and to acclaim only heroic deeds,
to abandon economy, and to be selfish.
They are sick, who are not humble,
but try always to be first.
Only he who is compassionate
can show true bravery,
and in defending, show great strength.
Compassion is the means by which
mankind may be guarded and saved,
for heaven arms with compassion,
those whom it would not see destroyed.
68
WITHOUT DESIRE
An effective warrior acts
not from nihilistic anger,
nor from desire to kill.
He who wins should not be vengeful.
An employer should have humility.
If we wish for peace and unity,
our dealings with our fellow man
must be without desire for self-advantage,
and carried out without contention.
69
THE USE OF THE MYSTERIOUS TAO
Arguments may be won by waiting,
rather than making an aggresive move;
by withdrawing rather than advancing.
By moving without appearing to move,
by not making a show of strength,
but by conserving it well;
by capturing without attacking,
by being armed, but with no weapons,
great battles may be won.
Do not underestimate
those you enjoin in battle,
for this can result in losing
what is of greatest value.
When a battle is enjoined,
by remembering this,
the weaker may still win.
70
HIDDEN IDENTITY
Though the words of the sage are simple,
and his actions easily performed,
they are few among many,
who can speak or act as a sage.
For the ordinary man it is difficult
to know the way of a sage,
perhaps because his words
are from the distant past,
and his actions naturally disposed.
Those who know the way of the sage
are few and far between,
but those who treat him with honesty,
will be honoured by him and the Tao.
He knows he makes no fine display,
and wears rough clothes, not finery.
It is not in his expectancy of men
that they should understand his ways,
for he carries his jade within his heart.
71
WITHOUT SICKNESS
To acknowledge one's ignorance
shows strength of personality,
but to ignore wisdom is a sign of weakness.
To be sick of sickness is a sign of good health,
therefore the wise man grows sick of sickness,
and sick of being sick of sickness,
'til he is sick no more.
72
LOVING THE SELF
The sage retains a sense of awe, and of propriety.
He does not intrude into others' homes;
does not harass them,
nor interfere without request,
unless they damage others.
So it is that they return to him.
'Though the sage knows himself
he makes no show of it;
he has self-respect, but is not arrogant,
for he develops the ability to let go of that
which he no longer needs.
73
ACTING WITH A SUFFICIENCY
A brave man who is passionate
will either kill or be killed,
but a man who is both brave and still
might preserve his own and others' lives.
No one can say with certainty,
why it is better to preserve a life.
The virtuous way is a way to act
without contriving effort,
yet, without contriving it overcomes.
It seldom speaks, and never asks,
but is answered without a question.
It is supplied with all its needs
and is constantly at ease
because it follows its own plan
which cannot be understood by man.
It casts its net both deep and wide,
and 'though coarse meshed, it misses nothing in the tide.
74
USURPING THE TAO
If the people are not afraid of death,
they have no fear of threats of death.
If early death is common in the land,
and if death is meted out as punishment,
the people do not fear to break the law.
To be the executioner in such a land as this,
is to be as an unskilled carpenter
who cuts his hand
when trying to cut wood.
75
INJURING THROUGH GREED
When taxes are too heavy,
hunger lays the people low.
When those who govern interfere too much,
the people become rebellious.
When those who govern demand too much
of people's lives, death is taken lightly.
When the people are starving in the land,
life is of little value,
and so is more easily sacrificed by them
in overthrowing government.
76
AGAINST TRUSTING IN STRENGTH
Man is born gentle and supple.
At death, his body is brittle and hard.
Living plants are tender,
and filled with life-giving sap,
but at their death they are withered and dry.
The stiff, the hard, and brittle
are harbingers of death,
and gentleness and yielding
are the signs of that which lives.
The warrior who is inflexible
condemns himself to death,
and the tree is easily broken,
which ever refuses to yield.
Thus the hard and brittle will surely fall,
and the soft and supple will overcome.
77
THE WAY OF THE TAO
The Tao is as supple as a bow;
the high made lower, and the lowly raised.
It shortens the string which has been stretched,
and lengthens that which has become too short.
It is the way of the Tao to take from those
who have a surplus to what they need,
providing for those without enough.
The way of the ordinary person,
is not the way of the Tao,
for such people take from those who are poor
and give to those who are rich.
The sage knows that his possessions are none,
therefore he gives to the world;
without recognition, doing his work.
In this way he accomplishes
that which is required of him;
without dwelling upon it in any way,
he gives of his wisdom without display.
78
SINCERITY
There is nothing more yielding than water,
yet when acting on the solid and strong,
its gentleness and fluidity
have no equal in any thing.
The weak can overcome the strong,
and the supple overcome the hard.
Although this is known far and wide,
few put it into practice in their lives.
Although seemingly paradoxical,
the person who takes upon himself,
the people's humiliation,
is fit to rule;
and he is fit to lead,
who takes the country's disasters upon himself.
79
FULFILLING ONE'S OBLIGATIONS
When covenants and bonds are drawn
between the people of the land,
that they might know their obligations,
it is commonplace for many
to fail to meet their dues.
The sage ensures his dues are met,
'though not expecting others to do the same;
in this way he is virtuous.
He is without virtue of his own,
who asks of others that they fulfil
his obligations on his behalf.
The way of nature does not impose
on matters such as these
but stays with the good for ever,
and acts as their reward.
80
STANDING ALONE
A small country may have many machines,
but the people will have no use for them;
they will have boats and carriages
which they do not use;
their armour and weapons
are not displayed,
for they are serious when regarding death.
They do not travel far from home,
and make knots in ropes,
rather than do much writing.
The food they eat is plain and good,
and their clothes are simple;
their homes are secure,
without the need of bolts and bars,
and they are happy in their ways.
'Though the cockerels and dogs
of their neighbours
can be heard not far away,
the people of the villages
grow old and die in peace.
81
MANIFESTING SIMPLICITY
The truth is not always beautiful,
nor beautiful words the truth.
Those who have virtue,
have no need of argument for its own sake,
for they know that argument is of no avail.
Those who have knowledge of the natural way
do not train themselves in cunning,
whilst those who use cunning to rule their lives,
and the lives of others,
are not knowledgeable of the Tao,
nor of natural happiness.
The sage seeks not to have a store
of things or knowledge, for he knows,
the less of these he has, the more he has,
and that the more he gives,
the greater his abundance.
The way of the sage is pointed
but does not harm.
The way of the sage
is to work without cunning.
English_Sarbatoare_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
English interpolation by
Octavian Sarbatoare, 2002
1
The Way (Tao) that can be named, is not the Ultimate Way.
The name given is not the eternal name.
Without name is the source of Heaven and Earth.
With a name is what creates all things.
Without desires the essence of things can be seen.
Who has desires sees only the manifestation of things.
Both aspects have the same source,
They become different, subject to perception.
But are equal in the depth of depth,
From where everything comes into existence.
2
The beautiful is known as beautiful,
Because we know what ugly is.
The good is known as good,
Because we know what bad is.
Every aspect has its counterpart.
What is heavy resides on what is light.
Long and short opposes each other.
Toll and short support each other.
A voice is made up of sounds.
What begins has to have an end eventually.
The wise one will lives by non-interfering,
Thus he instructs other by example not by words.
Things in the world continuously change.
The wise one doesn't cling on anything.
For him all are seen with the same potentiality.
He acquires merits but is not attached to them.
His takes things the way they are.
In performing he is above the actions.
Thus his merits are always with him.
3
A read leader is always humble.
He doesn't show strength,
Thus, around him there is no confrontation.
He doesn't show precious things,
Thus, people won't steal.
He doesn't show things people would wish to have,
Thus, corruption won't arise.
The Wise one leads people,
Keeping their hearts pure and giving them food.
They do not know ambition,
The wise one keeps them healthy
And, far from bad actions.
He wishes good to all,
Thus, the bad people could not act.
His leadership is subtle, all people live in peace.
4
Tao is empty, its use infinite.
It is very deep, seams to be the root of everything.
It looks like doesn't have an end.
I do not know who originated it,
It seams to be before the Creator Himself.
5
Nature is not biased by anything,
Sees everything with equal potential.
Similarly, the Wise one doesn't have preferences,
For him, everyone is seen equally.
The universe in infinite,
In it there is everything.
By moving, creates,
Moving more, more things appear.
Too much talking results in tiredness,
The best to keep is the middle way.
6
The sacred spirit doesn't die.
It can be named the subtle Mother.
It is the door of nature, residing always in us.
Used with wisdom can be enjoyed forever.
7
The Universe is eternal
It doesn't live for itself.
Thus the Wise One put himself last,
Eventually being in front.
He doesn't take much care of himself,
Thus other people will take care of him.
He doesn't live for himself,
Thus his life is plentiful.
8
The virtue is like the water,
That gradually infiltrates all.
Similarly the virtue is very subtle
Because resides on the Way (Tao).
He who searches for own place will find it.
The feelings make a deep heart.
Friendship brings good relationships with others.
The honest speech creates trust.
He who is a leader will follow the rules first.
In business fairness is essential.
The time will clarify things.
Thus the virtue (Te) acts without contradictions.
9
A tight rope creates tension.
Extended use of a tool
Will render it useless.
Accumulation of riches in a place
Makes that place unsafe.
Being proud of wealth and glory
Is the cause of disgrace.
The Wise Person withdraw after accomplishing actions,
This is the Tao Way of Virtue.
10
Can we join our heart with Tao?
Can we follow the Tao Way?
Can we breathe calm like a child?
Can we see the light in what we do in life?
Can we lead and love people
In the subtle way of Non-action?
Can we master ourselves
And be able to create possibilities at will?
Can we learn to access everything
By mastering the Tao Way?
Can we be creative and nourishing?
Can we free ourselves form the urge of possessing?
Can we do good without waiting for reward?
Can we lead without oppressing people?
He who is able to do all these
Is the master of the great Virtue (Te).
11
Although there are 30 spokes around wheels' hub,
Its usefulness is given by the emptiness in the middle.
The clay vessel is useful
Because of the empty space given by its form.
A house made of walls, windows and doors,
Is useful through the space created.
Although we give value to things that exist,
We use in fact something that does not exist.
12
The explosion of colors will blind the man,
The explosion of sounds will make his deaf,
The strong taste will weaken his taste feeling,
Being too much in the forest to catch animals,
Will make the man wild.
Things hard to get will make his mind stiff.
Thus, the Wise Person doesn't use too much his senses.
He lives more in his inner world.
13
Both success and failure generate fear.
Good though or bad thought bring that duality
