Now, what is the Reason for this?!
Because in them there is no remaining Mortality.
51
THOU gives birth to them, and DEI nurtures them.
Matter forms them and functionality completes them.
Because of this, the myriad creatures respect THOU and esteem DEI-ty.
Respect for THOU and esteem for DEI-ty are by no means 'conferred'on them,
but always occurs naturally.
THOU gives birth to them;
nurtures them
rears them
shelters them
toughens them up
sustains them
protects them.
It gives birth but does not 'claim' them;
acts but does not 'intend;'
rears but does not 'control.'
This is "Mysterious DEI-ty."
52
Everything under heaven has a beginning
which may be thought of as the mother of everything.
Having realized the mother, you thereby know her children.
Knowing her children, go back and abide with the mother:
To the end of your days, you will not be imperiled!
Quiet the orifices of your heart; stop beckoning at that door:
and for the rest of your days you will not suffer.
Arouse your passions; meddle with affairs:
and your life will be beyond helping.
Seeing what is small is called 'insight.'
Abiding in serenity is 'strength.'
Use ANKH your light to return to 'insight.'
Be not an inheritor of personal calamity!
This is "remaining constant."
53
If Ego had even the slightest knowledge of traveling the Path,
it's only 'fear' would be of going 'astray.'
The Path is quite level, but Egos LOVE mountain trails!
The court may be thoroughly deserted,
the fields all choked with weeds,
the granaries, totally empty;
YET there may still be some who wear bright, fancy clothing,
sharp swords hanging at their sides;
they walk around gorged with food
and overflowing with possessions and wealth:
This is BRAZEN BANDITRY.
This is surely NOT the Path!
54
What is firmly established cannot be uprooted;
what is tightly embraced cannot slip away.
Thus, the prayers of sons and grandsons will never end!
Cultivated in the person, DEI is true.
Cultivated in the family, DEI is ample.
Cultivated in the village, DEI lasts long.
Cultivated in the state, DEI is abundant.
Cultivated everywhere under heaven, DEI is vast.
Observe other people through your own person.
Observe other families through your own family.
Observe other villages through your own village.
Observe other states through your own state.
Observe all under heaven through all of these.
How do I know the nature of all under heaven By LOOKING!
55
One who fully embodies DEI is like a ruddy infant.
Wasps, spiders, scorpions and snakes
do not sting or bite them;
Rapacious birds and fierce beasts
do not seize them.
Their bones are weak and their sinews, soft
yet their grip is tight.
They have not known the joining of male and female,
yet they are sexually aroused!
Their Libido is at it's peak.
They can scream all day long without becoming hoarse;
Their harmony has reached it's perfection.
Striving to increase one's life is ominous;
to control one's vital breath with the mind entails force.
Something that grows old in it's prime
is said to not be in accord with the Path.
Not being in accord with the Path leads to an early demise.
56
One who knows does not label with words;
one who labels with words does not really know.
ONE WHO
quiets the portals of their heart,
stops beckoning from that door;
diffuses their light;
mingles with dust;
files away their sharp edges and
unravels their tangles
HAS "MYSTICAL SELF-IDENTITY."
Because of it,
neither can one be fully 'intimate' with them
nor can one remain distant from them;
neither can one profit from them
nor can one be harmed by them;
neither can one achieve honor though them
nor can one be dishonored through them.
Because of this, they are esteemed by all under heaven.
57
Rule your state with uprightness,
deploy your troops with craft;
gain all under heaven through noninterference.
How do I actually KNOW this is right?
WELL;
the more 'taboos' or prohibitions under heaven
the poorer the people are.
The more clever the devices the people have
the more confused the state and the ruling house.
The more scientific knowledge there is
the stranger the anomalies that spring up.
The more laws there are in the land
the more bandits and thieves.
Therefore, Sages say:
"I Do Nothing Much Personally
yet the people transform themselves.
I am fond of stillness
yet the people correct their own ways.
I do not interfere in affairs
yet the people enrich themselves.
I desire not to 'desire' it
yet the people of their own accord
are become as simple as un-hewn logs."
58
When a society is composed of free, self-governing individuals,
the people are honest;
when there is a 'legalistic' government 'ruling' the people,
a true society is lacking.
Disaster brings-forth the best in people, and new innovations;
having more than one's own share is that wherein Disaster lurks!
Who knows where this will end?!
When there is no uprightness,
correctness reverts to craftiness;
goodness reverts to the gruesome.
The delusion of mankind;
how LONG has been it's Reign!
For this reason, be:
Solid but not abrasive;
Pointed but not agressive;
Right-On but not arrogant;
Bright but not dazzling.
59
To organize mankind and serve heaven,
there is nothing like 'thrift!'
Now, only through thriftiness
can one be prepared;
being prepared
means having a large store of DEI.
With a large store of DEI
one can overcome anything.
Being able to overcome anything,
爊o one knows your limits!
If no one knows what you are capable of,
you may have your Kingdom.
Being the Mother of a Kingdom,
one can long endure.
This is called "planting your roots firm and deep,
the Path of long life and lasting vision."
60
Properly ruling a big kingdom is like cooking a small fish.
If one oversees all under heaven in partnership with THOU,
'monsters' do not exist.
Not only that, but
their 'existance' could not harm anyone!
Not only could they not harm anyone,
but the ruling Sage does them no harm either.
Now, when neither scorches the other,
merit in nourished in both: (and the fish is DONE!)
61
A large state is like a great river valley;
the Mother of all under heaven.
In the union of all under heaven
she conquers her ravisher by stillness.
Because she is still,
it is fitting for her to lie low.
By lying beneath a small state,
a large state can take over the smaller.
By lying beneath a large state,
a smaller one can take over the larger state.
Therefore, one may either take over or be taken over, by lying low.
Thus, a large state wishes only to annex and nurture others;
a small state wishes only to join-with and serve others.
Now, since both get what they seek,
it is fitting for the larger state to lie low.
62
The Path is the Alembic of the myriad creatures;
it is the treasure of the good person,
and that which is treasured BY the 'bad.'
Beautiful words can be traded;
Noble deeds can be used as gifts of honor.
Why should we reject even the 'bad' others offer us?!
Therefore, when a Child Of Heaven is enthroned,
or a Triune Ministry installed,
although they may have large and valuable ornaments
and be preceded by teams of four horses,
it would be better for them to sit down
and make progress in THIS!
Why did the ancients value THIS so highly?
Did they not say;
"Seek and ye shall find;
Repent and thou shalt be forgiven"?
Therefore THIS is valued by all under heaven.
63
Act by Doing Nothing Much Personal;
handle affairs through noninterference.
Taste what has no flavor;
regard the small as great, the few as many.
Repay resentment with DEI-ty's virtues.
Undertake difficult tasks
by appreciating what is easy about them.
Do great deeds
by focusing on their little details.
All difficulties under heaven arise from what is simple;
all great things under heaven depend upon little details.
Thus, Sages never strive to do what is great;
therefore they can achieve greatness.
One who lightly agrees
is seldom believed;
One who thinks everything is going to be easy
encounters many problems!
Consequently, even Sages consider things difficult;
and thus, find them easier than they thought, in the end.
64
What is secure is easily grasped;
what has no omens is easily forestalled;
what is brittle is easily split;
what is diffuse is easily dispersed.
Act before need arises;
Bring order before disorder begins.
A tree you could barely wrap your arms around
began as a downy shoot;
A terrace nine layers tall
began with a single basketful of earth;
An ascent of a hundred steps
begins beneath one's foot.
Who 'acts' fails.
Who grasps-on loses.
Sages do not 'act'
therefore they do not fail;
they do not grasp-on
and therefore they do not lose.
In pursuing their affairs,
people often fail when close to success.
Therefore, if one is cautious at both end and beginning,
there will be no failures.
Thus Sages desire to be free of avarice,
and do not prize goods that are hard to come by.
They learn not to be 'learned'
and return to what others leave behind.
Thus they can help the myriad creatures to be natural,
for they dare not 'act!'
65
The ancients who walked the Path
did not seek to enlighten people with it;
they used it, rather, to relax them.
The people are hard to 'rule' if they are too 'sophisticated.'
Therefore, ruling a state through 'information' actually weakens thestate;
ruling a state through natural simplicity brings DEI-ty into the state.
One who is always mindful of these two types grasps a great paradigm;
mindfulness of this paradigm is "mystical virtue."
Deep and far runs this Mystical Virtue!
It runs counter to worldly things..?until they reach the greatSea!
66
The River and the Sea can be Kings
over a hundred valley-streams
because they are good at lying below them.
If Sages want to be be over the people, in teachings,
they must put themselves beneath them.
If one wishes to lead the people,
one must stand behind them.
Thus, one may lead the people without offending them;
one may oversee the people with one's teachings without burdening them;
everyone will happily push one forward without tiring of one's example;
and is this not because one is free of competition?
Because one does not compete with the people, none can oppose you.
67
Everybody say I am great;
great but 'quirky.'
Now, precisely because I am 'quirky' I can BE great;
were I 'conventional' I would long ago have been declared 'common.'
I have always had three treasures that I guard and cherish.
The first is compassion; the second is simplicity; and the third
is daring to not out-do everyone in the world.
Now, because I am compassionate, I find I can be brave;
because I am simple, I can be generous;
because I dare to not out-do everyone in the world,
I find I can lead in the finishing of tasks.
If I, today, were to
be courageous while forsaking compassion;
be generous while forsaking simplicity;
get ahead while forsaking the hindmost;
that would be my end!.. for
compassion in war brings true victory;
in defense brings invulnerability.
Whomsoever heaven would defend
it surrounds with a bulwark of compassion.
68
A good warrior is not belligerent.
A good fighter does not anger.
A good conqueror does not dislike his enemy.
One who is good at employing others puts themself below them.
This is called "the virtue of non competitiveness."
This is called "utilizing others."
This is called "parity with heaven,"
-the pinnacle of the Ancient Masters.
69
Strategists have a saying:
"I dare not be the host,
but would rather be a guest!
I advance not an inch,
but retreat a foot."
This is called
Marching out of file;
Bearing nonexistent arms;
Flourishing nonexistent weapons; and
Driving back nonexistent enemies.
There is no greater a misfortune
than not having a worthy foe;
once I believe there are no worthy foes about,
I have well-nigh forfeited all my treasures.
Therefore, when opposing forces are evenly matched,
The one who is saddened by that WINS.
70
My words are easy to understand and very easy to apply.
But no Ego is able to understand them or apply them.
Words have authority.
Affairs have a history!
It is simply because of their ignorance
that Egos do not understand me.
Those who understand me are few, and
thus I am ennobled.
For this reason, Sages may wear homespun cloth over their shoulders,
but they carry a jewel beyond price in their heart.
71
To realize that you do not understand is a virtue;
