3. The five tastes are: sweet, sour, bitter, acrid, and salty.
13
Favour and disgrace equally cause apprehension.
Fortune and misfortune have their origin in our own bodies.
What is meant by saying that favour and disgrace equally cause apprehension?
Favour is for inferior people:
Being favoured leads to the apprehension of losing favour,
And losing it leads to the fear of greater misfortune.
This means that favour and disgrace equally cause apprehension.
What is meant by saying that fortune and misfortune have their origin in our own bodies?
Having a body, I am liable to misfortune;
If I had no body, what misfortune could I suffer?
Therefore, he who values the world as much as his own body
Is fit to rule the empire.
And he who loves the world as much as his own body
May be entrusted to care for all beneath Heaven.
14
Looked for, it cannot be seen:
it is not visible.
Listened for, it cannot be heard:
it makes no sound.
Grasped at, it cannot be held:
it is not tangible.
These three?are beyond scrutiny.
But they are blended in the One.
On top it is not bright;
Underneath it is not dark.
It is unceasing and cannot be named;
It returns to nothingness.
It is called the formless form
And the imageless image.
That is why it is called obscure and indistinct.
Go to meet it, and you will find no beginning.
Follow after it, and you will find no end.
Hold to the ancient Tao
In order to manage events in the present.
Knowing the ancient beginning
Is called holding to Tao抯 thread.?
1. i.e. the three qualities of being invisible, soundless, and intangible.
2. or following the principle/system/tradition of Tao.
15
In ancient times masters of the Tao were possessed of a subtle mystery and a penetrating perception;
Too profound to be understood.
Because they were too profound to be understood,
All we can do is describe their outward appearance:
Cautious, like one crossing a river in winter;
Hesitant, like one who fears his neighbours;
Reserved, like one who is a guest;
Yielding, like ice that is melting;
Simple, like an uncarved block;
Open, like a wide valley;
Obscure, like muddy water.
Who can make muddy water clear by keeping still?
Who can, from rest, gradually stir to life br> Those who hold fast to the Tao
Have no desire to be filled.
Having no desire to be filled
They can endure all wear yet never need to be renewed.
1. These two lines may allude to a meditation technique (cf. LaFarge 1994, 357).
16
Become completely empty.
Hold firm to stillness.
The Ten Thousand Things come to life, then return whence they came:
They increase and flourish, but each returns to its source.
Returning to the source is stillness; it is what is destined.
What is destined is unchanging.
To know what is unchanging is to have insight;
Being ignorant of what is unchanging leads to misfortune.
He who knows what is unchanging will be impartial.
He who is impartial will act justly.
He who acts justly is like a good ruler.
He who is a good ruler is in accord with Heaven.
He who is in accord with Heaven is in accord with the Tao.
He who is in accord with the Tao is everlasting;
And to the end of his days, he will meet with no danger.
17
The best rulers are those whom the people hardly know exist.
Next come rulers whom the people love and praise.
After that come rulers whom the people fear.
And the worst rulers are those whom the people despise.
The ruler who does not trust the people will not be trusted by the people.
The best ruler stays in the background, and his voice is rarely heard.
When he accomplishes his tasks, and things go well,
The people declare: It was we who did it by ourselves.
18
When Tao is abandoned,
Benevolence and morality arise.
When wisdom and knowledge arise,
Hypocrisy flourishes.
When there is discord in the family,?br> Filial piety and parental affection arise.
When the country is in darkness and turmoil,
Loyal ministers appear.
1. Strictly, 憌hen the six family relationships are not in harmony? These are the relationships of father and son, elder brother and younger brother, and husband and wife. (This conception of family relationships is clearly sexist, leaving out of account mothers, daughters and sisters.)
19
Give up sagacity and abandon knowledge,
And the people will benefit a hundredfold.
Give up benevolence and abandon morality,
And the people will return to natural affection.
Give up scheming and abandon gain,
And robbers and thieves will disappear.
These words in themselves are inadequate.
Therefore let the following be appended:
Exhibit plainness,
Embrace the simple,
Reduce self-interest,
Curb desire.
20
Abandon learning and put an end to sorrow.?br> What is the difference between 憏es?and 憂o?
What is the difference between good and evil?
Should I fear what others fear
There would be no end to my fear.
The people are happy, as if enjoying the sacrificial feast,
Or at springtime climbing the terrace in the park.
But I alone am unmoved, showing no sentiment,
Like a baby who has yet to learn how to smile.
I am alone and have no home to go to.
Others have more than they need,
Whilst I have nothing.
Mine is the mind of a fool,
Completely muddled!
Others see things so clear cut,
Whilst I am confused.
They see so many differences,
Whilst I see no distinctions.
I am as one adrift on the sea;
I am like a restless wind with no direction.
The people all have a purpose,
Whilst I am aimless and depressed.
I alone am different from the others;
I value seeking nourishment from the Mother.?
1. This line probably belongs at the end of the previous chapter.
2. i.e. the Tao.
21
In all that he does, a man of great Virtue follows Tao and Tao alone.
Tao is invisible and intangible.
It is invisible and intangible, yet within is form.
It is intangible and invisible, yet within is substance.
It is dim and obscure, yet within is essence.
This essence is perfectly genuine, and from it faith emerges.
From ancient times until now, its name has not been forgotten,
Since it is perceived in the source of all things.
How do I know that this is the true nature of things?
Through Tao.
22
That which yields will be preserved.
That which bends will be straight.
That which is empty will be filled.
That which wears out will be renewed.
He who has little will gain more.
He who has much will be perplexed.
Therefore the Sage embraces the oneness of the Tao,
And sets an example to everyone.
He does not make a great show, therefore he shines out.
He does not try to justify himself, and so he is distinguished.
He does not boast, so receives merit.
He is not arrogant, and so endures.
Because he does not compete, no one under Heaven can compete with him.
When the ancients said, 慪ield and be preserved,?was that an empty saying?
Attain completeness, and all things will come to you.
23
To speak little is natural.
A high wind will not last all morning,
And a sudden downpour will not last all day.
And why is this?
Heaven and Earth have made it so.
If Heaven and Earth cannot make things which last forever,
How much less is it possible for man?
Therefore those who follow the Tao will be at one with the Tao.
Those who exercise Virtue will be at one with Virtue.
Those who lose them will be at one with their loss.
At one with the Tao, Tao welcomes you.
At one with Virtue, Virtue welcomes you.
At one with your loss, loss welcomes you.
Those who do not trust others
Will not themselves be trusted.
24
Those who stand on tiptoe are not steady.
Those who stride out ahead will soon fall behind.
Those who make a big show are far from enlightenment.
Those who think they can never be wrong are not respected.
Those who justify themselves have no merit.
Those who boast will not last long.
To followers of the Tao, such actions are excessive, like eating too much.
They are disliked by all things,
And therefore followers of the Tao do not seek refuge in them.
25
There is something formless yet complete
Which existed before Heaven and Earth.
Silent and fathomless,
Alone and unchanging;
Inexhaustible and pervading everywhere,
It may be thought of as the Mother of all under Heaven.
I do not know its name; I shall call it Tao.
If pressed for a description, I would call it Great.
Being great is to go ever-onward.
Going ever-onward is to reach everywhere.
Reaching everywhere is to return.
Therefore Tao is great;
Heaven is great;
Earth is great;
The King is also great.
The universe contains four great things,
And one of them is the King.
Man follows Earth;
Earth follows Heaven;
Heaven follows Tao;
And Tao follows what is naturally so.
26
Seriousness is the basis of levity.
Stillness is the master of restlessness.
Therefore the sage, travelling all day,
Does not lose sight of his baggage-wagon.
Though there are magnificent sights to be seen, he remains calm and detached.
Why would it be that the ruler of ten thousand chariots would act lightly in public?
To be light-hearted is to lose one抯 foundation.
To be restless is to lose control.
27
A good traveller leaves no tracks.
A good speaker cannot be refuted.
A good reckoner needs no abacus.
A good door needs neither lock nor bolt;
Yet it cannot be opened.
A good binding needs neither rope nor knots;
Yet it cannot be untied.
Therefore the Sage excels in taking care of everyone,
And no one is forgotten.
He excels in finding a use for everything,
Hence nothing is rejected.
This is called practising enlightenment.
Therefore the good man is the teacher of the bad;
And the bad man is the material upon which the good man works.
He who does not value the teacher
And cherish the subject-matter,
Regardless of his learning, has gone astray.
This is called the ultimate mystery.
28
He who knows the masculine and keeps to the feminine
Will be the river of the world.?br> Being the river of the world
He will never be separated from eternal Virtue,?br> Becoming once again a little child.
He who knows the white and keeps to the black
Will be an example for the whole world.
Being an example for the whole world
He will never stray from eternal Virtue,
And he will return to the infinite.
He who knows honour and keeps to the humble
Will be the valley of the world.
Being the valley of the world
He will be content with eternal Virtue,
And become like an uncarved block.?br>
When the block is carved, it is made into useful things.
And when the Sage makes use of them, he becomes the ruler.
It is the best carver who does the least cutting.
1. i.e. as all moisture flows to the main river, so all the people will come to the Sage to be enlightened.
2. i.e. he will be in accord with the Tao, in accord with the way things are naturally meant to be.
3. i.e. the most simple of things, uninfluenced by conscious actions.
29
Would it be possible to take charge of the world and make it better than it is?
I do not believe that such a thing is possible.
Since the world is sacred
No improvements can be made.
If you try to change it, you will spoil it.
If you try to grasp it, you will lose it.
So, there are times
for forging ahead, and for staying behind;
for keeping silent, and for speaking aloud.
Some are strong, while others are weak;
Some rejoice, while others lament.
This is why the Sage avoids excess, extremes, and extravagance.
30
He who advises the ruler in the Way of Tao
Advises against the use of military force to conquer the world.
Adopting force will invite resistance.
Where armies camp, brambles and thorns grow.
Years of bad harvests come after a great war.
A good ruler does what is needed, then stops,
Never daring to conquer the world.
So do what is needed without bragging.
Do what is needed without boasting.
Do what is needed without being arrogant.
Do what is needed, but only when there is no other way.
Do what is needed without using violence.
Use of violence is followed by defeat.
Such action is contrary to Tao,
And what is contrary to Tao soon comes to an early end.
31
Fine weapons are the instruments of evil, hateful to all.
So those with Tao spurn them.
Men of peace favour the left;
Men of war favour the right.
Weapons are the tools of misfortune;
They are not the choice of the wise man,
Who uses them only when there is no other way;
And even then, he acts with calm restraint,
And victory is no occasion for rejoicing.
To rejoice in victory is to delight in killing.
Those who enjoy slaughter cannot find fulfilment in the world.
Auspicious occasions honour the left-hand place;
Inauspicious occasions honour the right-hand place.?br> The second-in-command stands on the left,
Whilst the commander-in-chief stands on the right,
Arranged as they would be at rites of mourning.
When so many have been slaughtered,
Let us mourn with tears of sorrow,
And treat victory like a funeral.
1. The left-hand side is considered the honourable side, and the right-hand side is considered the less honour璦ble. (See Maurer 1986, 93)
32
Tao is eternally nameless.
Although, as an uncarved block,?it is small,
None under Heaven can subjugate it.
