But the words uttered by Tao, How insipid and tasteless! We look at it; it is imperceptible. We listen to it; it is inaudible. We use it; it is inexhaustible.
36
In order to contract, It is necessary first to expand. In order to weaken, It is necessary first to strengthen. In order to destroy, It is necessary first to promote. In order to grasp, It is necessary first to give.
This is called subtle light. The weak and the tender overcome the hard and the strong.
Fish should not be taken away from water. And sharp weapons of state should not be displayed to the people.
37
Tao invariably takes no action, and yet there is nothing left undone.
If kings and barons can keep it, all things will transform spontaneously. If, after transformation, they should desire to be active, I would restrain them with simplicity, which has no name.
Simplicity, which has no name, is free of desires, Being free of desires, it is tranquil. And the world will be at peace of its own accord.
38
The man of superior virtue is not (conscious of) his virtue, And in this way he really possesses virtue. The man of inferior virtue never loses (sight of) his virtue, And in this way he loses his virtue.
The man of superior virtue takes no action, but has no ulterior motive to do so. The man of inferior virtue takes action, and has an ulterior motive to do so.
The man of superior humanity takes action, but has no ulterior motive to do so. The man of superior righteousness takes action, and has an ulterior motive to do so. The man of superior propriety takes action, And when people do not respond to it, he will stretch his arms and force it on them.
Therefore when Tao is lost, only then does the doctrine of virtue arise. When virtue is lost, only then does the doctrine of humanity arise. When humanity is lost, only then does the doctrine of righteousness arise. When righteousness is lost, only then does the doctrine of propriety arise.
Now, propriety is a superficial expression of loyalty and faithfulness, and the beginning of disorder. Those who are the first to know have the flowers of Tao but are the beginning of ignorance.
For this reason the great man dwells in the thick, and does not rest with the thin. He dwells in the fruit, and does not rest with the flower. Therefore he rejects the one, and accepts the other.
39
Of old those that obtained the One: Heaven obtained the One and became clear. Earth obtained the One and became tranquil. The spiritual beings obtained the One and became divine.
The valley obtained the One and became full. The myriad things obtained the One and lived and grew. Kings and barons obtained the One and became rulers of the empire. What made them so is the One.
If heaven had not thus become clear, It would soon crack. If the earth had not thus become tranquil, It would soon be shaken. If the spiritual beings had not thus become divine, They would soon wither away.
If the valley had not thus become full, It would soon become exhausted. If the myriad things had not thus lived and grown, They would soon become extinct. If kings and barons had not thus become honourable and high in position, They would soon fall.
Therefore humble station is the basis of honour. The low is the foundation of the high.
For this reason kings and barons call themselves children without parents, lonely people without spouses, and men without food to eat. Is this not regarding humble station as the basis of honour? Is it not?
Therefore enumerate all the parts of a chariot as you may, and you still have no chariot.
Rather than jingle like the jade, Rumble like the rocks.
40
Reversion is the action of Tao. Weakness is the function of Tao.
All things in the world come from being. And being comes from non-being.
41
When the highest type of men hear Tao, The diligently practice it. When the average type of men hear Tao, They half believe in it.
When the lowest type of men hear Tao, They laugh heartily at it. If they did not laugh at it, it would not be Tao.
Therefore there is the established saying: The Tao which is bright appears to be dark. The Tao which goes forward appears to fall backward. The Tao which is level appears uneven. Great virtue appears like a valley (hollow). Great purity appears like disgrace. Far-reaching virtue appears as if insufficient.
Solid virtue appears as if unsteady. True substance appears to be changeable. The great square has no corners. The great implement (or talent) is slow to finish (or mature). Great music sounds faint. Great form has no shape.
Tao is hidden and nameless. Yet it is Tao alone that skillfully provides for all and brings them to perfection.
42
Tao produced the One. The One produced the two. The two produced the three. And the three produced the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things carry the yin and embrace the yang, and through the blending of the material force they achieve harmony.
People hate to be children without parents, lonely people without spouses, or men without food to eat, And yet kings and lords call themselves by these names.
Therefore it is often the case that things gain by losing and lose by gaining.
What others have taught, I teach also: "Violent and fierce people do not die a natural death." I shall make this the father of my teaching.
43
The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. Non-being penetrates that in which there is no space. Through this I know the advantage of taking no action.
Few in the world can understand the teaching without words and the advantage of taking no action.
44
Which does one love more, fame or one's own life? Which is more valuable, one's own life or wealth? Which is worse, gain or loss?
Therefore he who has lavish desires will spend extravagantly. He who hoards will lose most heavily.
He who is contented suffers no disgrace. He who knows when to stop is free from danger. Therefore he can long endure.
45
What is most perfect seems to be incomplete; But its utility is unimpaired. What is most full seems to be empty; But its usefulness is inexhaustible. What is most straight seems to be crooked.
The greatest skill seems to be clumsy. The greatest eloquence seems to stutter.
Hasty movement overcomes cold, (But) tranquility overcomes heat. By being greatly tranquil, One is qualified to be the ruler of the world.
46
When Tao prevails in the world, galloping horses are turned back to fertilize (the fields with the dung). When Tao does not prevail in the world, war horses thrive in the suburbs.
There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontentment. And there is no greater disaster than greed.
He who is contented with contentment is always contented.
47
One may know the world without going out of doors. One may see the Way of Heaven without looking through the windows. The further one goes, the less one knows.
Therefore the sage knows without going about, Understands without seeing, And accomplishes without any action.
48
The pursuit of learning is to increase day after day. The pursuit of Tao is to decrease day after day.
It is to decrease and further decrease until one reaches the point of taking no action. No action is undertaken, And yet nothing is left undone. An empire is often brought to order by having no activity.
If one (likes to) undertake activity, he is not qualified to govern the empire.
49
The sage has no fixed (personal) ideas. He regards the people's ideas as his own.
I treat those who are good with goodness. And I also treat those who are not good with goodness. Thus goodness is attained.
I am honest to those who are honest, And I am also honest to those who are not honest. Thus honesty is attained.
The sage, in the government of his empire, has no subjective viewpoint. His mind forms a harmonious whole with that of his people. The all lend their eyes and ears, And he treats them all as infants.
50
Man comes in to life and goes out to death.
Three out of ten are companions of life. Three out of ten are companions of death. And three out of ten in their lives lead from activity to death. And for what reason? Because of man's intensive striving after life.
I have heard that one who is a good preserver of his life will not meet tigers or wild buffaloes, And in fighting will not try to escape from weapons of war.
The wild buffalo cannot butt its horns against him, The tiger cannot fasten its claws in him, And weapons of war cannot thrust their blades into him. And for what reason? Because in him there is no room for death.
51
Tao produces them. Virtue fosters them. Matter gives them physical form. The circumstances and tendencies complete them. Therefore the ten thousand things esteem Tao and honour virtue.
Tao is esteemed and virtue is honoured without anyone's order! They always come spontaneously. Therefore the Tao produces them and virtue fosters them. They rear them and develop them. They give them security and give them peace. They nurture them and protect them.
(Tao) produces them but does not take possession of them. It acts, but does not rely on its own ability. It leads them but does not master them. This is called profound and secret virtue.
52
There was a beginning of the universe Which may be called the Mother of the Universe.
He who has found the mother (Tao) And thereby understands her sons (things), And having understood the sons, Still keeps to its mother, Will be free from danger throughout his lifetime.
Close the mouth. t the doors (of cunning and desires). And to the end of life there will be (peace) without toil.
Open the mouth. Meddle with affairs. And to the end of life there will be no salvation.
Seeing what is small is called enlightenment. Keeping to weakness is called strength.
Use the light. Revert to enlightenment. And thereby avoid danger to one's life - This is called practicing the eternal.
53
If I had but little knowledge I should, in walking on a broad way, Fear getting off the road.
Broad ways are extremely even, But people are fond of bypaths.
The courts are exceedingly splendid, While the fields are exceedingly weedy, And the granaries are exceedingly empty.
Elegant clothes are worn, Sharp weapons are carried, Food and drinks are enjoyed beyond limit, And wealth and treasures are accumulated in excess. This is robbery and extravagance. This is indeed not Tao (the Way).
54
He who is well established (in Tao) cannot be pulled away. He who has a firm grasp (of Tao) cannot be separated from it. Thus from generation to generation his ancestral sacrifice will never be suspended.
When one cultivates virtue in his person, it becomes genuine virtue. When one cultivates virtue in his family, it becomes overflowing virtue. When one cultivates virtue in his community, it becomes lasting virtue. When one cultivates virtue in his country, it becomes abundant virtue. When one cultivates virtue in the world, it becomes universal.
Therefore the person should be viewed as a person. The family should be viewed as a family. The community should be viewed as a community. The country should be viewed as a country. And the world should be viewed as the world.
How do I know this to be the case in the world? Through this.
55
He who possesses virtue in abundance May be compared to an infant. Poisonous insects will not sting him. Fierce beasts will not seize him. Birds of prey will not strike him. His bones are weak, his sinews tender, but his grasp is firm.
He does not yet know the union of male and female, But his organ is aroused, This means that his essence is at its height.
He may cry all day without becoming hoarse, This means that his (natural) harmony is perfect. To know harmony means to be in accord with the eternal. To be in accord with the eternal means to be enlightened.
To force the growth of life means ill omen. For the mind to employ the vital force without restraint means violence.
After all things reach their prime, they begin to grow old, Which means being contrary to Tao. Whatever is contrary to Tao will soon perish.
56
He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know.
Close the mouth. t the doors. Blunt the sharpness. Untie the tangles. Soften the light. Become one with the dusty world. This is called the profound identification.
Therefore it is impossible either to be intimate and close to him or to be distant and indifferent to him. It is impossible either to benefit him or to harm him. It is impossible either to honour him or disgrace him. For this reason he is honoured by the world.
57
Govern the state with correctness. Operate the army with surprise tactics. Administer the empire by engaging in no activity. How do I know that this should be so? Through this:
The more taboos and prohibitions there are in the world, The poorer the people will be. The more sharp weapons the people have, The more troubled the state will be.
The more cunning and skill a man possesses, The more vicious things will appear. The more laws and orders are made prominent, The more thieves and robbers there will be.
Therefore the sage says: I take no action and the people of themselves are transformed. I love tranquillity and the people of themselves become correct.
I engage in no activity and the people of themselves become prosperous. I have no desires and the people of themselves become simple.
58
When the government is non-discriminative and dull, The people are contented and generous. When the government is searching and discriminative, The people are disappointed and contentious.
Calamity is that upon which happiness depends; Happiness is that in which calamity is latent.
Who knows when the limit will be reached? Is there no correctness (used to govern the world)? Then the correct again becomes the perverse. And the good again will become evil. The people have been deluded for a long time.
Therefore the sage is as pointed as a square but does not pierce. He is as acute as a knife but does not cut. He is as straight as an unbent line but does not extend. He is as bright as light but does not dazzle.
59
To rule people and to serve Heaven there is nothing better than to be frugal.
Only by being frugal can one recover quickly. To recover quickly means to accumulate virtue heavily. By the heavy accumulation of virtue one can overcome everything. If one can overcome everything, then he will acquire a capacity the limit of which is beyond anyone's knowledge. When his capacity is beyond anyone's knowledge, he is fit to rule a state.
