All men know this, No one is able to practice it.
That is why the self-controlled man says:
"He who fears the reproach of the Kingdom is called Ruler of the Land. He who bears the woes of the Kingdom is called King of the land."
True words in paradox.
79
To harmonize great enemies
We must possess that which far surpasses enmity.
We must be able to be at peace
In order to be active in Love.
That is why the self-controlled man holds the left-hand portion of the contract, but does not insist upon the other man producing his portion.
He who is virtuous may rule by a contract,
He whose virtue is within may rule by destroying it.
Akin to Heavenly Tao is Inner Life.
A constant giver is the man who loves.
80
Take a small kingdom and a few people,
Cause ten or a hundred of them to carry weapons,
But not to use them.
Cause the people to fear death,
Do not let them travel far,
Though they may have boats and carriages,
Let them use them only within the kingdom.
Though they may have soldiers in uniform,
Let them parade only within the kingdom.
Cause the people again to have knotted cords,
And to use them (instead of written characters).
Their food would be sweet,
Their clothing would be beautiful in their own eyes,
Their dwellings would be resting-places,
They would love their simple ways.
If another kingdom were so near
That they could hear the sounds of dogs and fowls,
They would not come into mutual contact
Until they all grew old and died.
81
Faithful words may not be beautiful,
Beautiful words may not be faithful.
Those who love do not quarrel,
Those who quarrel do not love.
Those who know are not learned,
Those who are learned do not know.
The riches of the self-controlled man are in the Inner Life.
When he spends for others, he has more for himself.
When he gives to others, he has much more for himself.
Heavenly Tao blesses all and hurts no one.
The way of the self-controlled man is to act and not to fight.
English_Medhurst_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
English by
C. Spurgeon Medhurst, 1905
1
The Tao which can be expressed is not the unchanging Tao; the name which can be named is not the unchanging name.
The nameless is the beginning of the Heaven Earth; the mother of all things is the nameable.
Thus, while the eternal non-being leads toward the fathomless, the eternal being conduct to the boundary.
Although these two have been differently named they come from the same.
As the same they may be described as the abysmal. The abyss of the abysmal is the gate of all mystery.
2
When everyone in the world became conscious of the beauty of the beautiful it turned to evil; They became conscious of the goodness of the good and ceased to be good.
Thus not-being and being arise the one from the other. So also do the difficult and the easy; the long and the short; the high and the low; sounds and voices; the preceding and the following.
Therefore the Holy Man abides by non-attachment is his affairs, and practices a doctrine which cannot be imparted by speech. He attends to everything in its turn and declines nothing; produces without claiming; acts without dwelling thereon; completes his purposes without resting in them. Inasmuch as he does this he loses nothing.
3
When worth is not honoured the people may be kept from strife.
When rare articles are not valued the people are kept from theft.
When the desirable is left unnoticed the heart is not confused.
Therefore, the method of government by the Holy Man is to empty the heart, while strengthening the purpose; to make the will pliant, and the character strong. He ever keeps the people simple-minded and passionless, so that the world-wise do not dare to plan.
Practice non-action and everything will be regulated.
4
The Tao is as emptiness, so are its operations. It resembles non-fullness.
Fathomless! It seems to be the ancestor of all form.
It removes sharpness, unravels confusion, harmonizes brightness, and becomes one with everything.
Pellucid! It bears the appearance of permanence.
I know not whose son it is. Its Noumenon was before the Lord.
5
Nature is non-benevolent. It regards the masses as straw dogs.
The Holy Man is non-benevolent. He regards the masses as straw dogs.
The space between the heaven and the earth is like a bellows; though unsupported, it does not warp; when in motion the more it expels.
Though words could exhaust this theme, they would not be so profitable as the preservation of its inner essence.
6
The Valley-God never dies. She may be styled the Mother of the Abyss. The Abysmal Mother抯 orifice may be called the Root of the Heaven-Earth.
Continuous she is as though ever abiding, and may be employed without weariness.
7
Nature continues long. What is the reason that Nature continues long? Because it produces nothing for itself it is able to constantly produce.
It is for this reason that the Holy Man puts himself in the background; yet he comes to the front. He is indifferent to himself; yet he is preserved.
Is it not because he has no interests of his own that he is able to secure his interests?
8
The highest goodness resembles water. Water greatly benefits all things, but does not assert itself.
He approximates to the Tao, who abides by that which men despise.
He revolutionizes the place in which he dwells; his depth is immeasurable; he strengthens moral qualities by what he bestows; he augments sincerity by what he says; he evokes peace by his administration; his transactions manifest ability, he is opportune in all his movements.
Forasmuch as he does not assert himself he is free from blame.
9
It is better to leave alone, than to grasp at fullness.
Sharpness, which results from filing, cannot be preserved.
None can protect the hall that is filled with gold and jade.
Opulence, honours, pride, necessarily bequeath calamity.
Merit established, a name made, then retirement ?this is the way of Heaven.
10
By steadily disciplining the animal nature, until it becomes one pointed, it is possible to establish the Indivisible.
By undivided attention to the soul, rendering it passive, it is possible to become as an infant child.
By purifying the mind of phantasms, it is possible to become without fault.
By perfecting the people, and pacifying the empire, it is possible to prove non-attachment.
By functioning on the super-physical planes, it is possible to be independent of the lower mind.
By making intuition omniscient, it is impossible to discard knowledge.
Producing! Nourishing! Developing, without self-consciousness! Acting, without seeking the fruit!
Progressing, without thinking of growth! This is the abyss of energy.
11
Thirty spokes meet in one hub, but the need for the cart existed when as yet it was not. Clay is fashioned into vessels, but the need for the vessel existed when as yet it was not. Doors and windows are cut out to make a house, but the need for the house existed when as yet it was not. Hence there is a profitableness in that which is and a need in that which is not.
12
The five colours blind men抯 eyes.
The five tones deafen one抯 ears.
The five flavours blunt men抯 appetites.
Galloping and hunting derange men抯 minds.
Articles which are rare limit the freedom of men抯 actions.
On this account the holy man regards the stomach and not the eye.
He puts aside the one, that he may take the other in hand.
13
Equally fear favour and disgrace.
Regard a great calamity as you do your own body.
What is meant by 揈qually fear favour and grace Favour should be disparaged. Gained or lost it arouses apprehension. Hence it is said, 揈qually fear favour and disgrace.?br> What is meant by 搑egard a great calamity as you do your own body Why have I any sense of misfortune? Because I am conscious of myself. Were I not conscious of my body, what distresses would I have?
Therefore, it is only they who value their persons because of their obligation, who may be entrusted with the empire. It is only they who love themselves on account of their responsibilities, who may be charged with the care of the state.
14
Looked for but invisible ?it may be named 揷olourless.?br> Listened for, but inaudible ?it may be named 揺lusive.?br> Clutched at, but unattainable - is may be named 搒ubtle.?br> These three cannot be unraveled by questioning for they blend into one.
Neither brighter above , nor darker below.
Its line, though continuous, is nameless, and in that it reverts to vacuity.
It may be styled 揟he form of the formless? 揟he Images of the imageless? in a word ?揟he indefinite.?br> Go in front of it and you will discover no beginning; follow after it and you will perceive no ending.
Lay hold of this ancient doctrine; apply it in controlling the things of the present day, you will then
understand how from the first it has been the origin of everything.
Here, indeed, is the clue to the Tao.
15
Profound indeed were the most excellent among the ancients, penetrating, fathomless; inasmuch as they were fathomless it becomes necessary to employ far fetched symbols when speaking of them.
Irresolute ?as if fording a stream in winter.
Timid ?as though fearful of their neighbours.
Grave ?as if they were guests.
Elusive ?like ice about to melt.
Simple ?like raw material.
Expansive ?like the space between hills.
Turbid ?like muddy water.
Who can still the turbid and make it gradually clear; or quiet the active so that by degrees it shall become productive? Only he who keeps this Tao, without desiring fullness. If one is not full it is possible to be antiquated and not newly fashioned.
16
Abstraction complete, quiescence maintained unalloyed, the various forms rise with one accord, and I observe that each returns again. All things thrive and increase, then each returns again to the root. This return to the root is called 搒tillness,?or it may be described as a return to report that they have fulfilled
their destiny. This report is called 搕he unchanging rule.?br> Knowledge of this unchanging rule is called 搃llumination.?Those who are ignorant of it give way to abandon and to recklessness.
Knowledge of this unchanging rule leads to toleration.
Toleration leads to comprehension.
Comprehension leads to sovereignty.
Sovereignty leads to heavenlikeness.
Heaven-likeness leads to Tao.
Tao leads to continuity.
Though the body be no more, there is no danger.
17
First the supreme. Then a sense of separateness. Next preferences and eulogies. Lastly, fear. Then scorn.
Hence it is plain that lack of sincerity has its origins in superficial faith.
Cautious! They valued their words, accomplished their purposes, settled their affairs, and the people all said: 揥e are spontaneous.?br>
18
The great Tao faded and there was benevolence and righteousness. Worldly wisdom and shrewdness appeared and there was much dissembling.
The family relationships no longer harmonious, there was filial piety and paternal love.
The state and the clans in anarchy, there was loyalty and faithfulness.
19
Abandon knowledge, discard wisdom ?the people will gain a hundred fold.
Abandon the humanities, discard righteousness ?the people will return to filial love.
Abandon cleverness, discard gain ?robbers and thieves will be no more.
These three, being considered not sufficiently aesthetic, therefore many other devices were added.
Better observe simplicity, encourage primitiveness, lessen the number of private projects, and moderate desire.
20
Scholarship abandoned, sorrow vanishes.
Yes and yea, are they not almost alike?
Goodness and evil, are they not akin?
Untrammeled and without limits ?yet that may not be lightly esteemed which all men reverence.
The multitude are joyful and merry ?as though feasting on a day of sacrifice, or ascending a high tower in spring. I alone am anchored without giving any sign ?like an infant, undeveloped.
My homeless heart wanders among the things of sense, as if it had nowhere to stay.
The multitude have enough and to spare ?I alone am as one who has lost something.
Have I then the mind of a fool? Am I so very confused?
Ordinary men are bright enough. I alone am dull.
Ordinary men are full of excitement. I alone am heavy-hearted.
Boundless as the sea, drifting to and fro, as if without a place to rest.
All men have some purpose. I alone am thick-headed as a boor.
I am alone ?differing from others, in that I reverence and seek the Nursing Mother.
21
The comprehensiveness of supreme energy is its conformity to the Tao.
The Tao considered as an entity is impalpable, indefinite. Indefinite, impalpable, within are concretions.
Impalpable, indefinite, within are shapes. Profound, obscure, within there is essence. This essence being supremely real, within is sincerity.
From the beginning until now it has not changed, and thus it has watched all the essentials. How do I know it has been thus will all principles? By what has just been said.
22
To be crooked is to be perfected; to be bent is to be straightened; to be lowly is to be filled; to be senile is to be renewed; to be diminished is to be able to receive; to be increased is to be deluded.
Therefore the Holy Man embraces unity, and becomes the world抯 model.
He is not self-regarding, therefore he is cognizant.
He is not egotistic, therefore he is distinguished.
He is not boastful, therefore he has merit.
He is not conceited, therefore he is superior.
Inasmuch as he strives with none, there are none in the world able to strive with him.
That ancient maxim ?慣o be crooked is to become perfected was it an idle word? Verily, it includes the whole.
23
Few words are natural.
A whirlwind does not outlast the morning; a deluge does not outlast the day. Who produces these? The Heaven-Earth. If the Heaven-Earth cannot produce lasting phenomena, how much less can man?
Wherefore settling everything in accordance with the Tao, embodying the Tao they become identified with the Tao. Embodying its virtue, they become identified with virtue. Embodying loss, they become identified with loss.
