side-by-side/source/content/tao/2009-red-pine.md

Translator: Red Pine
Source: [book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1556595554)
Code: rp  

## 1  
The way that becomes a way  
is not the Immortal Way  
the name that becomes a name  
is not the Immortal Name  
no-name is the maiden of Heaven and Earth  
name is the mother of all things  
thus in innocence we see the beginning  
in passion we see the end  
two different names  
for one and the same  
the one we call dark  
the dark beyond dark  
the door to all beginnings  
## 2  
All the world knows beauty  
but if that becomes beautiful  
this becomes ugly  
all the world knows good  
but if that becomes good  
this becomes bad  
have and have not create each other  
hard and easy produce each other  
long and short shape each other  
high and low complete each other  
note and noise accompany each other  
first and last follow each other  
sages therefore perform effortless deeds  
and teach wordless lessons  
they don’t look after all the things that arise  
or depend on them as they develop  
or claim them when they reach perfection  
and because they don’t claim them  
they are never without them  
## 3  
Bestowing no honors  
keeps people from fighting  
prizing no treasures  
keeps people from stealing  
displaying no attractions  
keeps people from making trouble  
thus the rule of the sage  
empties the mind  
but fills the stomach  
weakens the will  
but strengthens the bones  
by keeping the people from knowing or wanting  
and those who know from daring to act  
the sage governs them all  
## 4  
The Tao is so empty  
those who use it  
never become full again  
and so deep  
as if it were the ancestor of us all  
it dulls our edges  
unties our tangles  
softens our light  
and merges our dust  
it’s so clear  
as if it were present  
I wonder whose child it is  
it seems it was here before Ti  
## 5  
Heaven and Earth are heartless  
treating creatures like straw dogs  
sages are heartless too  
they treat people like straw dogs  
between Heaven and Earth  
how like a bellows  
empty but inexhaustible  
each stroke produces more  
talking only wastes it  
better to protect what’s inside  
## 6  
The valley spirit that doesn’t die  
we call the dark womb  
the dark womb’s mouth  
we call the source of Heaven and Earth  
as elusive as gossamer silk  
and yet it can’t be exhausted  
## 7  
Heaven is eternal and Earth is immortal  
the reason they’re eternal and immortal  
is because they don’t live for themselves  
hence they can live forever  
sages therefore pull themselves back  
and end up in front  
put themselves outside  
and end up safe  
is it not because of their selflessness  
whatever they seek they find  
## 8  
The best are like water  
bringing help to all  
without competing  
choosing what others avoid  
they thus approach the Tao  
dwelling with earth  
thinking with depth  
helping with kindness  
speaking with honesty  
governing with peace  
working with skill  
and moving with time  
and because they don’t compete  
they aren’t maligned  
## 9  
Instead of pouring in more  
better stop while you can  
making it sharper  
won’t help it last longer  
rooms full of treasure  
can never be safe  
the vanity of success  
invites its own failure  
when your work is done retire  
this is the Way of Heaven  
## 10  
Can you keep your crescent soul from wandering  
can you make your breath as soft as a baby’s  
can you wipe your dark mirror free of dust  
can you serve and govern without effort  
can you be the female at Heaven’s Gate  
can you light the world without knowledge  
can you give birth and nurture  
but give birth without possessing  
raise without controlling  
this is Dark Virtue  
## 11  
Thirty spokes converge on a hub  
but it’s the emptiness  
that makes a wheel work  
pots are fashioned from clay  
but it’s the hollow  
that makes a pot work  
windows and doors are carved for a house  
but it’s the spaces  
that make a house work  
existence makes a thing useful  
but nonexistence makes it work  
## 12  
The five colors make our eyes blind  
the five tones make our ears deaf  
the five flavors make our mouths numb  
riding and hunting make our minds wild  
hard-to-get goods make us commit crimes  
thus the rule of the sages  
favors the stomach over the eyes  
thus they pick this over that  
## 13  
Favor and disgrace come with a warning  
honor and disaster come with a body  
why do favor and disgrace come with a warning  
favor turns into disfavor  
gaining it comes with a warning  
losing it comes with a warning  
thus do favor and disgrace come with a warning  
and why do honor and disaster come with a body  
the reason we have disaster  
is because we have a body  
if we didn’t have a body  
we wouldn’t have disaster  
thus those who honor their body more than the world  
can be entrusted with the world  
those who cherish their body more than the world  
can be encharged with the world  
## 14  
We look but don’t see it  
and call it indistinct  
we listen but don’t hear it  
and call if faint  
we reach but don’t grasp it  
and call it ethereal  
three failed means to knowledge  
I weave into one  
with no light above  
and no shadow below  
too fine to be named  
returning to nothing  
this is the formless form  
the immaterial image  
the one that waxes and wanes  
we meet without seeing its face  
we follow without seeing its back  
whoever upolds this very Way  
can rule this very realm  
and discover the ancient maiden  
this is the thread of the Way  
## 15  
The great masters of ancient times  
focused on the indiscernible  
and penetrated the dark  
you would never know them  
and because you wouldn’t know them  
I describe them with reluctance  
they were careful as if crossing a river in winter  
cautious as if worried about neighbors  
reserved like a guest  
ephemeral like melting ice  
simple like uncarved wood  
open like a valley  
and murky like a puddle  
but those who can be like a puddle  
become clear when they’re still  
and those who can be at rest  
become alive when they’re roused  
those who treasure this Way  
don’t try to be seen  
not trying to be seen  
they can hide and stay hidden  
## 16  
Keeping emptiness as their limit  
and stillness as their center  
ten thousand things rise  
we watch them return  
creatures without number  
return to their roots  
returning to their roots they are still  
being still they revive  
reviving they endure  
knowing how to endure is wisdom  
not knowing is to suffer in vain  
knowing how to endure is to yield  
to yield is to be impartial  
to be impartial is to be the ruler  
the ruler is Heaven  
Heaven is the Way  
and the Way is long life  
a life without trouble  
## 17  
During the High Ages people knew they were there  
then people loved and praised them  
then they feared them  
finally they despised them  
when honesty fails  
dishonesty prevails  
hesitate and weigh your words  
when their work succeeds  
let people think they did it  
## 18  
When the Great Way disappears  
we meet kindness and justice  
when reason appears  
we meet great deceit  
when the six relations fail  
we meet obedience and love  
when the country is in chaos  
we meet upright officials  
## 19  
Get rid of wisdom and reason  
and people will live a hundred times better  
get rid of kindness and justice  
and people once more will love and obey  
get rid of cleverness and profit  
and thieves will cease to exist  
but these three sayings are incomplete  
hence let these be added  
display the undyed and preserve the uncarved  
reduce self-interest and limit desires  
## 20  
Get rid of learning and problems will vanish  
yes and no  
aren’t so far apart  
lovely and ugly  
aren’t so unalike  
what others fear  
we can’t help fear too  
before the moon begins to wane  
everyone is overjoyed  
as if they were at the Great Sacrifice  
or climbing a tower in spring  
I sit here and make no sign  
like an infant that doesn’t smile  
lost with no one to turn to  
while others enjoy more  
I alone seem deficient  
with a mind like that of a fool  
I’m so simple  
others look bright  
I alone seem dim  
others are certain  
I alone am confused  
ebbing like the ocean  
waxing without cease  
everyone has a goal  
I alone am dumb and backward  
for I alone choose to differ  
preferring still my mother’s tit  
## 21  
The appearance of Empty Virtue  
this is what comes from the Tao  
the Tao as a thing  
waxes and wanes  
it waxes and wanes  
but inside is an image  
it wanes and waxes  
but inside is a creature  
it’s distant and dark  
but inside is an essence  
an essence that is real  
inside which is a heart  
throughout the ages  
its name hasn’t changed  
so we might follow our fathers  
how do we know what our fathers were like  
by means of this  
## 22  
The incomplete become whole  
the crooked become straight  
the hollow become full  
the worn-out become new  
those with less become content  
those with more become confused  
sages therefore hold on to one thing  
and use this to guide the world  
not considering themselves they appear  
not displaying themselves they shine  
not flattering themselves they succeed  
not parading themselves they lead  
because they don’t compete  
no one can compete against them  
the ancients who said the incomplete become whole  
came close indeed  
becoming whole depends on this  
## 23  
Whispered words are natural  
a gale doesn’t last all morning  
a squall doesn’t last all day  
who creates these  
Heaven and Earth  
if Heaven and Earth can’t make things last  
how much less can Humankind  
thus in whatever you do  
when you follow the Way be one with the Way  
when you succeed be one with success  
when you fail be one with failure  
be one with success  
for the Way succeeds too  
be one with failure  
for the Way fails too  
## 24  
Those who tiptoe don’t stand  
those who stride don’t walk  
those who consider themselves don’t appear  
those who display themselves don’t shine  
those who flatter themselves achieve nothing  
those who parade themselves don’t lead  
travelers have a saying  
too much food and a tiring pace  
some things are simply bad  
those who possess the Way thus shun them  
## 25  
Imagine a nebulous thing  
here before Heaven and Earth  
subtle and elusive  
dwelling apart and unconstrained  
it could be the mother of us all  
not knowing its name  
I call it the Tao  
forced to describe it  
I describe it as great  
great means ever-flowing  
ever-flowing means far-reaching  
far-reaching means returning  
the Tao is great  
Heaven is great  
Earth is great  
the ruler is also great  
the realm contains Four Greats  
of which the ruler is but one  
Humankind imitates Earth  
Earth imitates Heaven  
Heaven imitates the Tao  
and the Tao imitates itself  
## 26  
Heavy is the root of light  
still is the master of restless  
thus a lord might travel all day  
but never far from his supplies  
even in a guarded camp  
his manner is calm and aloof  
why would the lord of ten thousand chariots  
treat himself lighter than his kingdom  
too light he loses his base  
too restless he loses command  
## 27  
Good walking leaves no tracks  
good talking contains no flaws  
good counting counts no beads  
good closing locks no locks  
and yet it can’t be opened  
good tying ties no knots  
and yet it can’t be undone  
sages are good at saving others  
therefore they abandon no one  
nor anything of use  
this is called cloaking the light  
thus the good instruct the bad  
and the bad learn from the good  
not honoring their teachers  
or cherishing their students  
the wise alone are perfectly blind  
this is called peering into the distance  
## 28  
Recognize the male  
but hold on to the female  
and be the world’s maid  
being the world’s maid  
don’t lose your Immortal Virtue  
not losing your Immortal Virtue  
be a newborn child again  
recognize the pure  
but hold on to the base  
and be the world’s valley  
being the world’s valley  
be filled with Immortal Virtue  
being filled with Immortal Virtue  
be a block of wood again  
recognize the white  
but hold on to the black  
and be the world’s guide  
being the world’s guide  
don’t stray from your Immortal Virtue  
not straying from your Immortal Virtue  
be without limits again  
a block of wood can be split to make tools  
sages make it their chief official  
a master tailor doesn’t cut  
## 29  
Trying to govern the world with force  
I see this not succeeding  
the world is a spiritual thing  
it can’t be forced  
to force it is to harm it  
to control it is to lose it  
sometimes things lead  
sometimes they follow  
sometimes they blow hot  
sometimes they blow cold  
sometimes they expand  
sometimes they collapse  
sages therefore avoid extremes  
avoid extravagance  
avoid excess  
## 30  
Use the Tao to assist your lord  
don’t use weapons to rule the land  
such things have repercussions  
where armies camp  
brambles grow  
best to win then stop  
don’t make use of force  
win but don’t be proud  
win but don’t be vain  
win but don’t be cruel  
win when you have no choice  
this is to win without force  
virility leads to old age  
this isn’t the Tao  
what isn’t the Tao ends early  
## 31  
Weapons are not auspicious tools  
some things are simply bad  
thus the Taoist shuns them  
in peace the ruler honors the left  
in war he honors the right  
weapons are not auspicious tools  
he wields them when he has no choice  
dispassion is the best  
thus he doesn’t praise them  
those who praise their use  
enjoy killing others  
those who enjoy killing others  
achieve no worldly rule  
thus we honor the left for happiness  
we honor the right for sorrow  
the left is where the adjutant stands  
the commander on the right  
which means as at a funeral  
when you kill another  
honor him with your tears  
when the battle is won  
treat it as a wake  
## 32  
The Tao remains unnamed  
simple and though small  
no one can command it  
if a lord upheld it  
the world would be his guest  
when Heaven joins with Earth  
they bestow sweet dew  
no one gives the order  
it comes down to all  
the first distinction gives us names  
once we have a name  
we should know restraint  
who knows restraint avoids trouble  
to picture the Tao in the world  
imagine a stream and the sea  
## 33  
Those who know others are perceptive  
those who know themselves are wise  
those who conquer others are forceful  
those who conquer themselves are strong  
those who know contentment are wealthy  
those who strive hard are resolved  
those who don’t lose their place endure  
those who aren’t affected by death live long  
## 34  
The Tao drifts  
it can go left or right  
everything lives by its grace  
but it doesn’t speak  
when its work succeeds  
it makes no claim  
it has no desires  
shall we call it small  
everything turns to it  
but it wields no control  
shall we call it great  
it’s because sages never act great  
they can thus achieve great things  
## 35  
Hold up the Great Image  
and the world will come  
and be beyond harm  
safe and serene and at peace  
fine food and song  
don’t detain guests long  
thus the Tao speaks  
plain words that make no sense  
we look but don’t see it  
we listen but don’t hear it  
yet we use it without end  
## 36  
What you would shorten  
you first should lengthen  
what you would weaken  
you first should strengthen  
what you would topple  
you first should raise  
what you would take  
you first should give  
this is called hiding the light  
the weak conquering the strong  
fish can’t survive out of the depths  
a state’s greatest weapon  
isn’t meant to be shown  
## 37  
The Tao makes no effort at all  
yet there is nothing it doesn’t do  
if a ruler could uphold it  
the people by themselves would change  
and changing if their desires stirred  
he could make them still  
with simplicity that has no name  
and stilled by nameless simplicity  
they would not desire  
and not desiring be at peace  
the world would fix itself  
## 38  
Higher Virtue isn’t virtuous  
thus it possesses virtue  
Lower Virtue isn’t without virtue  
thus it possesses no virtue  
Higher Virtue involves no effort  
or the thought of effort  
Higher Kindness involves effort  
but not the thought of effort  
Higher Justice involves effort  
and the thought of effort  
Higher Ritual involves effort  
and should it meet with no response  
then it threatens and compels  
virtue appears when the Way is lost  
kindness appears when virtue is lost  
justice appears when kindness is lost  
ritual appears when justice is lost  
ritual marks the waning of belief  
and the onset of confusion  
augury is the flower of the Way  
and beginning of delusion  
thus the great choose thick over thin  
the fruit over the flower  
thus they pick this over that  
## 39  
Of those that became one in the past  
Heaven became one and was clear  
Earth became one and was still  
spirits became one and were active  
valleys became one and were full  
kings became one and ruled the world  
but from this we can infer  
Heaven would crack if it were always clear  
Earth would crumble if it were always still  
spirits would dissipate if they were always active  
valleys would dry up if they were always full  
kings would fall if they were always high and noble  
for the noble is based on the humble  
and the high is founded on the low  
thus do kings refer to themselves  
as orphaned widowed and destitute  
but this isn’t the basis of humility  
counting a carriage as no carriage at all  
not wanting to clink like jade  
they clunk like rocks  
## 40  
The Tao moves the other way  
the Tao works through weakness  
the things of this world come from something  
something comes from nothing  
## 41  
When superior people hear of the Way  
they follow it with devotion  
when average people hear of the Way  
they wonder if it exists  
when inferior people hear of the Way  
they laugh out loud  
if they didn’t laugh  
it wouldn’t be the Way  
hence these sayings arose  
the brightest path seems dark  
the path leading forward seems backward  
the smoothest path seems rough  
the highest virtue low  
the whitest white pitch-black  
the greatest virtue wanting  
the staunchest virtue timid  
the truest truth uncertain  
the perfect square without corners  
the perfect tool without uses  
the perfect sound hushed  
the perfect image without form  
for the Tao is hidden and nameless  
but because it’s the Tao  
it knows how to start and how to finish  
## 42  
The Tao gives birth to one  
one gives birth to two  
two gives birth to three  
three gives birth to ten thousand things  
ten thousand things with yin at their backs  
yang in their embrace  
and breath between for harmony  
what the world hates  
to be orphaned widowed or destitute  
kings use for their titles  
thus some gain by losing  
others lose by gaining  
what others teach  
I teach too  
tyrants never choose their death  
this becomes my teacher  
## 43  
The weakest thing in the world  
overcomes the strongest thing in the world  
what doesn’t exist finds room where there’s none  
thus we know help comes with no effort  
wordless instruction  
effortless help  
few in the world can match this  
## 44  
Which is more vital  
fame or health  
which is more precious  
health or wealth  
which is more harmful  
loss or gain  
the deeper the love  
the higher the cost  
the bigger the treasure  
the greater the loss  
who knows contentment  
thus suffers no shame  
and who knows restraint  
encounters no trouble  
while enjoying a long life  
## 45  
Perfectly complete it seems deficient  
yet it never wears out  
perfectly full it seems empty  
yet it never runs dry  
perfectly straight it seems crooked  
perfectly clever it seems clumsy  
perfectly abundant it seems impoverished  
active it overcomes cold  
still it overcomes heat  
those who know how to be perfectly still  
are able to govern the world  
## 46  
When the Tao is present in the world  
courier horses manure fields instead of roads  
when the Tao is absent from the world  
war horses are raised on the border  
no crime is worse than yielding to desire  
no wrong is greater than discontent  
no curse is crueler than getting what you want  
the contentment of being content  
is true contentment indeed  
## 47  
Without going out your door  
you can know the whole world  
without looking out your window  
you can know the Way of Heaven  
the farther people go  
the less they know  
sages therefore know without traveling  
name without seeing  
and succeed without trying  
## 48  
Those who seek learning gain every day  
those who seek the Way lose every day  
they lose and they lose  
until they find nothing to do  
nothing to do means nothing not done  
those who rule the world aren’t busy  
those who are busy  
can’t rule the world  
## 49  
Sages have no mind of their own  
their mind is the mind of the people  
to the good they are good  
to the bad they are good  
until they become good  
to the true they are true  
to the false they are true  
until they become true  
in the world sages are withdrawn  
with the world they merge their mind  
people open their ears and eyes  
sages cover theirs up  
## 50  
Appearing means life  
disappearing means death  
thirteen are the followers of life  
thirteen are the followers of death  
but people living to live  
move toward the land of death’s thirteen  
and why is this so  
because they live to live  
it’s said that those who guard life well  
aren’t injured by soldiers in battle  
or harmed by rhinos or tigers in the wild  
for rhinos find nowhere to stick their horns  
tigers find nowhere to sink their claws  
and soldiers find nowhere to thrust their spears  
and why is this so  
because for them there’s no land of death  
## 51  
The Way begets them  
Virtue keeps them  
matter shapes them  
usage completes them  
thus do all creatures respect the Way  
and honor Virtue  
their respect for the Way  
and honor of Virtue  
are not conferred  
but simply natural  
for the Way begets and keeps them  
raises and trains them  
steadies and adjusts them  
maintains and protects them  
but it doesn’t possess what it begets  
or depend on what it develops  
or control what it raises  
this is called Dark Virtue  
## 52  
There’s a maiden in the world  
who becomes the world’s mother  
those who find the mother  
thereby know the child  
those who know the child  
keep the mother safe  
and live without trouble  
those who block the opening  
who close the gate  
live without toil  
those who unblock the opening  
who meddle in affairs  
live without hope  
those who see the small have vision  
those who protect the weak have strength  
those who use their light  
and trust their vision  
live beyond death  
this is called holding on to the crescent  
## 53  
Were I sufficiently wise  
I would follow the Great Way  
and only fear going astray  
the Great Way is smooth  
but people love byways  
their palaces are spotless  
but their fields are overgrown  
and their granaries are empty  
they wear fine clothes  
and carry sharp swords  
they tire of food and drink  
and possess more than they need  
this is called robbery  
and robbery is not the Way  
## 54  
What you plant well can’t be uprooted  
what you hold well can’t be taken away  
your descendents will worship this forever  
cultivated in yourself virtue becomes real  
cultivated in your family virtue grows  
cultivated in your village virtue multiplies  
cultivated in your state virtue abounds  
cultivated in your world virtue is everywhere  
thus view others through yourself  
view families through your family  
view villages through your village  
view states through your state  
view other worlds through your world  
how do you know what other worlds are like  
through this one  
## 55  
He who possesses virtue in abundance  
resembles a newborn child  
wasps don’t sting him  
beasts don’t claw him  
birds of prey don’t carry him off  
his bones are weak and his tendons soft  
yet his grip is firm  
he hasn’t known the union of sexes  
yet his penis is stiff  
so full of essence is he  
he cries all day  
yet never gets hoarse  
his breath is so perfectly balanced  
knowing how to be balanced we endure  
knowing how to endure we become wise  
while those who lengthen their life tempt luck  
and those who force their breath become strong  
but once things mature they become old  
this isn’t the Way  
what isn’t the Way ends early  
## 56  
Those who know don’t talk  
those who talk don’t know  
seal the opening  
close the gate  
dull the edge  
untie the tangle  
soften the light  
and join the dust  
this is called the Dark Union  
it can’t be embraced  
it can’t be abandoned  
it can’t be helped  
it can’t be harmed  
it can’t be exalted  
it can’t be debased  
thus does the world exalt it  
## 57  
Use directness to govern a country  
and use deception to fight a war  
but use nonaction to rule the world  
how do we know this works  
the greater the prohibitions  
the poorer the people  
the sharper their tools  
the more chaotic the realm  
the cleverer their schemes  
the more common the bizarre  
the better their possessions  
the more numerous the thieves  
thus does the sage declare  
I make no effort  
and the people transform themselves  
I stay still  
and the people correct themselves  
I do no work  
and the people enrich themselves  
I want nothing  
and the people simplify themselves  
## 58  
Where the government stands aloof  
the people open up  
where the government steps in  
the people slip away  
happiness rests in misery  
misery hides in happiness  
who knows where these end  
for nothing is direct  
directness becomes deception  
and good becomes evil  
the people have been lost  
for a long long time  
thus the sage is an edge that doesn’t cut  
a point that doesn’t pierce  
a line that doesn’t extend  
a light that doesn’t blind  
## 59  
In governing people and caring for Heaven  
nothing surpasses economy  
economy means planning ahead  
planning ahead means accumulating virtue  
accumulating virtue means overcoming all  
overcoming all means knowing no limit  
knowing no limit means guarding the realm  
and guarding the realm’s mother means living long  
which means deep roots and a solid trunk  
the Way of a long and lasting life  
## 60  
Ruling a great state  
is like cooking a small fish  
when you govern the world with the Tao  
spirits display no powers  
not that they have no powers  
their powers don’t harm the people  
not that their powers can’t harm  
the sage keeps them from harming  
and neither harms the other  
for both rely on Virtue  
## 61  
A great state is a watershed  
the confluence of the world  
the female of the world  
the female uses stillness to overcome the male  
in order to be still  
she needs to be lower  
the great state that lowers itself before the small state  
governs the small state  
the small state that lowers itself before the great state  
is governed by the great state  
some lower themselves to govern  
some lower themselves to be governed  
the great state’s one desire  
is to unite and lead others  
the small state’s one desire  
is to join and serve others  
for both to fulfill their desires  
whichever is greater needs to be lower  
## 62  
The Tao is creation’s sanctuary  
treasured by the good  
it keeps the bad alive  
beautiful words might be the price  
noble deeds might be the gift  
how can we abandon  
people who are bad  
thus when emperors are enthroned  
or ministers installed  
though there be great disks of jade  
followed by teams of horses  
they don’t rival one who sits  
and offers up this Way  
the ancients thus esteemed it  
for did they not proclaim  
who seeks thereby obtains  
who errs thereby escapes  
thus the world esteems it  
## 63  
Act without acting  
work without working  
understand without understanding  
great or small many or few  
repay each wrong with virtue  
plan for the hard while it’s easy  
deal with the great while it’s small  
the world’s hardest task begins easy  
the world’s greatest goal begins small  
sages therefore never act great  
they thus achieve great goals  
who quickly agrees is seldom trusted  
who thinks things easy finds them hard  
sages therefore think everything hard  
and thus find nothing hard  
## 64  
It’s easy to rule while it’s peaceful  
it’s easy to plan for before it appears  
it’s easy to break while it’s fragile  
it’s easy to disperse while it’s small  
act before anything exists  
govern before anyone rebels  
a giant tree grows from the tiniest shoot  
a great tower rises from a basket of dirt  
a thousand-mile journey begins at your feet  
but to act is to fail  
to control is to lose  
sages therefore don’t act  
thus they don’t fail  
they don’t control  
thus they don’t lose  
when people pursue a task  
failure occurs near the end  
care at the end as well as the start  
means an end to failure  
sages thus seek what no one else seeks  
they don’t prize hard-to-get goods  
they study what no one else studies  
they turn to what others pass by  
to help all things remain natural  
they dare not act  
## 65  
The ancient masters of the Way  
tried not to enlighten  
but to keep people in the dark  
what makes people hard to rule  
is their knowledge  
who rules the realm with knowledge  
is the terror of the realm  
who rules without knowledge  
is the paragon of the realm  
who understands the difference  
is one who finds the key  
knowing how to find the key  
is what we call Dark Virtue  
Dark Virtue goes deep  
goes far  
goes the other way  
until it reaches perfect harmony  
## 66  
The reason the sea can govern a hundred rivers  
is because it has mastered being lower  
thus it can govern a hundred rivers  
hence if sages would be above the people  
they should speak as if they were below them  
if they would be in front  
they should act as if they were behind them  
thus when sages are above  
the people aren’t burdened  
when they are in front  
the people aren’t obstructed  
the world never wearies  
of pushing sages forward  
and because they don’t struggle  
no one can struggle against them  
## 67  
The world calls me great  
great but useless  
it’s because I am great I am useless  
if I were of use  
I would have remained small  
but I possess three treasures  
I treasure and uphold  
first is compassion  
second is austerity  
third is reluctance to excel  
because I’m compassionate  
I can be valiant  
because I’m austere  
I can be extravagant  
because I’m reluctant to excel  
I can be chief of all tools  
if I renounced compassion for valor  
austerity for extravagance  
humility for superiority  
I would die  
but compassion wins every battle  
and outlasts every attack  
what Heaven creates  
let compassion protect  
## 68  
In ancient times  
the perfect officer wasn’t armed  
the perfect warrior wasn’t angry  
the perfect victor wasn’t hostile  
the perfect commander acted humble  
this is the virtue of nonaggression  
this is using the strength of others  
this is uniting with Heaven  
which was the ancient end  
## 69  
In warfare there is a saying  
rather than a host  
better to be a guest  
rather than advance an inch  
better to retreat a foot  
this means to form no ranks  
to put on no armor  
to brandish no weapons  
to repulse no enemy  
no fate is worse than to have no enemy  
to have no enemy is to lose one’s treasure  
thus when opponents are evenly matched  
the remorseful one prevails  
## 70  
My words are easy to understand  
and easy to practice  
but no one understands them  
or puts them into practice  
words have an ancestor  
deeds have a master  
the reason I’m not understood  
it’s me who isn’t understood  
but because so few understand me  
thus am I esteemed  
sages therefore wear coarse cloth  
and keep their jade concealed  
## 71  
To understand yet not understand  
is transcendence  
not to understand yet understand  
is affliction  
the reason sages aren’t afflicted  
is because they treat affliction as affliction  
hence they aren’t afflicted  
## 72  
When people no longer fear authority  
a greater authority will appear  
don’t restrict where people dwell  
don’t repress how people live  
if they aren’t repressed  
they won’t protest  
sages therefore know themselves  
but don’t reveal themselves  
they love themselves  
but don’t exalt themselves  
thus they pick this over that  
## 73  
Daring to act means death  
daring not to act means life  
of these two  
one benefits  
the other harms  
what Heaven dislikes  
who knows the reason  
the Way of Heaven  
is to win without a fight  
to answer without a word  
to come without a summons  
and to plan without a thought  
the Net of Heaven is all-embracing  
its mesh is wide but nothing escapes  
## 74  
If people no longer fear death  
what good is threatening to kill them  
if people truly fear death  
and some act perverse  
and we catch and kill them  
who else would dare  
as long as people fear death  
the executioner will exist  
to kill in the executioner’s place  
is to cut in the carpenter’s place  
those who cut in the carpenter’s place  
seldom escape with hands intact  
## 75  
The reason people are hungry  
is that those above levy so many taxes  
this is why they are hungry  
the reason people are hard to rule  
is that those above are so forceful  
this is why they are hard to rule  
the reason people think little of death  
is that those above think so much of life  
this is why they think little of death  
meanwhile those who do nothing to live  
are more esteemed than those who love life  
## 76  
When people are born  
they are soft and weak  
when they perish  
they are hard and stiff  
when plants shoot forth  
they are supple and tender  
when they die  
they are withered and dry  
thus is it said  
the hard and stiff are followers of death  
the soft and weak are followers of life  
when an army becomes stiff it suffers defeat  
when a plant becomes stiff it snaps  
the hard and stiff dwell below  
the soft and weak dwell above  
## 77  
The Way of Heaven  
is like stringing a bow  
pulling down the high  
lifting up the low  
shortening the long  
lengthening the short  
the Way of Heaven  
takes from the long  
and supplements the short  
unlike the Way of Humankind  
which takes from the short  
and gives to the long  
who can take the long  
and give it to the world  
only those who possess the Way  
thus do sages not depend on what they develop  
or claim what they achieve  
thus they choose to hide their skill  
## 78  
Nothing in the world is weaker than water  
but against the hard and the strong  
nothing outdoes it  
for nothing can change it  
the soft overcomes the hard  
the weak overcomes the strong  
this is something everyone knows  
but no one is able to practice  
thus do sages declare  
who accepts a country’s disgrace  
we call the lord of soil and grain  
who accepts a country’s misfortune  
we call the ruler of all under Heaven  
upright words sound upside down  
## 79  
In resolving a great dispute  
a dispute is sure to remain  
how can this be good  
sages therefore hold the left marker  
and make no claim on others  
thus the virtuous oversee markers  
the virtueless oversee taxes  
the Way of Heaven favors no one  
but it always helps the good  
## 80  
Imagine a small state with a small population  
let there be labor-saving tools  
that aren’t used  
let people consider death  
and not move far  
let there be boats and carts  
but no reason to ride them  
let there be armor and weapons  
but no reason to employ them  
let people return to the use of knots  
and be satisfied with their food  
and pleased with their clothing  
and content with their homes  
and happy with their customs  
let there be another state so near  
people hear its dogs and chickens  
but live out their lives  
without making a visit  
## 81  
True words aren’t beautiful  
beautiful words aren’t true  
the good aren’t eloquent  
the eloquent aren’t good  
the wise aren’t learned  
the learned aren’t wise  
sages accumulate nothing  
but the more they do for others  
the greater their existence  
the more they give to others  
the greater their abundance  
the Way of Heaven  
is to help without harming  
the Way of the Sage  
is to act without struggling