Thus, once the Way is abandoned, thereafter Virtue is asserted; once Virtue is abandoned, thereafter humanity is asserted; once humanity is abandoned, thereafter justice is asserted; once justice is abandoned, thereafter ritual conduct is asserted.
Now ritual conduct is the thin shell of loyalty and good faith and the beginning of disorder. Foreknowledge is but a blossom of the Way and the beginning of folly.
Therefore, "the Great Adult" is concerned with what is think, and keeps not to what is thin; he is concerned with the kernel and keeps not to the blossom.
Therefore he rejects that and chooses this.
39
Those who of old attained the Unity (are the following):
Heaven attained unity and became clear.
Earth attained unity and became tranquil.
The spirits attained unity and became animated.
The valleys attained unity and became filled.
The ten thousand things attained unity and were produced.
The feudal kings attained unity and became rectifiers of All-under-heaven.
all this is effected (by unity).
If, by this, heaven were not clear, it is to be feared it might burst.
If, by this, earth were not tranquil, it is to be feared it might quake.
If, by this, the spirits were not animated, it is to be feared they might dissolve.
If, by this, the valleys were not filled, it is to be feared they might be exhausted.
If, by this, the ten thousand things were not produced, it is to be feared they might become extinct.
If, by this, the feudal kings were not noble and exalted, it is to be feared they might trip.
For the noble has the vile as its root; the exalted has the lowly as its base.
Therefore feudal kings call themselves "the Orphan", "the Lonely one", "the Destitute one". Surely this is because they regard the vile as their root!
For supreme honour attained is without honour.
Its desire is not to be finely carved like jade, but to be scattered like gravel.
40
The movement of the Way is: to reverse.
The method of the Way is: to be weak.
Heaven and earth and the ten thousand things are born out of Being; Being is born out of Non-being.
41
When a gentleman of top grade hears about the Way, he does his best to put it into practice.
When a gentleman of middle grade hears about the Way, he seems now to keep it, now to lose it.
When a gentleman of bottom grade hears about the Way, he will laugh loudly at it.
If it were not laughed at, it would not be worth regarding as the Way.
For there is an established saying:
"The bright Way looks dark.
The progressive Way looks retrograde.
The level Way looks rugged.
The highest Virtue looks like a valley.
Sheer white looks soiled.
The widest Virtue looks inadequate.
The firmest Virtue looks feeble.
The truest substance looks pitted.
The greatest square has no corners.
The greatest vessel is the last completed.
The greatest music has the rarest sound.
The greatest Image has no form.
The Way is hidden and without names. Indeed, just because the Way is able to lend it is able to complete."
42
One produced two; two produced three; three produced the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things turn away from the dark (Yin) and embrace the light (Yang); the vapours of the void blend them harmoniously.
What people loathe is to be "orphaned", "lonely", "destitute", and yet kings and dukes call themselves thus.
For things are sometimes increased by decrease, and decreased by increase.
What others have taught I also teach; that men of violence will not reach their natural death, I shall be the father of that doctrine.
43
The weakest thing in the whole world dashes against the hardest in the whole world. There is in all the world nothing softer or weaker than water, but in attacking the hard and strong, nothing surpasses it. Without substance it penetrates where there is no crevice; by what-is-not this becomes easy.
From this I know that non-action profits.
The doctrine without words and the profit of non-action, few in the world will attain to these.
Therefore the Saint abides by the practice of non-action, and professes the doctrine without words.
44
Name or person; - which is nearest?
Person or goods; - which counts most?
Gain or loss; - which is worse?
For, the greater sparing the greater spending; the more hoarding the more loss.
He who knows contentment, will not be ashamed.
He who knows where to abide will be without peril.
He will last long.
45
Treat the most flawless (vase) as cracked, and it will not wear out in use.
Treat the fullest (vase) as empty, and it will not run dry in use.
Treat the straightest as crooked, the cleverest as clumsy, the most eloquent as stammering.
Stamping may overcome cold, but stillness overcomes heat.
Purity and stillness are what rectifies All-under-heaven.
46
When the Empire has the Way, (even) coursers will be stabled for the sake of their dung.
When the Empire is without the Way, warhorses will be raised in the suburb.
No guilt is greater than to approve of desire.
No disaster is greater than not to know what is enough.
No fault is greater than the desire to acquire.
For, to know that enough is enough is to have always enough.
47
To know All-under-heaven without going out of doors!
Without peeping out of the window, to see the Way of Heaven!
The further one goes out, the less one knows.
Therefore: the Saint knows without travelling, names (things) without seeing them, achieves without acting.
48
Practice learning and there is daily increase.
Practice the Way and there is daily decrease.
Decrease, and again decrease, till it reaches non-action.
By doing nothing there is nothing that is not done.
49
The Saint has no fixed mind. He makes the mind of the people his own, (saying): "The good I treat well, and the not-good I also treat well; thus I obtain goodness. Those of good faith I treat with good faith, and those not of good faith I also treat with good faith; thus I obtain good faith."
The Saint in Al-under-heaven makes no distinctions; he makes his heart impartial towards All-under-heaven. The people rivet their ears and eyes on him, and the Saint treats them all like infants.
50
Coming forth (man) is born, entering he dies.
Followers of life there are three in ten; followers of death there are three in ten; and men who, while regarding life as life, in their every act tend towards the death-spot, there are also three in ten.
Why is that? Because of the excessive manner in which they regard life as life.
For indeed, I have heard that one who has a firm purchase on life, when travelling overland, meets neither tiger no rhinoceros, and when going into battle, he wears no cuirass no does he bear arms. A rhinoceros would find nowhere to butt its horn, a tiger would find nowhere to fix its claws, weapons would find no room to enter their blades. Why is that? Because he has no death-spot.
51
The Way produces them, Virtue rears them, things lend their form, environment completes their development.
Therefore the ten thousand things there is none but honours the Way and values Virtue.
Honouring the Way and valuing Virtue is not at somebody's behest but is always spontaneous.
For the Way produces, Virtue rears. They grow, feed, prosper, lead, support and shelter.
They produce and rear: they produce but do not appropriate, they act but do not rely (on the result), they grow but do not control.
When a work has been accomplished they do not rest in it. Indeed, just because they do not rest in it, they do not withdraw.
This is called the mystic Virtue.
52
All-under-heaven has a beginning which may be regarded as the mother of All-under-heaven. Having found the mother one may know the children. If, knowing the children, one still keeps to the mother, until the end of his life one is not in peril.
Stop its apertures, close its doors, and until the (natural) completion of the body (your strength) will not fail.
Open its apertures, promote its activities and until the (natural) completion of the body nothing will avail.
To perceive what is small is (clear) vision; to keep to what is weak is strength.
If using the light, one resorts to one's vision, the body will not be exposed to any harm. This is called "practicing what is constant".
53
Suppose that with only the least scrap of knowledge I were to walk the great Way, I would only fear turning aside. Though the great Way is quite level, people love bypaths.
When the Court is well purified, but the fields are full of weeds and the granaries are empty, (the rulers) wear decorated and embroidered robes, gird themselves with sharp swords, glut themselves with food, and have superfluous possessions; - this I call robbing and bragging.
It is certainly contrary to the Way.
54
That which is well planted is not uprooted.
That which is well clasped is not snatched away.
Sons and grandsons will then not interrupt their sacrifices.
If one practices (the Way) in one's person, its Virtue will be genuineness.
If one practices it in one's family, its Virtue will be abundance.
If one practices it in one's village, its Virtue will be durability.
If one practices it in one's state, its Virtue will be prosperity.
If one practices it in the Empire, its Virtue will be universality.
From the standpoint of one's own person one views other persons, from that of one's own family other families, from that of one's own village other villages, from that of one's own state other states, from that of the Empire the Empire.
How do I know that it is like this for the Empire?
By this.
55
The plenitude of one who contains Virtue within himself, may be likened to that of an infant.
Poisonous insects will not sting it, fierce beasts will not seize it, nor will birds of prey claw it. Though its bones are weak and its sinews soft, it has a firm grip. Though it knows not yet of the union of male and female, its male member will stir. This is because the fine essence (in it) has attained the utmost (potency). Though it may scream all day long, its voice will not become hoarse. This is because the natural harmony (in it) has attained the utmost (potency).
To understand the natural harmony means being constant.
To understand being constant means being enlightened.
To increase life means inviting evil.
To control the vital breath with the mind means rigidity.
When things have matured they age. (Such control) is contrary to the Way. What is contrary to the Way will soon end.
56
He stops his apertures, he closes his doors.
"He blunts his sharpness, he unravels tangles, he dims brightness, he levels tracks.
This is called the mystic equality.
For in getting him one cannot come close nor remain distant, one cannot profit by him nor be harmed by him, one cannot gain honour by him nor suffer disgrace by him.
Therefore he is the most prized in All-under-heaven.
57
A State may be ruled by rectification and a war may be fought by stratagems, but the Empire is gained by non-action.
The Empire is gained by remaining constantly in non-action. As soon as one becomes active, one is unable to gain the Empire.
How do I know that this is so? By this:
The more taboos and prohibitions there are in the Empire, the poorer the people will be.
The more useful implements the people have, the more state and dynasty will be in confusion.
The more cunning craftsmen there are, the more bizarre contrivances will spring up.
The more laws and ordinances are promulgated, the more thieves and robbers will there be.
Therefore a Saint has said:
"If I practice doing nothing, the people will of themselves be correct.
If I love stillness, the people will of themselves be correct.
If I practice non-action, the people will of themselves become rich.
If I practice being without desires, the people will of themselves become simple."
58
If government is mope-eyed, the people will be faultless.
If government is far-sighted, the people will be full of flaws.
Bad fortune is what good fortune leans on.
Good fortune is what bad fortune hides in.
Who may know the acme of either?
Since there is no normal condition, the correct reverts to what is bizarre and the good reverts to what spells evil, but people indeed are deluded for a long time.
Therefore the Saint is square without being pointed, he is straight without being stretched, he is bright without being polished.
59
For governing men and serving heaven nothing is equal to moderation.
Just because there is moderation, this means applying oneself early (to the Way).
To apply oneself early is to garner a double (harvest of) Virtue, there is not a thing of which one is not capable, nobody knows the extreme limit (of that capacity). If nobody knows the extreme limit, one may possess a kingdom. The "mother" of possessing a kingdom may endure long.
This means that a deep root and a firm foundation are the way to long life and durability.
60
Ruling a great state is like cooking a small fish.
If one governs All-under-heaven according to the Way, the manes (of the dead) will not manifest themselves as spirits. It is not that these manes are not spirits, but these spirits will not harm men. Just as the spirits will not harm men, the Saint will not harm the people.
If indeed these two do not harm one another, their Virtue will converge towards a common end.
61
A great state is downstream. It is the converging point (of the water) of All-under-heaven. It is the female of All-under-heaven. The female always overcomes the male by stillness; by stillness she is underneath.
Therefore, by getting beneath a little state, a great state gains a little one, and by abasing itself to a great state, a little state gains a big one. The one gains by becoming low, the other by being low. A great state only wishes to unite men and feed them; a little state only wishes to be received and to serve others. So that each shall get what is wishes, the great must become low.
62
The Way for the ten thousand things is like the southwest corner of the house.
