63
(It is the way of the Tao) to act without (thinking of) acting; toconduct affairs without (feeling the) trouble of them; to taste withoutdiscerning any flavour; to consider what is small as great, and a few asmany; and to recompense injury with kindness. (The master of it) anticipatesthings that are difficult while they are easy, and does things that wouldbecome great while they are small. All difficult things in the world aresure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all greatthings from one in which they were small. Therefore the sage, while henever does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatestthings. He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little faith; he whois continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult. Thereforethe sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has anydifficulties.?br>
64
That which is at rest is easily kept hold of; before a thing has givenindications of its presence, it is easy to take measures against it; thatwhich is brittle is easily broken; that which is very small is easily dispersed.Action should be taken before a thing has made its appearance; order shouldbe secured before disorder has begun. The tree which fills the arms grewfrom the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine storeys rose from a (small)heap of earth; the journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.He who acts (with an ulterior purpose) does harm; he who takes hold ofa thing (in the same way) loses his hold. (But) people in their conductof affairs are constantly ruining them when they are on the eve of success.If they were careful at the end, as (they should be) at the beginning,they would not so ruin them. Therefore the sage desires what (other men)do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get; he learns what(other men) do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men havepassed by. Thus he helps the natural development of all things, and doesnot dare to act (with an ulterior purpose of his own).?br>
65
The ancients who showed their skill in practising the Tao did so, notto enlighten the people, but rather to make them simple and ignorant. Thedifficulty in governing the people arises from their having much knowledge.He who (tries to) govern a state by his wisdom is a scourge to it; whilehe who does not (try to) do so is a blessing. He who knows these two thingsfinds in them also his model and rule. Ability to know this model and ruleconstitutes what we call the mysterious excellence (of a governor). Deepand far reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessoras opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him.?br>
66
That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage andtribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;-itis thus that they are the kings of them all. So it is that the sage, wishingto be above men, puts himself by his words below them, and wishing to bebefore them, places his person behind them. In this way though he has hisplace above them, men do not feel his weight, nor though he has his placebefore them, do they feel it an injury to them. Therefore all in the worlddelight to exalt him and do not weary of him. Because he does not strive,no one finds it possible to strive with him.?br>
67
All the world says that, while my Tao is great, it yet appears to beinferior (to other systems of teaching). Now it is just its greatness thatmakes it seem to be inferior. If it were like any other (system), for longwould its smallness have been known! But I have three precious things whichI prize and hold fast. The first is gentleness; the second is economy;and the third is shrinking from taking precedence of others. With thatgentleness I can be bold; with that economy I can be liberal; shrinkingfrom taking precedence of others, I can become a vessel of the highesthonour. Now-a-days they give up gentleness and are all for being bold;economy, and are all for being liberal; the hindmost place, and seek onlyto be foremost;-(of all which the end is) death. Gentleness is sure tobe victorious even in battle, and firmly to maintain its ground. Heavenwill save its possessor, by his (very) gentleness protecting him.?br>
68
He who in (Tao's) wars has skill Assumes no martial port; He who fightswith most good will To rage makes no resort. He who vanquishes yet stillKeeps from his foes apart; He whose hests men most fulfil Yet humbly plieshis art. Thus we say, 'He ne'er contends, And therein is his might.' Thuswe say, 'Men's wills he bends, That they with him unite.' Thus we say,'Like Heaven's his ends, No sage of old more bright.'
[Note: hests are commands, orders.]?br>
69
A master of the art of war has said, 'I do not dare to be the host(to commence the war); I prefer to be the guest (to act on the defensive).I do not dare to advance an inch; I prefer to retire a foot.' This is calledmarshalling the ranks where there are no ranks; baring the arms (to fight)where there are no arms to bare; grasping the weapon where there is noweapon to grasp: advancing against the enemy where there is no enemy. Thereis no calamity greater than lightly engaging in war. To do that is nearlosing (the gentleness) which is so precious. Thus it is that when opposingweapons are (actually) crossed, he who deplores (the situation) conquers.?br>
70
My words are very easy to know, and very easy to practise; but thereis no one in the world who is able to know and able to practise them. Thereis an originating and all- comprehending (principle) in my words, and anauthoritative law for the things (which I enforce). It is because theydo not know these, that men do not know me. They who know me are few, andI am on that account-(the more) to be prized. It is thus that the sagewears (a poor garb of) hair cloth, while he carries his (signet of) jadein his bosom.?br>
71
To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment);not to know (and yet think) we do know is a disease. It is simply by beingpained at (the thought of) having this disease that we are preserved fromit. The sage has not the disease. He knows the pain that would be inseparablefrom it, and therefore he does not have it.?br>
72
When the people do not fear what they ought to fear, that which istheir great dread will come on them. Let them not thoughtlessly indulgethemselves in their ordinary life; let them not act as if weary of whatthat life depends on. It is by avoiding such indulgence that such wearinessdoes not arise. Therefore the sage knows (these things) of himself, butdoes not parade (his knowledge); loves, but does not (appear to set a)value on, himself. And thus he puts the latter alternative away and makeschoice of the former.?br>
73
He whose boldness appears in his daring (to do wrong, in defiance ofthe laws) is put to death; he whose boldness appears in this not daring(to do so) lives on. Of these two cases the one appears to be advantageous,and the other to be injurious. but
When Heaven's anger smites a man, Who the cause shall truly scan?
On this account the sage feels a difficulty (as to what to do in theformer case). It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and yet it skillfullyovercomes; not to speak, and yet it is skilful in (obtaining) a reply,does not call, and yet men come to it of themselves. Its demonstrationsare quiet, and yet its plans are skilful and effective. The meshes of thenet of Heaven are large; far apart, but letting nothing escape.?br>
74
The people do not fear death; to what purpose is it to (try to) frightenthem with death? If the people were always in awe of death, and I couldalways seize those who do wrong, and put them to death, who would dareto do wrong? There is always One who presides over the infliction of death.He who would inflict death in the room of him who so presides over it maybe described as hewing wood instead of a great carpenter. Seldom is itthat who undertakes the hewing, instead of the great carpenter, does notcut his own hands!?br>
75
The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumedby their superiors. It is through this that they suffer famine. The peopleare difficult to govern because of the (excessive) agency of their superiors(in governing them). It is through this that they are difficult to govern.The people make light of dying because of the greatness of their laboursin seeking for the means of living. It is this which makes them think lightof dying. Thus it is that to leave the subject of living altogether outof view is better that to set a high value on it.?br>
76
Man at his birth is supple and weak: at his death, firm and strong.(so it is with) all things. Trees and plants, in their early growth, aresoft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered. Thus it is that firmnessand strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, theconcomitants of life. Hence he who (relies on) the strength of his forcesdoes not conquer; and a tree which is strong will fill the outstretchedarms, (and thereby invites the feller.) Therefore the place of what isfirm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above.
77
May not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bendinga bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what waslow is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance,and supplements where there is deficiency. It is the Way of Heaven to diminishsuperabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency. It is the Wayof Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency. Itis not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enoughto add to his own superabundance. Who can take his own superabundance andtherewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Tao!Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; heachieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:-he does not wishto display his superiority.?br>
78
There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yetfor attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that cantake precedence of it;-for there is nothing (so effectual) for which itcan be changed. Every one in the world knows that the soft overcomes thehard, and the weak the strong, but no one is able to carry it out in practice.Therefore a sage has said
'He who accepts his state's reproach, Is altars' lord; To him who bearsmen's direful woes They all the name of King accord.'
Words that are strictly true seem to be paradoxical.?br>
79
When a reconciliation is effected (between two parties) after a greatanimosity, there is sure to be a grudge remaining (in the mind of the onewho was wrong). And how can this be beneficial (to the other)? Therefore(to guard against this), the sage keeps the left-hand portion of the recordof the engagement, and does not insist on the (speedy) fulfillment of itby the other party. (So), he who has the attributes (of the Tao) regards(only) the conditions of the engagement, while he who has not those attributesregards only the conditions favourable to himself. In the Way of Heaven,there is no partiality of love; it is always on the side of the good man.?br>
80
In a little state with a small population, I would so order it, that,though there were individuals with the abilities of ten or a hundred men,there would be no employment of them; I would make the people, while lookingon death as a grievous thing, yet not remove elsewhere (to avoid it). Thoughthey had boats and carriages, they should have no occasion to ride in them;though they had buff coats and sharp weapons, they should have no occasionto don or use them. I would make the people return to the use of knottedcords (instead of the written characters). They should think their (coarse)food sweet: their (plain) clothes beautiful; their (poor) dwellings placesof rest; and their common (simple) ways sources of enjoyment. There shouldbe a neighboring state within sight, and the voices of the fowls and dogsshould be heard all the way from it to us, but I would make the peopleto old age, even to death, not have any intercourse with it.?br>
81
Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. Those who areskilled (in the Tao) do not dispute (about it); the disputatious are notskilled in it. Those who know (the Tao) are not extensively learned; theextensively learned do not know it. The sage does not accumulate (for himself).The more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own;the more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself. With allthe sharpness of the Way of Heaven, it injures not; with all the doingin the way of the sage he does not strive.
English_Gibbs_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese - English by
Tam Gibbs, 1981
1
The tao that can be talked about is not the Absolute Tao.
If it can be named, it is not an Absolute name.
That which has no name is the origin of heaven and earth;
That which has a name is the Mother of all things.
Thus, if always without desire, one can observe indescribable marvels;
If always desirous, one sees merest traces.
These two come from the same source but are differently named.
Both are called Mysterious.
The mystery of the Mysterious is the gateway to all indescribable marvels.
2
If everyone understands the beautiful as beauty, there must be ugliness.
If everyone understands goodness as good, there must be not good.
Being and not being are mutually arising;
Difficult and easy are complementary;
Long and short arise from comparison;
Higher and lower are interdependent;
Vocalisation and verbalisation harmonise with each other;
Before and after accompany each other.
This is why the Sage manages affairs of Non-action and performs wordless teaching.
The myriad things are made without the slightest word.
Nature gives birth but does not possess.
It acts but does not demand subservience.
Only because it claims no credit is it indispensable.
3
Not honouring men of worth keeps the people from competing;
Not wanting rare things keeps the people from thievery;
Not showing off desirous objects keeps the hearts of the people from disaster.
That is why the Sage governs himself by relaxing the mind, reinforcing the abdomen, gentling the will, strengthening the bones.
Always cause the people to be without knowledge or desires.
Cause the intelligent ones to dare not act.
Let there be Non-action and there is nothing that will not be well regulated.
4
The Tao is empty, yet when applied it is never exhausted.
