How is it that a king has ten thousand chariots, yet as for his own body, he moves lightly in the world?
When he is light he then loses his roots.
When he is impetuous he then loses control.
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A good traveler is without tracks or footprints.
A good speaker is without discernable flaws.
A good mathematician doesn't use tallies or chips.
A well-built door, without locks or bars, will remain closed.
A well-tied knot, without additional rope to secure it, cannot be untied.
It's natural for a wise person to be good at rescuing others, but without abandoning character, without abandoning what is of true value.
This is called stretching the brightness.
Therefore a good person is a good person's teacher.
An unkind person is a good person's asset.
Don't value the teacher;
Don't love the asset;
And although you may have knowledge, it is very misleading.
This is correctly called a baffling requirement.
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Know the ways in which you act aggressively; guard your passivity.
Become a conduit in the world.
Becoming a conduit in the world, your perpetual De will never leave you.
When your perpetual De never leaves, you will return to what you depended on as an infant.
Know the ways in which you receive honor; guard your disgrace.
Become a valley to the world.
When you become a valley to the world, your perpetual De will always be enough.
When your perpetual De is always enough, you will return to what is depended on by simplicity.
Know the ways in which you find clarity; guard your darkness.
Become a model for the world.
When you become a model for the world, your perpetual De will not be used as collateral.
When your perpetual De is not used as collateral, you will return to depending on what has no limits.
When simplicity is disseminated, it then can be used as a tool.
A wise person can employ this tool and in that way guide others.
So great new shapes can be formed without cutting.
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If you want to make changes by capturing the world and controling its actions,
I can see that you won't ever be done with it.
You see, the world is merely a tool for the manifestation of the heavens.
It would oppose your actions.
One who acts this way would destroy it.
One who tries to hold on to it would lose it.
All living things might at times leave footprints for others to follow, or might be followers;
Might at times be introspective, or at times blow hot air;
Might at times be strong, or at times be weak;
Might at times construct, or at times destruct.
It is correct for a wise person to forget about extremes, forget about greatness, forget about all these things.
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When one who is an advisor to a person who wields power expresses Dao, he will recommend no need to use offensive weapons forcefully in the world.
That method shows that if you are endearing to others, they will treat you the same way.
Where an army finds a place to encamp, thistles and thorns are all that will grow there.
One who is kind will get results and then stop.
He doesn't try to grab it all forcefully.
Getting results, and yet he won't destroy anything in the process.
Getting results, and yet he won't become arrogant.
Getting results, and yet he won't lord it over others.
Getting results, and yet he won't stop and bask in the glory of it.
This is correctly described as getting results without using force.
That method shows that if you are endearing to others, everyone will be increased.
A living thing may pretend to be stronger than they actually are, then they will age quickly.
This is correctly refered to as not being like Dao.
What is not like Dao will soon cease.
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As for one who carries weapons, they are certainly ominous tools.
Living things probably hate him.
Therefore, one who has those desires won't dwell in them.
A person of character would rather value being an inferior.
One who resorts to using weapons values his need to defend his honor.
Therefore, one who uses offensive weapons conflicts with the way a person of character would use those same tools.
Therefore, it is said that one who uses weapons offensively has very inauspicious tools.
If one has no choice but to use them, it should be done dispassionately.
One who must act as a superior won't see it as beautiful.
If they see it as beautiful then they certainly find pleasure in killing another person.
You know, finding happiness in killing can never fulfill one's ambitions in this world.
Therefore, it's more auspicious to see an inferior position as being superior.
Those who see honor as being superior will be the ones to make funeral arrangements.
It's only natural for one who must follow orders to take an inferior position.
One who is the highest commander must defend his honor.
Then he has to constantly be giving eulogies at a funeral.
Therefore, killing another person will lead to being in a state of grief at ones own guilt.
By defeating others he will always be at a funeral for someone.
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Dao always remains undefinable.
So simple and ordinary.
Although incredibly small, the entire universe wouldn't dare to make it a servant.
The most powerful of all human beings could easily guard it.
Any living thing could take it into themselves like a welcome guest.
When the heavens and earth are in mutual accord, there emerges a sweet dew.
None of the people order it, and yet within themselves they are equally bestowed.
They begin to fabricate a description.
A name - just as it has already been created, then also starts an understanding of when to stop.
Knowing when to stop precludes danger.
As an example of Dao's influence in the world,
It can be likened to the way a small valley interacts with a river or the sea.
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One who knows other people has understanding.
One who knows herself has clarity.
One who can conquer other people is powerful.
One who can conquer herself is strongest.
One who realizes that she has enough possesses abundance.
One who uses force must have a strong will.
One who doesn't lose sight of where she is can last for a long time.
She will die eventually but doesn't become forgetful in her old age.
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Dao drifts about aimlessly!
It willingly goes to the left or to the right.
It is fully satisfied with a successful event, but isn't willing to have a title.
All living things depend on it, but it's not willing to act as their master.
Consequently, it is always without desires.
It is only willing to accept a title that is insignificant.
All living things depend on it, but it's not willing to act as their master.
It is only willing to accept destiny as greatness.
It's natural for a wise person to have the ability to accomplish great success.
Simply because she doesn't act in a grand manner.
Therefore, she has the ability to achieve great success.
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Verbally substantiate an image of greatness, and the whole world will flock to it.
Flock to it and not criticize it.
Secure and emancipated in greatness.
The pleasure of tantalyzing food will cause a passing traveler to stop.
Thus, words about Dao are hard to grasp!
They are without flavor.
Look for it - there's not enough to be recognized.
Listen for it - there's not enough to be learned about.
Yet it cannot be dismissed.
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If you want to begin to absorb, you must have first opened up.
If you want to begin to be weak, you must first have been strong.
If you want to begin to depart, you must first have been connected.
If you want to begin to take, you must first have given.
These are correctly refered to as having a little insight.
What is soft and limp will conquer what is strong.
A fish cannot escape from deep waters.
In the whole country sharp weapons cannot be used to teach anyone.
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Dao doesn't ever interfere.
High officials have the ability to apply the laws to them, but all living things become transformed by themselves.
Transforming; and as desires arise they begin to be allayed due to their anonymous simplicity.
So, they also begin to be satisfied.
Satisfied as well as calm, all living things become settled within themselves.
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Superior De is not virtuous; in that way it has De.
Inferior De hasn't lost virtuosness; in that way it's without De.
One with superior De doesn't interfere, yet has no reason to act this way.
One with superior compassion takes action, yet has no reason to act this way.
One with a superior sense of justice takes action, and has a reason to act this way.
One who practices superior rituals takes action, yet nothing responds.
Then they get agitated and try to force reactions.
In that way they lose Dao and simply parody De;
They lose De and simply parody compassion;
They lose compassion and simply parody justice;
They lose justice and simply parody rituals.
So, one who is faithful to rituals has unsubstantial sincerity,
And is led by disorder.
One who advances their knowledge finds the blossom of Dao,
And is led by absurdity.
It's just natural for a great person dwell in what is substantial, and not dwell in what is insubstantial;
To dwell in what is permanent, and not dwell on the blossom.
Therefore, let go of that and capture this.
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These things in the past obtained the One:
The heavens obtained the One through clearness.
The earth obtained the One through stability.
The spirits obtained the One through supernatural powers.
The valley obtained the One through being filled.
The rulers obtained the One through acting in a way that brings everything in the world to a straight course.
It is said:
The heavens must not stop being clear or there would be anxiety that it would split apart.
The earth must not stop being stable or there would be anxiety that it would crumble.
The spirits must not stop having supernatural power or there would be anxiety that they would become impotent.
The valley must not stop being able to be filled or there would be anxiety that it will be glutted.
The rulers must not stop being valued for their high position or there would be anxiety that they would fall.
Therefore,
Some things must be valued, yet that is based on their devaluation.
Some things must be lofty, yet their foundation is built on what is below.
So, it's only natural for rulers to speak about themselves as alone, isolated and "The One Without Grain".
Is this how they devalue their own competency?
What a contradiction.
Therefore they cause their carriages to be counted while claiming they have none.
It is correct therefore for them not to want to shine like sparkling jade charms which attract attention.
Being hard and cold like a rock.
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Reversal: that is Dao's movement.
Flexibility: that is Dao's usefulness.
Every living thing in the world
Lives and grows with reference to what they have;
Lives and grows with reference to what has vanished.
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When an able student hears about Dao, he has the ability to work hard to get to the core of it..
When a mediocre student hears about Dao, he seems to be listening then seems to forget what he heard.
When a poor student hears about Dao, he has a great laugh about it.
If one is not willing to have a great laugh, they lack the principle of Dao.
Naturally the following statements arose:
The evidence of Dao conforms with dispersion;
The smoothness of Dao conforms with roughness;
The progress of Dao conforms with retreat;
The highest De conforms with an empty valley;
The greatest purity conforms with disgrace;
All-encompassing De conforms with lack;
What is determined to be De conforms with concealment;
What is deemed to be of true value conforms with inconsistancy.
A large square is without corners.
A large tool prolongs completion.
A large sound is only one of many notes.
A large image is without form.
Dao is praised as being indescribable.
A good beginning as well as a good ending.
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Dao sprouted as one.
One sprouted into two.
Two sprouted into three.
Three sprouted into all the living things in the universe.
All living things suffer through darkness and embrace the light.
In the middle, life's energy finds a way to act from the harmony of both.
A person's stance might be to really hate being "alone, isolated and One Without Grain".
Yet the nobility choose to call themselves by that title.
A living thing may be damaged by increase; or may profit by decrease.
Therefore, if a person realizes that their attitude can teach others,
In the evening they will consider and discuss things, teaching each other.
Therefore those who are aggressive and violent will die incomplete.
I'll take these lessons as though they came from my father.
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The most flexible things in the world are always in motion.
As for the most rigid things in the world, they are impenetrable since they are so dense.
In this way I can really understand the benefits of non-interference.
No words are able to teach how non-interference can be advantageous.
Few in the world have the ability to grasp that.
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Fame or health - which one do you hold most dear?
Health or belongings - which would you rather increase?
Gain or loss - which one leads to illness?
Obsession can only lead to great expenditures.
Hoarding can only lead to much spoilage.
Therefore, being content with what you have is not disgraceful.
