The words of truth are always paradoxical.
79
When a compromise is effected after a long dispute, one of the parties retains a grudge: how can this be called a good settlement?
Therefore the wise man takes his part of the bond, and does not insist upon having the other.
The virtuous man attends only to his engagements in the bond, while the man without virtue contrives for his own advantage.
The Tao of Heaven has no favourites; it always aids the good man.
80
If I had a small kingdom and but ten or a hundred men of ability, I would not administrate with them.
I would teach the people to look upon death as a grievous thing, and then they would not go abroad to meet it.
Though they had boats and carriages, yet they would not go away in them.
Though they had armour, yet they would never have occasion to wear it.
The people would return to the use of the quipu.
They should find their coarse food sweet, think their plain clothes grand, regard their homes as places of rest, and take delight in their own simple pleasures.
Though the neighbouring state could be seen by us, and the crowing of the cocks and the barking of the dogs could be heard,
Yet my people would grow old, and die before ever feeling the need of having intercourse with it.
81
Sincere words are not grand.
Grand words are not faithful.
The man of Tao does not dispute.
Those who know it are not learned.
The learned do not know it.
The wise man does not lay up treasure.
The more he expends on others, the more he gains for himself.
The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
This is the Tao of Heaven, which penetrates but does not injure.
This is the Tao of the wise man, who acts but does not strive.
English_Hansen_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese - English by
Chad Hansen
1
To Guide with Names
To guide what can be guided is not constant guiding.
To name what can be named is not constant naming.
'Not-exist' names the beginning (boundary) of the cosmos (Heaven andearth)
'Exists' names the mother of the ten-thousand natural kinds .
Thus, to treat 'not-exist' as constant is desiring to use it to viewits mysteries.
To treat 'exists' as constant is desiring to use it to view its manifestations.
These two emerge together yet have different names.
'Together'--call that 'obscure.' 'Obscure' it and it is more obscure.
. . . the gateway of a crowd of mysteries.
2
Contrast of Terms
That the social world knows to deem the beautiful as 'beautiful' simplycreates the 'ugly. '
That the social world knows to deem worth as 'worthy' simply creates'worthlessness. '
Thus 'exists' and 'not-exists' mutually sprout. 'Difficult' and 'easy'are mutually done.
'Long' and 'short' are mutually gauged. 'High' and 'low' mutually incline.
'Sound' and 'tone' mutually blend. 'Before' and 'after' mutually supervene.
(Pro-sage Commentary:)
Using this: sages fix social issues without deeming ; administer a'no words' teaching.
The ten-thousand natural kinds work by it and don't make phrases.
They sprout but don't 'exist'.
Deem-act and don't rely on anything.
Accomplish their work and don't dwell in it.
Because they don't dwell in it, they don't lose it.
3
Prescriptions for Politics
Don't glorify the high-brow: cause people not to wrangle.
Don't value limited commodities: cause people not to contemplate stealing.
Don't display the desirable: prevent confusing the people's hearts-'n-minds.
Using these: The governance of sages: empties their hearts-'n-minds,stuffs their guts
Weakens their resolve, and strengthens their bones.
He treats causing the people to lack both knowledge and desire as constants.
Causing those with knowledge not to venture deeming-actions.
They deem the absence of deeming-action and thus nothing is ungoverned.
4
Using Guidance
Guidance pours out but in using it, something is not filled.
Whew! It's like the ancestor of the ten-thousand natural kinds.
'Dull' its 'sharp', 'untie' its 'tie', 'blend' its 'bright', 'together'its 'diffused particles'.
Ooo! It's like it partly endures.
I don't know whose son it is.
It is before the emperor of signs!
5
Natural Guidance
Heaven-earth [the cosmos] is not kind. It treats the 10,000 naturalkinds as straw dogs.
Sages are not kind. They treat the hundred surname-groups as strawdogs.
Is the space between Heaven and earth not like bellows and flutes?
Empty and not warped.
As long as you move them, they produce.
Many words and numbers unlimited are not as good as holding the center.
6
The Superiority of the Female
The Valley energy never dies.
This is called 'fathomless female'
The channel of the fathomless female:
This is called the basis of the cosmos.
Silken! It's as if it abides.
Handle it gently!
7
Intentional Reversal
Heaven is old and Earth is enduring.
What do Heaven and Earth rely on in order to be old and enduring?
They rely on avoiding self creation.
Hence they can be old and enduring.
Using this: Sages 'later' themselves and yet they comes first.
They 'outside' themselves and yet they abide.
Is this not a case of their lacking selfishness?
So they are able to achieve their selfishness.
8
The Worth of Water
Higher worth is like water.
Water is good at benefiting the ten-thousand natural kinds
Without wrangling for position.
What the crowd despises
Hence close to the guide.
In dwelling value the earth.
In heart-mind value depth.
In being-with value kindness.
In words value reliability.
In rectifying value order.
In social affairs value ability.
In action value timing.
In general, simply don't wrangle
Hence have no indiscretion.
9
The inconstancy of achievement
To grasp and pile things up is not as good as regarding it as alreadydone.
When you measure and build a pillar , you cannot preserve it for long.
When gold and jade fill the hall, you can't keep any of it.
Rich, ennobled and thus proud bequeaths ruin.
With success, disappear: this is the heavenly guide.
10
Impossible Advice
In general:
In mustering your vitalities, embracing in one, can you fail to distinguish?
In specializing in breath and consummating weakness, can you be a child?
In cleansing and voiding your profound mirror, can you be without flaw?
In loving the people and ordering the state, can you fail to know?
In opening and closing the heavenly channel, can you fail to be female?
In discerning all within the four directions, can you fail to deem-act?
Generate it, nourish it:
Generate it and not 'exist' it.
Deem: act and not rely on anything.
Become 'elder' and not rule.
These are called 'profound virtuosities.'
11
The Value of Non-existence
Thirty spokes together make one hub.
Where the nothing is, lies the cart's use.
Throwing clay to deem: make a utensil;
Where the nothing is, lies the utensil's use.
Sculpting windows and doors to deem: make a room;
Where the nothing is, lies the room's use.
So where we deem having it as beneficial.
We deem use to consist in lacking it.
12
The Numbing Effect of the Conventional
The five colors stupefy the people's eyes.
The five tones desensitize the people's ears.
The five flavors numb the people's mouths.
Horse races and hunting derange the people's heart-minds.
Hard to get goods pervert the people's behavior.
Using this: Sages deem: act for the gut not the eye.
So they choose this and reject that.
13
Status
Favor is as disgraceful as a warning.
Nobility is as great a trouble as a self.
Why say 'favor is as disgraceful as a warning'?
The favored is deemed below.
Receiving it is like a warning.
Losing it is like a warning.
This is called 'favor is as disgraceful as a warning.'
Why say 'nobility is as great a trouble as a self'?
Deeming I have a self is what makes it possible for me have trouble.
and if I had no self, what trouble could I have?
Hence nobility is regarding your self as the social world.
To the likes of that, the social world can be delivered.
[Nobility's] love regards the self as the social world.
To the likes of that, the social world can be entrusted.
14
Metaphysical Issues
Look at it and fail to see: its name is 'remote.'
Listen to it and fail to hear: its name is 'diffuse.'
Feel it and fail to get anything: its name is 'subtle.'
This threesome cannot be exhaustively probed for portents.
Hence we blend them and deem them as one.
Its height is not sparkling.
Its depth is not murky.
String-like, it cannot be named.
It reverts to being no natural kind.
This we call the condition of being in no condition; the sign of nonatural kind.
This we call 'confused' and 'indistinct.'
Facing it you cannot see its head; Following it you cannot see itsrear
If you grasp guiding discourse from ancient times in dealing with today'sreality
you can know the ancient beginnings.
This is called a guiding discourse's record.
15
Mastering Guiding Discourse
Those in ancient times who were good at deem: acting as scholars
Were subtlety mysterious and profoundly receptive
Unfathomably deep.
Now, precisely because unfathomable,
We must force a description of them.
Cautious: like crossing a stream in winter.
Ambivalent: like fearing those on all sides.
Exacting: like being a guest
Mutable: like ice on the point of melting
Unaffected: like uncarved wood.
Munificent: like a valley
Obscure: like muddied water
Who can, while muddy, using calmness gradually become clear?
Who can, while at ease, using activity gradually come to life.?
She who embraces this guiding discourse
doesn't desire fulfilling.
Now precisely because not fulfilled,
she can obscure and not newly fabricate.
16
Being a Guide
Go to the limit of emptiness
Take on quiet dependability
The ten-thousand natural kinds are all dealt with.
And I thus view their response
In general, natural kinds flourish.
Each responds by returning to its root.
Returning to the root is called quietude.
This I call responding to the word.
Responding to the word we describe as 'constant'.
To know what is constant we describe as 'discernment'.
Not to know what is constant is wantonly taking risks.
To know what is constant is openness;
Open thus equitable;
Equitable thus kingly;
Kingly thus natural;
Natural thus guiding;
Guiding thus enduring
Doesn't stop when you bury the body.
17
Politics
The best hierarchy is one those below realize is there.
Next to that
is one that you feel kin to and extol.
Next to that
is one you dread.
Next to that
is one you contemn.
When reliability is inadequate in it
There will be unreliability in it.
Reflectively! His ennobling of language.
Works are completed; affairs proceed
And the hundred surnames all call this 'our nature (our own doing)'
18
The Origin of Ethical Concepts
When the great guide is cast aside you will have 'humanity' and 'morality.'
When intuitive wisdom emerges you will have great artifice.
When great kinship is not in harmony, you will have 'filiality' and'affection.'
When states and great families sink and become deranged, you will have'loyal ministers.'
19
Argument for Ethical Anarchism
Terminate 'sageliness', junk 'wisdom'
the people will benefit a hundred-fold.
Terminate 'humanity', junk 'morality'
the people will respond with 'filiality' and 'affection.'
Terminate 'artistry', junk 'benefit'
thieves and robbers will lack 'existence'.
These three
taken as slogans are insufficient.
Hence, leads us to postulate that to which they belong.
Visualize simplicity and embrace uncarved wood.
Downgrade 'selfishness' and diminish 'desire.'
Terminate learning and you will lack irritation.
20
Left without Language
How much separates
'Uh huh' and 'Huh uh'?
What is the separation like between
'worthy' and 'vile'?
What humans fear
cannot not be feared.
Futile! Not focused yet.
The crowd festive
--like enjoying an Easter picnic
or on an Easter sunrise hike.
I, alone, am placid--it's portent not yet clear.
Like an infant not yet a baby.
Languorous!
Like having no refuge.
The crowd all have plenty
I alone treat it as loss.
Mine is the heart-mind of the stupid, indeed.
Indiscriminate!
People of custom are lustrous,
I alone am dull.
People of custom are critically discriminating;
I alone obfuscate.
Bland! It's like the ocean;
drifting! like I have no place to stop.
The crowd all have the-capacity-to
and I alone am dallying and wanton.
I alone am different from humans,
and value nursing at Mother's breast.
