those who follow me, are precious.
This is why, while wise people may wear coarse woolen cloth,
they carry precious jade in their hearts.
71
Self-Knowledge: Knowing when we don抰 know
To know that we don抰 know is best.
Not to know that we don抰 know is a flaw.
Therefore wise people are not flawed
because they know their flaws to be flaws.
Since they know their flaws to be flaws they are flawless.
72
Oppression: Pushed beyond our limits, nothing to lose
People who live fearlessly, gain the greatest personal power.
Do not take advantage of others, and do not despise their lives.
If we do not despise them, they will not despise us.
Therefore wise people know themselves
without having to assert themselves.
They love themselves without being vain.
For this reason they reject that and choose this.
73
The Net of Heaven: Both life and death require courage
It takes courage and daring to kill,
and it takes courage and restraint to live.
There is the possibility of benefit or harm in each of these.
As for those things that Heaven detests
who knows the reason why?
Even for wise people this is a difficult question to answer.
The Way of Heaven is not to fight, yet successfully win.
Is not to speak, yet skillfully respond.
Is not to summon, yet all come willingly.
Is calm, yet plans are accomplished.
The net of Heaven is vast.
And though its mesh is wide, nothing is lost.
74
The Executioner抯 Song: The death penalty
If people did not fear death;
Then what would be the use of threatening them with death?
In fact people do fear death; and they do act strangely,
But I would not, because of this,
presume to seize, imprison, and execute them.
Yet there is always someone willing
to be the executioner and do the killing.
But to take the place of the Executioner and kill is called:
搕aking the place of the Master Carpenter at woodworking.?br>
And of those who presume to take the place of the Master Carpenter,
there are very few who do not hurt their hands.
75
Death and Taxes: Government interference
People go hungry because their leaders tax them too heavily.
This is why they are hungry.
People are difficult to govern because their leaders interfere.
This is why people are difficult to govern.
People take death lightly
when their leaders demand too much of their lives.
This is why people take death lightly.
Those who do not interfere in the lives of others
are those who value life.
76
Hard and Soft: The signs of life and the signs of death
While people are alive their bodies are supple and soft.
When they die they become hard and rigid.
While grasses and trees are alive they are supple and pliant.
When they die they become withered and dried out.
Therefore the hard and rigid are the signs of death,
while the supple and soft are the signs of life.
If the army is inflexible it will be wiped out.
If the tree is brittle it will snap.
The hard and rigid are of lesser value.
The supple and soft are superior.
77
Fairness: The proper distribution of resources
The Way of Heaven is like drawing a bow;
the high end is bent down, and the low end is raised up.
Where there is excess, it is decreased;
and where there is lack, it is filled.
The Way of Heaven is to reduce excess and fill what is lacking.
The way of Humankind is not like this;
it takes from those who have too little
and gives it to those who have too much.
Who can take their surplus and offer it to the world?
Only those who have the Tao.
This is why wise people are not attached to their actions,
do good deeds without dwelling on them,
and have no wish to boast of their talents.
78
Water Power: Taking responsibility for our actions
In all the world there is nothing as soft and yielding as water.
But for overcoming the hard and rigid, nothing can beat it,
because it cannot be changed into something else.
Supple overcomes the unbending,
flexible overcomes the unyielding.
In the whole world there is no one who does not know this,
yet there is no one who can apply it.
This is why wise people say:
Those who take responsibility for their country抯 disgraces
are called Lords of Earth and Grain.
Those who take responsibility for a country抯 misfortunes
are kings of the world.
Straight talk sounds contradictory.
79
Righting Wrongs: Putting things right
If, when righting a great wrong,
some resentment will always remain,
how can one do the right thing?
It is for this reason that wise people keep their side of the bargain,
while making no demands on others.
The righteous fulfill their obligations,
while the wicked insist on collecting their due.
To follow the Way of Heaven is not to play favorites
and always to side with the good.
80
Shangri La: A perfect world
There is a small country with few people,
and though they have hundreds of tools and utensils,
they do not use them.
Because they play it safe, people do not travel far away.
Although they have boats and chariots, no one rides them.
Although they have armor and weapons, no one parades them.
People return to knotting ropes to keep account of things.
Their government is excellent,
their food is sweet,
their clothing is beautiful,
their homes are peaceful,
and their festivals are joyful.
Neighboring countries may overlook one another
and hear the sounds of each others?chickens and dogs;
and yet they will reach old age and death
without ever having visited one other.
81
Straight Talk: Truth and beauty
True words are not beautiful.
Beautiful words are not true.
Good people do not argue; those who argue are not good.
Those who know are not learned;
those who are learned do not know.
Wise people do not hoard.
Because they work for others, they have more for themselves.
Because they give to others, they get more for themselves.
The Way of Heaven is to help, and not to harm.
The wise person acts in this way, and does not cause contention.
English_Star_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
English by
Jonathan Star, 2001
1
A way that can be walked
is not The Way
A name that can be named
is not The Name
Tao is both Named and Nameless
As Nameless, it is the origin of all things
As Named, it is the mother of all things.
A mind free of thought,
merged within itself,
beholds the essence of Tao
A mind filled with thought,
identified with its own perceptions,
beholds the mere forms of this world
Tao and this world seem different
but in truth they are one and the same
The only difference is in what we call them
How deep and mysterious is this unity
How profound, how great!
It is the truth beyond the truth,
the hidden within the hidden
It is the path to all wonder,
the gate to the essence of everything!
2
Everyone recognizes beauty
only because of ugliness
Everyone recognizes virtue
only because of sin
Life and death are born together
Difficult and easy
Long and short
High and low --
all these exist together
arrive together
Sound and silence blend together
Before and after
The Sage acts without action
and teaches without talking
All things flourish around him
and he does not refuse any one of them
He gives but not to receive
He works but not for reward
He completes but not for results
He does nothing for himself in this passing world
so nothing he does ever passes
3
Putting a value on status will cause people to compete
Hoarding treasure will turn them into thieves
Showing off possessions will disturb their daily lives.
Thus the Sage rules by stilling minds and opening hearts by filling bellies and strengthening bones
He shows people how to be simple and live without desires
To be content and not look for other ways
With the people so pure
Who could trick them?
What clever ideas could lead them astray?
When action is pure and selfless everything settles into its own perfect place
4
Tao is empty yet it fills every vessel with an endless supply
Tao is hidden yet it shines in every corner of the universe
With it, the sharp edges become smooth the twisted knots loosen the sun is softened by a cloud the dust settles into place
So deep, so pure, so still
It has been this way forever
You may ask, 揥hose child is it but I cannot say
This child was here before the Great Ancestor
5
Heaven and Earth have no permanence
A man may choose one over another but to Heaven and Earth all are the same
The high, the low, the great, the small ?all are given light all get a place to rest
The Sage is like Heaven and Earth
To him none are especially dear or is there anyone he disfavours
He gives and gives without condition offering his treasure to everyone
The universe is like a bellows
It stays empty yet is never exhausted
It gives out yet always brings forth more
Man is not like this
When he blows out air like a bellows he becomes exhausted
Man was not made to blow out air
He was made to sit quietly and find the truth within
6
Endlessly creating
Endlessly pulsating
The Spirit of the Valley never dies
She is called the Hidden Creator
Although She becomes the whole universe
Her immaculate purity is never lost
Although She assumes countless forms
Her true identity remains intact
Whatever we see or don抰 see
Whatever exists or doesn抰 exist
Is nothing but the creation of this Supreme Power
Tao is limitless, unborn, eternal ?br> It can only be reached through the Hidden Creator
She is the very face of the Absolute
The gate to the source of all things eternal
Listen to Her voice
Hear it echo through creation
Without fail, She reveals her presence
Without fail, She brings us to our own perfection
7
Heaven is ancient
Earth is long-lasting
Why is this so? ?br> Because they have no claims to life
By having no claims to life they cannot be claimed by death
The Sage puts his own views behind so ends up ahead
He stays a witness to life so he endures
What could he grab for that he does not already have?
What could he do for himself that the universe itself has not already done?
8
The best way to life is to be like water
For water benefits all things and goes against none of them
It provides for all people and even cleanses those places a man is loath to go
In this way it is just like Tao
Live in accordance with the nature of things
Build your house on solid ground
Keep your mind still
When giving, be kind
When speaking, be truthful
When ruling, be just
When working, be one-pointed
When acting, remember ?timing is everything
One who lives in accordance with nature does not go against the way of things
He moves in harmony with the present moment always knowing the truth of just what to do
9
Grabbing and stuffing ?there is no end to it
Sharpen a blade too much and its edge will soon be lost
Fill a house with gold and jade and no one can protect it
Puff yourself with honour and pride and no one can save you from a fall
Complete the task at had
Be selfless in your actions
This is the way of Heaven
This is the way to Heaven
10
Hold fast to the Power of the One
It will unify the body and merge it with the spirit
It will cleanse the vision and reveal the world as flawless
It will focus the life-force and make one supple as a newborn
As you love the people and rule the state can you be free of self-interest?
As the gates of Heaven open and close can you remain steadfast as the mother bird who sits on her nest?
As your wisdom reaches he four corners of the world can you keep the innocence of a beginner?
Know this Primal Power that guides without forcing that serves without seeking that brings forth and sustains life yet does not own or possess it.
One who holds this Power brings Tao to this very Earth
He can triumph over a raging fire or the freeze of winter weather
Yet when he comes to rule the world it抯 with the gentleness of a feather
11
Wu is nothingness, emptiness, no-existence
Thirty spokes of a wheel all join at at a common hub yet only the hole at the center allows the wheel to spin
Clay is molded to form a cup yet only the space within allows the cup to hold water
Walls are joined to make a room yet only by cutting out a door and a window can one enter the room and live there
Thus, when a thing has existence alone it is mere dead-weight
Only when it has wu, does it have life
12
The five colours blind the eye
The five tones deafen the ear
The five flavours dull the palate
Racing, hunting, and galloping about only disturb the mind
Wasting energy to obtain rare objects only impedes one抯 growth
So the Sage is led by his inner truth not his outer eye
He holds to what is deep and not what lies on the surface
13
揃e wary of both honour and disgrace?br> 揈ndless affliction is bound to the body?br> What does it mean, 揃e wary of both honour and disgrace br> Honour is founded on disgrace and disgrace is rooted in honour
Both should be avoided
Both bind a man to this world
That抯 why it says, 揃e wary of both honour and disgrace?br> What does it mean, 揈ndless affliction is bound to the body br> Man抯 true self is eternal, yet he thinks, 揑 am this body, I will soon die?br> This false sense of self is the cause of all his sorrow
When a person does not identify himself with the body tell me, what troubles could touch him?
