his existence and death.

When the poor scholar hears about the way, it’s just a big joke.

If there weren’t laughs, it wouldn’t be the way.

The way is dark,

The way is withdrawn,

The way is tangled.

Virtue is like a valley,

Great purity seems disgraceful,

Great virtue seems at times insufficient,

Trying to establish virtue is like pilfering,

The real nature of things is change,

A great square with no corners,

A great bottle that is finished over the course of a night,

A great sound with rare tone,

A great image without shape,

The way is hidden and nameless.

The way is forgiving until the end.

 42

The way gives rise to one,

One gives rises to two,

Two gives rise to three,

Three gives rise to all things.

All things bear the pessimistic but embrace the optimistic infusing the life breath with harmony.

There are orphans, widows and the impoverished and yet kings believe the public is getting by just fine.

So, one man’s loss might be perceived as another man’s gain.

Perhaps gains coincide with losses.

What others teach, I also teach.

A man rigid as a beam does not die a natural death,

I will believe in the teachings of my father.

43

In the world the soft are trampled on by the strong.

The intangible penetrates the impenetrable.

I therefore know that non-action is of benefit.

It goes without saying that non-action is a beneficial teaching,

The world rarely reaches this conclusion.

44

Which is dearer your title or your life?

Which is worth more your life or your wealth?

Acquiring things or dying, which is more malignant?

Therefore our affinities must come at a great cost.

Accumulating much provides one with a generous death.

So, knowing when you have had enough is not disgraceful,

Knowing when to stop is not dangerous,

Be able to have good long life.

45

A major success seems incomplete unless its purpose was not to defraud.

A great surplus seems absent if its function has not been to exhaust its supply.

The straight seem crooked,

The skillful seem awkward,

Arguers seem cautious.

Stillness overcomes a hot temper,

Cold overcomes the heat.

Purity and serenity are  standards for the world.

  46

When the world uses the way, horses walk around manure.

When the world doesn’t use the Way, war horses breed in the suburbs.

The greatest disasters come from not knowing what sufficiency.

There is only desire to blame,

So know when enough is enough and it will always be sufficient.

 47

Without leaving my door, I can know the world.

Without peeping out my window, I can see the way of heaven.

The farther one travels the less one knows.

Therefore the cultivated person does travel and yet he knows,

He does not see and yet he understands,

He does not do and yet he is done.

48

Learning day by day, the day’s path is lost.

Lose it and lose it again until you come to inactivity.

Not doing and yet not doing nothing.

The world is always busy and yet it is not busy doing anything,

Insufficiency is the choice of the world.

 49

A sage is often without his own heart,

The people’s heart is his heart.

When people are good to me, I am good to them.

When people are not good to me, I am still good to them so that virtue is goodness.

Truthful people I believe,

Liars I also believe so that virtue can be believable.

A saint is of the world,

The world muddies the heart,

The people all pay attention with just their ears and eyes,

A saint in all cases is like a child.

50

From life we enter death.

Three out of ten for life,

Three out of ten for death.

Of men who live, three out of every ten tend to the earth and the   dead.

Why?

In order to live life generously!

I have heard that a man of highest virtue can walk paths and not meet with rhinoceros or tigers.

Entering into battle, he does put on the armor of a soldier.

The rhinoceros is unable to thrust its horn,

The tiger is unable to use its claws,

Soldiers are unable to take up a sword.

Why?

There is no place for death.

51

The Way gives life, and virtue feeds us as things take shape and conditions come to a conclusion.

Therefore everybody does not honor the Way but values virtue.

By honoring the Way and valuing virtue, a man’s fate is always natural.

So, the Way gives life and virtue feeds us,

Longevity nourishes us,

Accomplishments ripen us,

Being brought up it shelters us,

Life cannot be possessed or relied upon, and longevity cannot be controlled.

This is called mysterious virtue.

   52

The world’s genesis is considered to be the world’s mother.

By knowing the mother, you know child,

By guarding the mother, life is not perilous.

Plug up the hole,

Shut the door and lifelong struggles end.

Close the hole,

Being frugal in all matters throughout life,

 One will not need assistance.

Noticing the insignificant is called brilliance,

Guarding the soft is called strength,

Use light to return to brilliance,

Without losing the body to sin, practice the eternal.

    53

Because I have knowledge of traveling the great way,

 It is cause for fear.

The great way seems foreign yet people’s path is good.

The imperial court is being swept clean,

The fields are overgrown with weeds,

The silos are empty.

People follow fashions, culture, and the daily affairs,

People wear sharp swords,

What is left over from the riches and commodities is what robbers boast about.

This is not the way!

54

A person who tries to set up something good does not try to promote it,

A person who gives you a good hug is not anxious to get away.

When descendents offer sacrifices they should not suddenly quit.

Cultivate oneself so that one’s virtue is genuine.

Cultivate it within one’s own family until excess remains.

Cultivate it in the villages so that its virtue lives on.

Cultivate it in the nation so that its virtue is abundant.

Cultivate it in the world so that its virtue is universal.

So one person observes another,

One family observes another,

By a village observing a village, a country can observe a country and the world can observe the world.

How do I know the world to be like this?

Because of this……..

55

Having virtue leaves one vulnerable as a naked child.

Poisonous insects cannot sting it.

Wild beasts cannot seize it.

Birds of prey cannot catch it.

Its bones are weak and its muscles soft, yet its grasp is firm.

Male and female mingle,

Their essence materialized,

By the end of the days harmony is realized,

Knowing harmony is called eternal.

Knowing the eternal is enlightenment.

That which benefits life is called auspicious.

The heart that enables the vital breath is called power.

Things that imitate the old are not the way and come to an early end.

56

A person who knows doesn’t speak,

A person who speaks doesn’t know.

He has plugged the hole and closed the doors,

Blunted the sharpness,

Unraveled the confusion,

Harmonized with the light, and become like dust.

This is called the mysterious union.

So, he isn’t familiar,

He appears withered,

A profit cannot be made off of him,

You can do him no harm,

He isn’t noble,

Nor is he considered lowly.

Hence, the world sees his value.

57

Be just in governing the nation,

Use craftiness with the military,

Disconnect from daily affairs in dealing with the world.

How do I know this?

Because of this…

When the world has many jealousies the poor grow in number,

When the people start sharpening their weapons, they become roused and lose sight.

People develop many crafts and skills when they are excited by strange trends.

When laws are manifested, robbers and thieves get their share.

So the cultivated person says….

I am not interfering, and the people will change on their own accord.

I will be still and the people will become just on their own accord.

I won’t meddle and the people will become succeed on their own.

I won’t desire and the people will naturally become simple.

58

Though the government smothers the people they remain pure and simple.

The government oversees everything and yet the people are in need.

Disaster and good fortune are interdependent.

Good fortune and disaster conceal each other.

How do I know this truth?

When justice is abandoned,

Justice returns corrupted, and the good return as demons,

When the people are bewildered the days become hard and long.

59

When governing the people and the affairs of heaven,

 Be conservative.

Being conservative is said to be something acquired early.

By acquiring conservatism early one can accumulate great virtue.

Accumulating great virtue arises from restraint.

Without knowing restraint one cannot understand the infinite,

Without knowing the infinite one can possess a nation,

Possessing a nation, one is maternal and one can live long.

This is known as having a deep root and a strong foundation.

Longevity is seen as the way.

60

Govern a big country like you would cook a small fish.

In accordance with the way attend worldly functions like a ghost and not a god.

Then ghosts will not be gods, and gods will not harm the people.

When gods don’t harm the people,

The cultivated person also doesn’t harm the people.

These two have nothing to do with harming the people, and virtue  returns.

61

A gentleman of a great nation moves towards those below,

In the world, he is diplomatic.

In the world, he uses a feminine principle.

Females often use stillness to overcome males,

Males use stillness to subjugate females.

Hence, when a great country is overcome by a small country,

It becomes like a small country.

When a small country subjugates a big country

It then becomes like a big country.

Therefore, some overcome to subjugate and some subjugate to overcome.

A great country does not merely desire to domesticate others.

A small country does not merely desire to meddle in the affairs of others.

Both must act out of desire to assume the proper but lowly place.

   

62

The way is a mystery to all things.

It’s a good man’s treasure,

It’s a bad man’s refuge.

Good words can be honored in the market place,

Good works can profit a man.

When a man is not good how can he just be discarded?

So, the son of heaven appoints three ministers,

Although they are given a jade ring and a team of four horses,

It is not equal to sitting and comprehending the way.

So why did the ancients prize this way?

Is it not to say that if one seeks one will find?

Then the guilty can be pardoned and hence the world finds its value.

63

Do without doing,

Work without working,

Taste the tasteless,

See the big as small and the many as few,

Announce criticisms as virtues.

Picture the difficult as easy,

Treat the great as delicate.

The difficult work of the world must be regarded as easy.

The important affairs of the world must be regarded as insignificant.

Therefore, the cultivated man does not go to extremes and achieves greatness in the end.

Hence, he accomplishes great things.

Promises made lightly few will believe,

Many simple things will produce many difficulties.

A man of virtue regards all things as difficult and therefore finds no difficulties.

   64

That which is peaceful is easily maintained,

That which has not been predicted is easily planned.

That which is brittle is easily melted,

That which is tiny is easily scattered.

Act before things come into being,

Manage things before they become disorderly.

A tree that you can get your arms around started from something the size of a hair.

A nine-story tower arose from levels built upon the dust of the earth.

A journey of a thousand miles begins by putting your foot down.

Grasp it and you will lose it,

A cultivated person does not act and is therefore not defeated.

Without grasping he is without a master.

People engaged in situations often fail at small achievements.

Be cautious from beginning to end to avoid failure in such matters.

Therefore, one of insight desires to be without desire.

By not valuing the rare he obtains wealth.

He learns not to learn.

By so doing he returns to everyone that has passed before him.

In order to compliment the world naturally, he dares not to act.

65

Sages of the past didn’t try to enlighten the people but rather keep them ignorant.

People were difficult to govern when they know too much.

Hence, they governed the country by wisdom as though they were traitors to the country.

When they objected to using knowledge to govern the nation, the country prospered.

Knowing these two is also a model that is called mysterious virtue or profound.

Together these things seem to be reversed but return great obedience.

66

The rivers and seas are considered kings to the people of the valley because their goodness comes from their service,

Hence, they can become kings to the hundred valleys.

So, a saint does not desire to be above the people,

He must use words that show subordination.

If you desire to lead the people, you must follow behind them.

Therefore a saint treats superiors as unimportant,

He manages to lead them without insulting them.

Therefore the world is happy and does not push him away or grow tired of him.

So, he does not fail to meet their expectations,

He does not struggle,

So the world is not harmed.

67

What the world calls my great way resembles it but is not that similar.

A person is only great when he appears to not be that way.

After a long time, these things I maintain and guard.

The first is compassion,

The second is frugality,

The third is not daring to put myself before others.

By being compassionate bravery is possible,

By being frugal conquest is possible.

By not daring to put myself before others,

Success is eminent over time.

Now, don’t abandon compassion for bravery.

Don’t abandon frugality for conquest.

Don’t leave the rear ranks for the vanguard or this will end in death.

A man of compassion in war is victorious by guarding this sure principle.

Heaven will rescue the compassionate.

68

The best warrior is not militant.

The best soldier is not angered.

The best victory is without engaging the enemy.

The best managers of men are those who humble themselves.

This is called the virtue of non-resistance.

This is called using the strength of others.

This is called mingling with heaven’s ancient sublimity.

69

Soldiers have a saying-

I dare not be the master but rather the guest.

I dare not advance an inch but rather retreat a foot.

This is called marching without walking.

Seize the enemy without using your arms,

Throw without an enemy to aim at,

Grasp without holding a weapon.

Great disaster befalls those who take their enemy lightly.

So, it is mutually beneficial to avoid war and get along.

A sorrowful man is a victorious one.

70

My words are easy to understand and put into practice.

The world however cannot understand them or carry them out.

Words exists from our ancestors,

My affairs exists from rulers,

Because men do not understand this, they do not understand me either.

Finding someone who understands me is rare.

It is for this reason that it makes it all the more precious.

Therefore, the virtuous wear coarse clothes and carry the jewel in their hearts.

A gentleman of a great nation moves towards those below,

In the world, he is diplomatic.

In the world, he uses a feminine principle.

Females often use stillness to overcome males,

Males use stillness to subjugate females.

Hence, when a great country is overcome by a small country,

It becomes like a small country.

When a small country subjugates a big country

It then becomes like a big country.

Therefore, some overcome to subjugate and some subjugate to overcome.

A great country does not merely desire to domesticate others.

A small country does not merely desire to meddle in the affairs of others.

Both must act out of desire to assume the proper but lowly place.

   

62

The way is a mystery to all things.

It’s a good man’s treasure,

It’s a bad man’s refuge.

Good words can be honored in the market place,

Good works can profit a man.

When a man is not good how can he just be discarded?

So, the son of heaven appoints three ministers,

Although they are given a jade ring and a team of four horses,

It is not equal to sitting and comprehending the way.

So why did the ancients prize this way?

Is it not to say that if one seeks one will find?

Then the guilty can be pardoned and hence the world finds its value.

63

Do without doing,

Work without working,

Taste the tasteless,

See the big as small and the many as few,

Announce criticisms as virtues.

Picture the difficult as easy,

Treat the great as delicate.

The difficult work of the world must be regarded as easy.

The important affairs of the world must be regarded as insignificant.

Therefore, the cultivated man does not go to extremes and achieves greatness in the end.

Hence, he accomplishes great things.

Promises made lightly few will believe,

Many simple things will produce many difficulties.

A man of virtue regards all things as difficult and therefore finds no difficulties.

   64

That which is peaceful is easily maintained,

That which has not been predicted is easily planned.

That which is brittle is easily melted,

That which is tiny is easily scattered.

Act before things come into being,

Manage things before they become disorderly.

A tree that you can get your arms around started from something the size of a hair.

A nine-story tower arose from levels built upon the dust of the earth.

A journey of a thousand miles begins by putting your foot down.

Grasp it and you will lose it,

A cultivated person does not act and is therefore not defeated.

Without grasping he is without a master.

People engaged in situations often fail at small achievements.

Be cautious from beginning to end to avoid failure in such matters.

Therefore, one of insight desires to be without desire.

By not valuing the rare he obtains wealth.

He learns not to learn.

By so doing he returns to everyone that has passed before him.

In order to compliment the world naturally, he dares not to act.

65

Sages of the past didn’t try to enlighten the people but rather keep them ignorant.

People were difficult to govern when they know too much.

Hence, they governed the country by wisdom as though they were traitors to the country.

When they objected to using knowledge to govern the nation, the country prospered.

Knowing these two is also a model that is called mysterious virtue or profound.

Together these things seem to be reversed but return great obedience.

66

The rivers and seas are considered kings to the people of the valley because their goodness comes from their service,

Hence, they can become kings to the hundred valleys.

So, a saint does not desire to be above the people,

He must use words that show subordination.

If you desire to lead the people, you must follow behind them.

Therefore a saint treats superiors as unimportant,

He manages to lead them without insulting them.

Therefore the world is happy and does not push him away or grow tired of him.

So, he does not fail to meet their expectations,

He does not struggle,

So the world is not harmed.

67

What the world calls my great way resembles it but is not that similar.

A person is only great when he appears to not be that way.

After a long time, these things I maintain and guard.

The first is compassion,

The second is frugality,

The third is not daring to put myself before others.

By being compassionate bravery is possible,

By being frugal conquest is possible.

By not daring to put myself before others,

Success is eminent over time.

Now, don’t abandon compassion for bravery.

Don’t abandon frugality for conquest.

Don’t leave the rear ranks for the vanguard or this will end in death.

A man of compassion in war is victorious by guarding this sure principle.

Heaven will rescue the compassionate.

68

The best warrior is not militant.

The best soldier is not angered.

The best victory is without engaging the enemy.

The best managers of men are those who humble themselves.

This is called the virtue of non-resistance.

This is called using the strength of others.

This is called mingling with heaven’s ancient sublimity.

69

Soldiers have a saying-

I dare not be the master but rather the guest.

I dare not advance an inch but rather retreat a foot.

This is called marching without walking.

Seize the enemy without using your arms,

Throw without an enemy to aim at,

Grasp without holding a weapon.

Great disaster befalls those who take their enemy lightly.

So, it is mutually beneficial to avoid war and get along.

A sorrowful man is a victorious one.

70

My words are easy to understand and put into practice.

The world however cannot understand them or carry them out.

Words exists from our ancestors,

My affairs exists from rulers,

Because men do not understand this, they do not understand me either.

Finding someone who understands me is rare.

It is for this reason that it makes it all the more precious.

Therefore, the virtuous wear coarse clothes and carry the jewel in their hearts.

71

To know and be as one who does not know is elevated.

To not know and act as though you do is a sickness.

One who is sick of being sick is no longer sick.

The sage is not sick because he is sick of sickness.

72

People do not fear power because they are ruled by a greater power ultimately.

Not intimate but close,

It does not harass people’s lives.

So, don’t harass either.

Therefore to the saint,

Self-realization is not the same as self-visualization.

Self-love is not the same as self-esteem.

So, leave one and choose the other.

73

The strong do not dare to imitate death nor do they dare to imitate life.

Either of these can profit or harm.

Heaven detests that which tries to understand its principles.

Heavens way is not to fight yet it achieves great victories,

It does not summons though people come to it,

Heaven is like a great net that is thin but nothing is lost.

 

74

The people do not fear death.

Why don’t the people fear death?

If the people are made to always fear death then death will not be unusual for them.

How would I dare to carry out an execution?

When an executioner is unavailable a substitute takes his place,

This is called replacing the great axe-man.

A man who replaces the great axe-man rarely can avoid injuring his own hand.

75

The people are hungry because their superiors tax them too much.

That’s why they are hungry.

The people are difficult to govern because their superiors are too busy.

That’s why they are difficult to govern.

The people take death lightly because too much is demanded of them when they are alive.

That’s why the people take death lightly.

A person who loses his own life is worthy of valuing life.

76

A man is born soft and weak, but dies rigid.

Grass and wood are soft and crisp when they sprout, but dry when they die.

So, the hard and strong are apprentices of death.

The soft and weak are apprentices of life.

Therefore, the strength of an army can be extinguished,

Wood’s strength can be broken.

Strength declines from its great position,

Softness and weakness maintain an exalted position

77

Heaven’s way is like drawing a bow.

The top part comes down and the bottom part goes up.

A man with a surplus does harm,

A man who does not have enough can make it up.

Heaven’s way is to take away where there is a remainder and apply it to where there is a deficit.

Man’s way is to take where there is a deficit and apply it to where there is a remainder.

Who has a surplus that they can offer to the world?

Therefore, the wise person acts but isn’t reliant.

Accomplishes the job but does not dwell on it.

Hence, he does not desire to be seen as worthy or lowly.

78

In the world nothing is more soft and supple than water, yet when attacking something very hard it cannot be beaten.

There is nothing that can compare to its ease.

The weak overcome the strong,

There is no one is the world that understands and no one who can practice this.

Therefore, the sage says-

Enduring the filth of a nation is called being a master of society.

Enduring the misfortunes of nation is called being king of the world.

True words are paradoxical.

79

Though anger is quelled there must still be some remaining.

Accepting blame should be applied to your character or reconciliation will not happen.

Therefore, the sage keeps his contracts without blaming others.

Virtuous contracts are without persuasion.

Heaven’s way is never partial, but is always generous to the good man.

80

A small country has few people.

Even though there are tools, they are not used.

Even though there are many deaths, people don’t move far away.

Even though they have boats and carriages, they don’t care how they get around.

Even though they have armor and weapons, they don’t display them.

Let the people return to using knotted ropes.

With sweet food,

Beautiful clothes,

Quiet homes,

They are happy and vulgar.

Bordering countries gaze upon each other,

The sound of chickens and dogs can be heard.

Citizens grow old and die without ever having dealings with their neighbors.

81

   Truthful words are not beautiful, and beautiful words are not true.

A good man is not argumentative, and argumentative men are not good.

A wise man is not rich, and a rich man is not wise.

A gentleman does not accumulate, because he believes doing for others is fulfilling,

The more he shares with others the more he receives.

Heaven’s way benefits but does not harm.

The sage’s way is to do without doing.