How do I know that this should be so, with this:
The more prohibitions that are imposed by the emperor,
The poorer the people become.
The more clever products that people own,
The less clever the nation becomes.
The more people use their tricks and knacks,
The more odd products there are, and
The more rules and laws there are,
It is likely that there are the more thieves and bandits.
The Sage says: "I do not contrive, and people
automatically become cultured and well-mannered.
I keep still, and people automatically become straight;
I do not intervene, and people automatically become rich;
I do not crave, and people automatically lead a simple life."
58
Good Life Under a Non-interventionist Government
When the government appears dull and boring,
The people enjoy a good and rich life.
When the government appears clever and innovative,
The people suffer a shortage.
What appears to be misfortune may pave the way for fortune.
What appears to be fortune may pave the way for misfortune.
Who knows the absolute?
The right that we know is often not right.
What is right may prove to be wrong.
What is good may prove to be bad.
Mankind has been lost in the maze since the old days.
The Sage has an open mind and is unpretentious.
He is incorruptible and will not succumb to bribery.
He is straight but is not arrogant.
He shines but not dazzles.
59
Be Prepared
To rule over men or to serve heaven
Nothing works better than following the farmer's example.
The farmer does his preparatory work early.
To be like him, one must pay attention to the accumulation of virtue.
That way one can overcome all difficulties.
That way one's ability knows no limit.
That way one can sustain a nation.
Virtue being the mother of a nation,
With virtue the nation can last a long time.
With deep roots and secure trunks, one is
on the way to a long life and a long view.
60
Governing a Great Nation According to the Dao
To govern a great nation
Is not much different from frying a small fish.
To govern a nation according to the Dao,
Even the demons will not show their influences.
Not that they have lost all their influences,
But their influences will do people no harm.
Not only do the influences of the evil spirits do people no harm.
The Sage will also do people no harm.
Since demons at one extreme,
through the Sage at the other extreme,
All do people no harm.
We can conclude that the Virtue has perfected its job.
61
No Hegemony in Foreign Relations
Big nations should be like a stream that flows low.
In relating to other nations under heaven.
They should be like a female animal.
Female animals often lie low and still.
By doing so they win over male animals.
Big nations that take on a lower profile than small nations
will win the adherence of small nations.
Small nations that take on a lower profile than big nations
will win the assistance from the big nations.
Big nations keep low and get what they want.
Small nations keep low and get what they want.
Big nations(with an abundance of land) want to have
a bigger population.
Small nations(with a shortage of land) want to have more jobs.
If big nations keep low, both the needs of big nations
and those of the small will be fulfilled.
62
The Dao as Treasure and Refuge
The Dao is the deepest learning for all living things,
It is the good man's treasure
and the bad man's refuge.
Fine words attract respect;
Fine deeds make people look gallant.
(Because of such fine consequences that are expected)
even men who are bad
may not be stingy with fine words and good deeds!
On the occasion of the enthronement of the Emperor
or at the installation of three ministers of the state, therefore,
It is far better to follow the Dao (which certainly
will bring good fortune) than to have a jade
disc displayed, leading a chariot of four horses.
In the ancient times those people who value the Dao
do not do so for the consequences,
or in order to achieve atonement for their sins.
For this reason they are truly honored by all under heaven.
63
The Natural, Selfless Way of Life
Act in the state of non-action;
Work but do not work for gain;
Taste but do not taste for the taste.
Never mind if it is big, small, many, or few,
Just repay injury with benevolence.
To do the difficult we start with the easy.
To do the great thing we start with the small.
All the difficult tasks under heaven must
begin with the easy parts.
All the great achievements under heaven must
begin with the small steps.
The Sage never sets out to do great things.
That way he accomplishes great results.
Those who make easy promises will not be trusted.
Those who say everything is easy
will often have difficulty accomplishing their tasks,
The Sage, on the other hand, takes on the easy tasks as
he takes on the difficult.
So in the end no difficulty will hold him up.
64
Fortitude and Living One\'s Inner Nature
When the situation is peaceful and orderly,
Maintaining peace and order is not difficult;
When the situation has not yet developed to a
mature stage, planning to change the outcome is easy;
What is brittle is easy to break;
What is minute is easy to scatter.
We set out to work before problems emerge.
We put things in order before they get out of order.
A tree that is big enough for one to embrace around
it grew from a tiny seed.
A nine-story pagoda begins from a heap of earth.
A journey of a thousand miles ("li") begins with the first step.
Those who work for gain in the end will be frustrated.
Those who hold on to something in the end will lose it.
The Sage never works for gain and so will never be frustrated.
He never holds on to anything so he never loses anything.
People often fail in their tasks when they are about
to accomplish them.
If only they take the same care in the end as they do in the beginning,
they will avoid many failures.
The Sage desires to be free of desires, so he will not
value goods that most people value;
He learns to unlearn,
so he will value things that most people do not value.
The Sage only hopes that all living things will live out their inner nature.
He will not dare to go against Nature.
65
Be Wary of Acquired Knowledge
In the ancient days the masters who succeed in following the Dao,
Rather than making people clever,
Would spare them from much acquired knowledge.
The reason why people may be difficult to rule over is that
they are too clever.
The ruler who rules with his acquired knowledge
is (likely) to hurt the nation.
The ruler who rules not with his acquired knowledge
is (likely) to benefit the nation.
Knowing the difference between ruling with acquired knowledge and
ruling with original knowledge
Is close to following the right formula.
Being always mindful of following the formula is the mystical virtue.
The mystical virtue is deep,
far from the crowds,
and opposite to what people expect.
Exactly because it is the reverse of what people expect,
it achieves great concordance.
66
Rule with Humility
The reason why the great rivers and the seas can claim
to be the kings of the hundred valleys
is that they lie low,
so the water in all valleys come to them.
The Sage who wants to be on top of his people must use humble words.
He who wants to lead his people must follow his people.
For these reasons, though the Sage is on top of his people,
his people are not burdensome.
Although he is ahead of his people,
his people will do him no harm.
He wins the heart of his people and
is never abandoned by the people.
Because he never struggles with anyone for favor,
none under heaven can out-struggle him.
67
The Three Treasures
All under heaven say that my Dao though great seems to be useless.
Exactly because it is great it seems to be useless.
If it seemed to be useful, in all likelihood
it would be small, not great.
I have three treasures that I keep and adhere to always.
The first is compassion.
The second is thrift.
The third is humility.
Because I am compassionate, I have courage.
Because I am thrifty, I am generous.
Because I am humble, my potential can be fully developed.
These days people have forgotten about compassion,
instead they are daring;
They have forgotten about thrift,
instead they are spendthrift;
They have forgotten about humility,
and they always want to be number one.
They are doomed.
He who fights a war with compassion will win the war.
He who defends with compassion will hold out against his enemy.
Heaven will help him and defend him with compassion.
68
The Virtue of Non-struggle
He who can offer wise counsel will not display his wisdom.
He who is a fine fighter will not lose temper.
He who is good in contests will not struggle with his contestants.
He who knows how to use people stays low and underneath them.
This is the virtue of non-struggle.
This is making use of others' full abilities.
This can be said to match heaven
And is really the best art handed down from the ancient days.
69
Humility and Adaptiveness in the Battlefield
Military strategists have this dictum:
"When I am not ready to take the role of the host (defend),
I will take the role of the guest (attack);
When I am not ready to advance an inch,
I will retreat a foot."
This is known as moving but not having a pattern of moving;
Pushing away, but not showing the arms to push with;
Dispelling, but not having visible enemies to dispel;
Taking command, but having no armies to take command over.
The greatest ill lies in slighting one's opponents;
Slighting my opponent, I could easily lose my treasure.
When two armies of equal strength meet in combat,
It is the army that considers itself weak that will win.
70
The Rarity of Dao Followers
What I say is easy to understand and easy to practice
Yet few people under heaven understand and practice it.
What I preach has a respectable ancestry,
What I do serves a lord well.
Yet few people are aware of this,
And therefore few understand me.
The fewer people know about me.
The rarer and the better positioned
are those who know and practice my teaching.
The Sage is like someone hiding a precious
jade piece underneath his clothes.
71
Rediscover What You Know in Your Nature
One who knows what most people do not know is superior;
One who forgets what one by nature knows is sick.
The Sage is free from this sickness.
Because he avoids the sickness, he is not sick.
72
Do Not Intimidate Others; Do Not Exalt Yourself
Truly reverence-inspiring
is he who displays nothing to intimidate his people.
Do not despise people for their humble residences;
Do not n them for their modest births.
Because you do not despise and n them,
They also will not despise and n you.
The Sage knows himself and frees himself from prejudice.
He treasures and takes care of his own life but will not exalt himself.
He gives something up and gains something else.
73
Heaven\'s Plans
He who is brave enough to challenge the Dao perishes.
He who is brave enough to revere the Dao lives.
These two personalities, with their respective harms and benefits,
will invite favor or disfavor from heaven.
Does any one know the reason behind it?
The way of heaven, the Dao, is apt to win benefits
though it never struggles for any benefit.
He who follows the Dao, though he never asks for any favor,
receives the favor.
Results come of their own accord where results are due.
Without deliberating, heaven appears to have its plans.
Although its net appears to consist of course meshes,
No one can sneak through and escape the law.
74
Rely Not On the Death Penalty
People may not be afraid of death.
Why should we intimidate them with the threat of death?
If people are generally afraid of death,
And we are able to seize the exceptions and to kill them,
Why would anyone still disregard the death penalty?
The Lord of Killing does kill from time to time.
Yet anyone who kills in his place
is like someone who takes the place of the master carpenter
and uses his sharp tools.
It is unlikely that he can avoid hurting his own hands.
75
Government\'s Faults
People are hungry.
That is because the government imposes too many taxes.
People are difficult to rule over.
That is because the government contrives and wants to do too much.
People do not think much of death.
That is because the government makes life a privilege
instead of treating it as a natural right.
Those who makes living an unconditional right are good
in that they pay due respect to life.
76
Strengths and Weaknesses
People at birth are weak and supple.
People at death are strong and hard.
All living things including the trees and other
plants are supple and weak.
When they die, however, they all turn dry and hard.
Being hard and strong is the way of the dead.
Being soft and weak is the way of the alive.
Armed forces that show their strength will not win.
Trees that hold strong against the wind are likely
to be blown down.
To be strong is a disadvantage.
To be weak is an advantage.
77
The Way of Heaven
