31
Excellent weapons are inauspicious instruments. Creatures always abhorthem. So those who have the Dao do not become involved with them. Whenthe ruler resides at peace he values the left, and when he takes up armshe values the right. Arms are inauspicious instruments, not the instrumentsfit for a noble man. Only when there is no alternative does he resort tothem.[And then] placidity and blandness are the best. He does not regardvictory as glorious. Those who glorify victory exult in killing people.Now those who exult in killing people cannot achieve their aspirationsin this world. For auspicious affairs one elevates the left. For inauspiciousaffairs one elevates the right. The lieutenant generals take their stationson the left. The full generals reside on the right.[Because the rightis the side of mourning, the above discussion] means one ought to treat[military] affairs with the rites of mourning. Because of the large numbersof people who are killed, they are to be wept for with sorrow. Victoryin war should be treated with the rites of mourning.
32
The Dao is always nameless. Although the Uncarved Block is insignificant,nothing in the world can subordinate it. If the lords and kings can holdfast to it, then the myriad creatures will come to be their vassals oftheir own accord.
Heaven and Earth will couple in order to let the sweet dew fall. Althoughno people shall so command, the [distribution of sweet dew] will be equitableof its own accord.
Only after fabrication occurs are there names, and once there are namespeople ought to know where to stop, for by knowing where to stop they canescape danger.
For example, the Dao in relation to the world is like the way the streamsand valleys supply [water to] the rivers and oceans.
33
Those who know other people are knowledgeable.
Those who know themselves are enlightened.
Those who overcome other people are forceful.
Those who overcome themselves are strong.
Those who know when they have enough are rich.
Those who act strongly have aspirations.
Those who do not lose their positions are long enduring.
Those who die and yet do not perish have life everlasting.
34
The great Dao reaches everywhere without regard to direction. The myriadcreatures depend on it to reproduce themselves and be born, and none aredenied. When accomplishments are made [the Dao] does not claim them. Itfeeds and clothes the myriad creatures and does not act as their master.Constantly without desire [in regard of the myriad creatures] it can becalled insignificant. The myriad creatures take refuge therein and yetit does not act as their master, so it can be called great. Because itnever takes itself to be great it can therefore accomplish its own greatness.
35
Grasp the great Image and [all in] the world will approach. They approachand are not injured, thus great is their peace and tranquility. When thereis music and food, the passing travellers will stop in.[But] the Dao whenexpressed in words is found bland and flavorless, when looked at providesnothing to see, when listened to provides nothing to hear.[Yet] when putinto use, there is no way to exhaust it.
36
If one would contract something, then one must first resolutely spreadit out. If one would weaken something, then one must first resolutely strengthenit. If one would have a thing be discarded one must first resolutely causeit to flourish. If one would seize something one must first resolutelygive it away. This [approach] is called subtle discernment. The pliantand weak overcome the rigid and strong.[So] fish cannot leave the depthsand the sharp instruments of the state cannot be shown [to threaten] thepeople.
37
The Dao never employs forceful action yet there is nothing it fails todo. If the lords and rulers can hold to it, then the myriad creatures willtransform themselves of their own accord. Should desire rise up [even]after they have transformed, I will tranquilize it with the nameless UncarvedBlock.[By reason of] the nameless Uncarved Block, the [myriad creatures]too will in future become desireless. Their having been stilled by desirelessness,the world will become settled of its own accord.
38
The highest virtue is not virtuous and for that reason has [true] virtue.The lesser virtue does not lose virtue and for that reason does not have[true] virtue. The highest virtue does not engage in [forceful] activityand so uses nothing to do things. The highest benevolence does things and doesso by means of nothing. The highest righteousness does things and doesso by means of something. The highest propriety does things and if nothingresponds to what it does then it thrusts out its forearms and forces them.So after the Dao is lost there is virtue. After virtue is lost, there isbenevolence. After benevolence is lost, there is righteousness. After righteousnessis lost, there is propriety. Now propriety is the husk of faithfulnessand trust and the beginning of disorder. The initial discernments are thedetritus of the Dao and the beginnings of ignorance. For this reason thegreat man abides in the substantial parts and does not tarry in the husk.He abides in the solid parts and does not tarry in the detritus. So herejects that and accepts this.
39
Of those in ancient times who attained unity: Heaven attained unity inorder to be pure. Earth attained unity in order to be stable. Spirits attainedunity in order to be responsive. The valleys attained unity in order tobe full. The myriad creatures attained unity in order to reproduce. Thelords and kings attained unity in order to become the correct ones in theworld.[It is unity that] brings them to this height. If Heaven did nothave what it takes to be pure, it would probably become rent. If Earthdid not have the means to be stable, it would probably quake. If the spiritsdid not have the means to be responsive, they would probably dissipate.If the valleys did not have the means to be filled, they would probablybecome exhausted. If the myriad creatures did not have the means to reproduce,they would probably become extinct. If the lords and kings did not havethe means to be noble and exalted, they would probably fall. So the nobletakes the ignoble as its base, and the high takes the low as its foundation.For this reason the lords and kings speak of themselves as the orphaned,the bereaved, and the unworthy. Is this not taking the ignoble as one'sbase? Is this not so? So the highest degree of good repute is to have nogood repute. Be not glistening like jade [but] stony like rock.
40
Recirculation is [characteristic of] the motion of the Dao. Weakness is[characteristic of ] the functioning of the Dao. The myriad creatures ofthe world are produced out of things that exist. Existence is producedfrom non-existence.
41
When the superior knight-scholar hears of the Dao, he diligently puts itinto practice. When the average knight-scholar hears of the Dao, it ishalf as though he preserves [the concept of] it in his mind and half asthough it is lost. When the inferior knight-scholar hears of the Dao, helaughs uproariously at the notion. If such a one did not laugh at it, itwould be something too inadequate to be the Dao. So an established sayingstates that the brightness of the Dao seems like darkness, the advanceof the Dao seems like retreat, the level Dao seems rough, the superiorvirtue seems like a gully, the whitest white seems sullied, ample virtueseems inadequate, firmly established virtue seems stealthy, pristine virtueseems polluted, the greatest square has no corners, the greatest vesselsare completed late, the greatest sound is inaudible, the greatest imagehas no form. The Dao hides itself in namelessness. Now only the Dao isgood at bestowing [things upon the creatures of the world] and bringing[them] to completion.
42
The Dao produced the One. The One produced the Two. The Two produced theThree. And the Three produced the myriad creatures. The myriad creaturesbear Yin on their backs and embrace Yang. They blend lifebreaths in orderto create a harmony. People abominate nothing more than to be orphaned,bereaved, and unworthy, yet the lords and kings take these [terms] as theirappellations. So creatures may be worn away and thereby augmented, or theymay be augmented and thereby worn away.
What other people teach I also teach: "Ruffians will come to no goodend.'' I take this as my precept.
43
The most pliant things in the world ride roughshod over the hardest. Non-beingenters even where there is no fissure. For this reason I know the benefitof non-action. Few in the world can attain to [comprehension of] the wordlessteaching or to the benefits of non-activity.
44
Which is dearer to you, your [good] name or your life? Which [counts] morewith you, your person or your material goods? Which is the more injurious,gain or loss? For these reasons, extreme love must involve great costsand great accumulations must involve heavy losses. Knowing when you haveenough [means] no ignominy, and knowing when to stop [means] no danger,so one can long endure.
45
The greatest accomplishment seems to have imperfections, yet there is noimpairment in its function. The greatest fullness is like vacuity, yetin use it is never exhausted. The greatest straightness is like crookedness.The greatest knack is like clumsiness. The greatest eloquence is like stumblingspeech. Agitation overcomes the cold, tranquility overcomes the heat. Thepure and tranquil are the correct ones in the world.
46
When the Dao prevails in the world, fleet-footed horses are turned back[to the fields] in order to fertilize them. When the Dao does not prevailin the world, war horses are foaled in the outskirts of the cities. {Thereis no greater transgression than condoning desire.) There is no greaterdisaster than failing to know when you have enough. There is no greaterretribution than acquisitiveness. So the adequacy of knowing when you haveenough is [itself] a constant adequacy.
47
Know the whole world without going outdoors. Perceive the Dao of Heavenwithout peeking out the window. The further one goes the less one knows.For this reason the Sage knows without going anywhere, perceives clearlywithout looking, and makes accomplishments without doing anything.
48
One who engages in study is daily increased. One who engages in the Daois daily diminished. Diminish and once again diminish until there is noactivity. When there is no activity there is nothing that will not be done.One always takes the world by means of not meddling. When one meddles thenone is inadequate to take the world.
49
The Sage has no constant mind. He takes the minds of the common peopleto be his own.
Those who are good I treat as good. Those who are not good I also treatas good. Thereby I gain goodness. The trustworthy I trust. The untrustworthyI also trust. Thereby I gain trust.
The Sage is closed off in respect to the world. For the sake of theworld the Sage muddles his mind. The common people all strain their eyesand ears.[Yet] the Sage treats them all as little children.
50
Emerging is being born; entering is dying. Three out of ten are disciplesof life. Three out of ten are disciples of death. Three out of ten movein the course of their lives toward the realm of death. For what reason?Because they would augment the richness of life. Now I have heard thatthose who are good at aiding life when travelling on land do not encounterrhinoceroses and tigers. When they enter armed conflict they need not beararms or armour. There is nowhere for the rhinoceros to gore with its horn.The tiger finds no place to sink its claws. Weapons find no place to lodgetheir blades. Why? Because there is no death-place in him.
51
The Dao produces them. Virtue nurtures them. Creatures give them form.Power configurations bring them to completion. For that reason none ofthe myriad creatures fails to respect the Dao and to revere virtue. Noone orders this respect for the Dao and reverence of virtue, for it alwaysoccurs of its own accord. So the Dao produces them cultivatesthem, fosters them, nurtures them, gives them refuge, gives them peace,rears them, and shelters them. It produces them without seeking to possessthem and acts without exacting gratitude. It is senior to them yet doesnot rule over them. It is called the dark and mysterious virtue.
52
The world has a beginning that acts as its mother. Once one attains tothe mother, one can know the child. Having known the child, return to holdingto the mother. Then one will be in no danger though one should lose one'sbody. Plug your orifices, close your gates, and you will be toil-free tothe end of your life. If you open your orifices in order to aid in yourendeavors then you will never be rescued to the end of your days. To seethe minute is called discernment. To hold to the pliant is called strength.To use your inner light to return once more to discernment and thus avoidabandoning yourself to danger is to depend on the Constant.
53
Should I have the least bit of knowledge, fear only that I might use itas I set out upon the great Dao. The great Dao is very smooth, yet peopleprefer the shortcuts. If the court is immaculate, the fields will growwild and the granneries will become very empty. To wear embroidered robesand strap on sharp swords, to satiate oneself with food and drink, andto have an excess of wealth and possessions [at such a time] is calledbanditry and excess. Oh! How such activities go against the Dao.
54
What is well built cannot be pulled up. What is well clasped cannot slipfree. By these means one's sons and grandsons will offer sacrifice unendingly.If it is cultivated in one's person, then virtue will be genuine. If itis cultivated in one's family, then virtue will be ample. If it is cultivatedin one's local community, then virtue will be enduring. If it is cultivatedin one's kingdom, then virtue will be plentiful. If it is cultivated inthe world, then virtue will be universal. So observe each person in termsof that person himself, observe each family in terms of that family itself,observe each community in terms of that community itself. Observe eachkingdom in terms of that kingdom itself. Observe the world in terms ofthe world itself. How do I know the way the world is? By this.
55
One possessing the fullness of virtue may be compared to a newborn baby.Hornets, scorpions, vipers, and snakes cannot sting [the newborn baby].The fierce beasts do not pounce upon it. The raptors do not sink theirtalons into it. The baby's bones are pliant, his muscles weak, yet hisgrip is firm. He has never known the coupling of male and female, yet hasa full erection. That is the height of vitality. He cries the entire dayyet does not become hoarse. That is the perfection of harmony. To knowharmony is said to be constant. To know constancy is said to be enlightenment.To augment life is said to be inauspicious. For the heart and mind to exertcompulsion on the lifebreath is said to be forcing things. When creaturescome to their prime they begin to age. That is spoken of as the dao (course)of retrograde action. What is on the retrograde dao is soon finished.
