It is the treasure of the good and the refuge of the not-good.
Fine words may buy honours, fine conduct may raise one above others.
Therefore, when the Son of Heaven is inaugurated or the Three Ducal Ministers are installed, though they may hold a jade disk and are preceded by a chariot and four, it would be better for them to sit still and make progress in the Way.
Why did the ancients prize this Way so highly? Did they not say: "he who seeks, finds by it; he who trespasses, escapes by it"?
Therefore it was the most prized in All-under-heaven.
63
Do by not doing, act by nonacting, taste the taste-less, regard the small as great, much as little.
Plan what is difficult where it is easy; do what is great where it is minute.
The hardest things in the world begin with what is easy; the greatest things in the world begin with what is minute.
Therefore the Saint never does anything great and so is able to achieve the great.
Now, he who promises lightly, will have but little faith. He who finds much easy, will find much hard.
Therefore the Saint, while finding even (the easy) hard, will in the end have nothing that is hard.
64
What is at rest is easy to hold.
What is not yet manifested is easy to forestall.
What is brittle is easy to melt.
What is minute is easy to disperse.
Act before a thing is there; create order before there is disorder.
A tree of an arm's span has grown from a tiny fibre.
A tower nine storeys high was raised from a heap of earth.
A journey of a thousand leagues started with what was under a footsole.
In promoting their affairs men often spoil them when they are about to succeed.
Heed the end as much as the beginning, then no affairs will be spoiled.
Therefore the Saint desires not to desire and does not prize goods that are difficult to obtain. He learns not to learn and reverts to what all men pass by.
Thus he sustains the natural course of the ten thousand thing, but he dares not act.
65
Of old those who were well versed in the practice of the Way, rather than use it to enlighten the people, they used it to stultify the people.
If people are hard to rule, it is because of too much knowledge.
Therefore he who rules a state by means of knowledge, is like a robber of the state. He who will not rule a state by means of knowledge, is a boon for the state.
He who knows these two things, scrutinizes also the Measure.
Always to know how to scrutinize the Measure is called Mystic Virtue. Mystic Virtue is profound, is far-reaching, and operates contrariwise to things, till in the end it attains the Grand Conformity.
66
That by which the River and the sea are able to be kings of the hundred valleys, is their fitness to be lower than these. That is why they are able to be the kings of the hundred valleys.
Therefore, if a Saint wishes to be above the people, he should, in his words, be lower. If he wishes to be in front of the people, he should in his person, be behind.
Therefore the Saint stays above but the people do not feel his weight; he stays in front but the people do not feel it as an injury.
Therefore All-under-heaven will gladly push him forward and will not weary (of him), Because he strives not, none are able to strive with him.
67
All the world says that my Way, though great, seems unconventional.
Indeed, just because it is great, it seems unconventional. If it were unconventional, it would long ago have become minute.
I have three treasures which I hold and preserve.
The first is forbearance.
The second is moderation.
The third is not daring to be first in the world.
Having forbearance, I am able to be courageous.
Having moderation, I am able to be liberal.
Not daring to be first in the world, I am able to become the chief of all the "vessels".
If to-day one rejects forbearance but is only courageous, if one rejects moderation but is only liberal, if one rejects being last but is only first, it is death!
Truly, he who fights with forbearance, conquers; he who guards himself with it is safe.
Him, whom heaven would save, it protects with forbearance.
68
A good captain is not impetuous.
A good fighter is not angry.
A good conqueror does not engage his adversaries.
A good user of men makes himself inferior to them.
This may be called the Virtue of not striving. This may be called the strength to use men. This may be called the acme of conformity to heaven.
69
A strategist of old has said:
"I dare not be host, I prefer being guest. I dare not advance one inch, I prefer withdrawing one foot."
This is called: to march without marching, to roll up one's sleeves without having an arm, to draw without having a sword, to attack without having an adversary.
There is no greater calamity than underestimating one's adversary.
If I underestimate my adversary, I risk losing my treasures.
For, when the opposing arms are crossed, he who yields, will win.
70
My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice; but in all the world there is no one who can understand them and can put them into practice.
My words have a system, my actions have a governor.
Indeed, it is just because they are not understood, that men do not understand me.
Those who understand me are rare, those who pattern themselves after me are highly prized.
Thus the Saint wears hair-cloth, but carries jade in his breast.
71
Not to regard knowing as knowing is the highest.
To regard not-knowing as knowing is a sickness.
Indeed, it is only by being sick of that sickness that one is not sick.
The Saint is not sick, because he is sick of that sickness.
Therefore he is not sick.
72
If the people feel no awe for the awful, the greater will be the awe.
Do not restrict them in their dwellings, do not weary them in their livelihood. Indeed, just because they are not wearies, they will not be weary.
Therefore the Saint knows himself, but does not display himself; he is careful of himself, but does not value himself. For he rejects the one and chooses the other.
73
He who is brave in daring, is killed.
He who is brave in not-daring, will live.
Of these two course the one is profitable and the other harmful. Who knows the cause of what heaven hates?
It is the Way of heaven not to strive and yet be able to conquer; not to speak and yet be able to respond; not to call and yet let things come of themselves; to be slow and yet be able to plan well.
Heaven's net is wide; though its meshes be far apart, nothing escapes it.
74
If the people fear death, why frighten them with death?
Even if one could cause the people always to fear death and could seize and kill those who make ingenious things, - who would dare to act thus?
There is always a Chief Executioner who kills. To kill in the place of the Chief Executioner may be called: to chop in the place of the Master Carpenter.
Now in chopping in place of the Master Carpenter, few will escape maiming their hands!
75
If the people starve, it is because of the quantity of taxes consumed by their superiors. That is why they starve.
If the people are hard to govern, it is because of the interference of their superiors. That is why they are hard to govern.
If the people think lightly of death, it is because of the excessive manner in which they seek to obtain life. That is why they think lightly of death.
Truly, not acting for life's sake is wiser than valuing life.
76
Man at birth is soft and weak; at death he is hard and rigid.
The ten thousand things, plants and trees, while alive, are soft and fragile; at death they are dry and withered.
For, what is hard and rigid is a follower of death; what is soft and weak is a follower of life.
Therefore, is a weapon is too rigid, it is destroyed; if a tree is too rigid, it breaks.
What is hard and rigid is placed below; what is soft and weak is placed above.
77
The Way of heaven, how like the bending of a bow it is! What is up is pressed down, and what is down is raised up; the surplus is reduced, want is supplied.
The Way of heaven reduces where there is a surplus and supplies where there is want. The Way of men however is not thus; they reduce where there is want and proffer where there is a surplus.
Who is able to proffer his surplus where there is want? Only he who has the Way.
Therefore the Saint, when he acts, does not rely (on the results); when the work is accomplished, he does not rest in it.
The Saint does not hoard. Having regarded everything as belonging to others, he has greater abundance himself. Having given everything to others he has the more himself.
The Way of heaven brings profits but not harm. The Way of the Saint is to act but not to strive.
He has no desire to display his ability.
78
The weak conquers the strong and the soft conquers the hard.
Though every one in the world knows this, no one is able to practice it.
Therefore a Saint has said: "He who receives the filth of a state, is called the master of the Altar of the Soil and Grain; he who receives the evils of a state, is called the king of All-under-heaven."
Straightforward words seem paradoxical.
79
Though a great grievance may be appeased there is sure to remain some grievance. How can one stand well with others? By requiting grievances with Virtue.
Therefore the Saint, although he holds the left-hand tally, does not serve a summons on people.
He who has Virtue, controls the tally; he who has no Virtue, controls the levying.
The Way of heaven ahs no favouritism; it always gives (the opportunity of) standing well with people.
80
A small country with few inhabitants where, though there be tools which can do the work of ten or a hundred men, (the people) may be induced not to use them!
Where the people may be induced to regard death gravely and not to move to distant places!
Where, though there be boats and carts, there would be nothing to load them with and where, though there are cuirasses and arms, there would be nowhere to drill in them!
Where the people may be induced to revert to the use of knotted cords, to savour their own food, to admire their own clothing, to take their ease in their own homes and to delight in their own customs!
Where, though a neighbouring country may be within sight, so that they hear each other's cocks crowing and dogs barking, yet the inhabitants, till they die of old age, would never meet one another!
81
He who knows, speaks not.
He who speaks, knows not.
He who is sincere, does not embellish.
He who embellishes, is not sincere.
He who is good, disputes not.
He who disputes, is not good.
He who knows, does not game.
He who games, knows not.
English_Feng_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese - English by
Gia-Fu Feng & Jane English, 1972
1
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appearsas darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.
2
Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness.
All can know good as good only because there is evil.
Therefore having and not having arise together.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short contrast each other:
High and low rest upon each other;
Voice and sound harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.
Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,
Creating, yet not.
Working, yet not taking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.
3
Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling.
Not collecting treasures prevents stealing.
Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, byweakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
If men lack knowledge and desire, then clever people will not try tointerfere.
If nothing is done, then all will be well.
4
The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled.
Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things!
Blunt the sharpness,
Untangle the knot,
Soften the glare,
Merge with dust.
Oh, hidden deep but ever present!
I do not know from whence it comes.
It is the forefather of the gods.
5
Heaven and Earth are impartial;
They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs.
The wise are impartial;
They see the people as straw dogs.
The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows.
The shape changes but not the form;
The more it moves, the more it yields.
More words count less.
Hold fast to the center.
6
The valley spirit never dies;
It is the woman, primal mother.
Her gateway is the root of heaven and Earth.
It is like a veil barely seen.
Use it; it will never fail.
7
Heaven and Earth last forever.
Why do heaven and Earth last forever?
They are unborn,
So ever living.
The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.
He is detached, thus at one with all.
Through selfless action, he attains fulfillment.
8
The highest good is like water.
Water give life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.
In action, be aware of the time and the season.
No fight: No blame.
9
Better to stop short than fill to the brim.
Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
