Quotes in English
81 quotes available in this translation
1
"Ways may be spoken of as dao, but they are not the eternal Dao; Names may be cited as names, but they are not the eternal name. Nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; Named is the Mother of all things. Thus, Through eternal Nonbeing, one observes its mystery; Through eternal Being, one observes its manifestations. The two have the same origin but differ in names; Both may be called profound. Profound and still more profound Is the gateway to all mysteries."
2
"When all under Heaven know beauty as beauty, There is ugliness. When all know good as good, There is the not good. Being and Nonbeing generate one another; Difficult and easy complement one another; Long and short give form to one another; High and low depend on one another; Music and voice harmonize one another; Front and rear follow one another: These are constant. That is why The sage handles affairs by Non-doing (wuwei), And practices teaching by not speaking. He lets all things happen but does not initiate, Lets them grow but does not possess, Gets things done but does not take advantage, Achieves his goal but claims no credit. Just because he claims no credit, His credit does not go away."
3
"Do not glorify the talented So the common people will not contend. Do not value rare goods So the common people will not steal. Do not display objects of desire So the common people’s minds will not be confused. Thus the sage through his governance Keeps their minds empty, Their bellies full, Their wills weak, Their bones strong. He always keeps his people away from knowledge and desire, So that the knowledgeable ones do not dare to act. Apply Non-doing And there is nothing that he cannot govern."
4
"Dao is an empty vessel, It is used and never gets filled up: Deep like the source of all things; Dark and vaguely present. I do not know whose child it is; Its manifestation precedes the Divine Ruler."
5
"Heaven and Earth are not humane, They treat all things like straw dogs. The sage is not humane, He treats all people like straw dogs. The space between Heaven and Earth— Isn’t it like the bellows? Empty but never exhausted, Dynamic and ever more productive. Too many words lead to quick exhaustion; Better stay centered."
6
"The spirit of the valley never dies; It is called the profound female. The gateway of the profound female Is called the root of Heaven and Earth. Continuously it seems to last, Useful but never overworked."
7
"Heaven lives long and Earth is lasting. The reason why Heaven and Earth are long-lasting Is that they do not will their own existence. That is why they live long. Thus, The sage puts himself in the rear and yet ends up in front; He places himself on the outside and yet remains present. Isn’t it because he is selfless That he is able to fulfill himself?"
8
"The highest good is like water: Water brings good to all things and does not contend; It goes to places which most people detest And is therefore akin to Dao. Dwell on good ground; Meditate in good depth; Keep good company; Speak in good faith; Rule with good policy; Serve with good competence; Act with good timing. Because there is no contention. There is no blame."
9
"Holding a cup while filling it to the brim Is not as good as stopping then and there. Hammering the blade till it is sharp Cannot keep it so for long. Stuffing the hall with gold and jade Does not guarantee it will stay secure. Turning arrogant after gaining wealth and position Brings disaster upon oneself. Retire after achieving one’s goal- That is the Dao of Heaven."
10
"Embracing the One with both your spirit and soul, Can you stay seamless? Focusing your Qi till you reach suppleness, Can you be like an infant? Wiping your Mystery Mirror clean, Can you make sure it remains unblemished? Caring for your people and governing your state, Can you apply Non-doing? Letting your portals open and shut, Can you maintain your femininity? Keeping all four directions free and clear, Can you remain unknowing?"
11
"Thirty spokes converge at the hub: Where there is nothing There lies what makes the cart useful. Mix clay to make a vessel: Where there is nothing There lies what makes the vessel useful. Chisel doors and windows to make a house: Where there is nothing There lies what makes the house useful. Thus things bring benefits; Nothingness brings usefulness."
12
"The five colors dazzle one’s eyes; The five sounds deafen one’s ears; The five flavors numb one’s palate. Galloping and hunting Turn one’s mind loose; Goods hard to come by Turn one’s conduct awry. That is why The sage focuses on the belly, not the eye. Hence he disregards the latter and adopts the former."
13
"Favor is as alarming as disfavor; Caring about disaster is like caring about oneself. Why say, “Favor is as alarming as disfavor”? Favor is no good; Gaining it is alarming; Losing it is alarming; Hence, “Favor is as alarming as disfavor.” Why say, “Caring about disaster is like caring about oneself”? The reason why I have disaster Is because I have a self. If I don’t have a self, What disaster do I have? Therefore, If you care about yourself for the sake of the world, You may be charged with the world; If you love yourself for the sake of the world, You may be entrusted with the world."
14
"That which one can look at but not see is called Yi; That which one can listen to but not hear is called Xi; That which one can grapple for but not grasp is called Wei. These three defy close inquiry, And are therefore lumped together as One. Its top is not bright; Its bottom is not dark. Lush and lasting but unnamable, It returns to a state of nothingness. This is called form without form, And image of nothingness, Known as “evasive.” From the front you don’t see its head, From the back you don’t see its rear. Applying the Dao of ancient times To harness the things of today Enables us to understand the ancient beginnings - That is called the lineage of Dao."
15
"Well-cultivated men of ancient times Had a profound understanding of the mysterious, Too deep to comprehend. Just because they cannot be comprehended, I do my best to describe their demeanor: Gingerly as if wading across a winter river; Wary as if fearful of the neighbors; Formal like a guest; Melting like the thaw; Ingenuous like raw timber; Open like the valley; Natural like muddy water; Calm like the sea; Airy like the unceasing wind. Who could calm the muddy till it slowly clears? Who could stir the quiet till it slowly revives? Those who practice this Dao do not seek fullness. Because they do not seek fullness They can always rejuvenate themselves."
16
"Push emptiness to the limit; Keep still to the extreme; All things thrive; I observe their return. For when things grow profuse, They return to their respective roots. Return to the roots is called tranquility; Tranquility is called regaining one’s nature; Regaining one’s nature is called constancy; Knowing the constant is called wisdom. Not knowing the constant Leads to disastrous acts of violence. Knowing the constant leads to acceptance; Acceptance means impartiality; Impartiality means inclusiveness; Inclusiveness means the way of Heaven; The way of Heaven means Dao; Dao means eternity; To the end of your life you will have no peril."
17
"The best ruler is one whose presence is unknown; The second best is one who is beloved and praised; The next best is one who is feared; The next is one who is despised. Where there is insufficient good faith, There is loss of faith. Relax and spare your words. When the goal is achieved and the job is done, Everyone says, “We did it.”"
18
"When the great Dao is abandoned, There is humankindness and righteousness. When wisdom and intelligence are put forth, There is outrageous falsehood. When the six relations are in disharmony, There is filial piety and parental love. When the state is in disarray, There appear loyal ministers."
19
"Reject sageness and discard knowledge, And the common people will benefit hundreds of times. Reject humankindness and discard righteousness, And the common people will restore familial love. Reject smartness and discard profiteering, And thieves and robbers will disappear. These three are inadequate as mere embellishments. Therefore we should tie them to their roots: Stay with the plain silk and embrace the pristine timber; Reduce selfishness and abstain from desires."
20
"Give up studies and you will have no more worries. “Yes, sir?” and “Eh?”— How far apart are these? Beauty and ugliness— How different are those? Whoever people fear Has to fear the people too. Vast and boundless, Everyone is out having a great time, As if enjoying a great feast, As if climbing a terrace in spring. I alone stay quiet and show no sign of action, Innocent like the unsmiling baby, Wandering like not knowing where to go. Everyone has enough to spare; I alone seem deprived. It all has to do with my fool’s heart! The world thinks everything is crystal clear; I alone am dull and dumb. The world thinks they are sharp and shrewd; I alone am simple and slow. Everyone has something useful to do; I alone am incorrigibly stupid. I alone am different from everyone else And choose to be nurtured by my mother."
21
"The behavior of the Great De Follows that of Dao and Dao alone. As a thing, Dao is Elusive and intangible. Intangible and elusive, Yet it contains the Image; Elusive and intangible, Yet it contains the thing. Dim and dark, Yet it contains the essence; The essence is real, For it contains the truth. From the present back to antiquity, The name never disappears. Through it I observe the beginning of all things. How do I know how all things began? Because of this."
22
"Warped therefore intact; Bent therefore straight; Hollowed therefore abundant; Used therefore renewed; Little therefore much; Too much therefore befuddled. That is why The sage, adhering to the One, Is a model to the world. He does not exhibit himself And is therefore apparent; He does not justify himself And is therefore self-evident; He does not brag And therefore earns credit; He is not arrogant And therefore lasts long. Just because he does not contend, So the world cannot contend with him. When the ancients said, “Warped therefore intact,” It was no empty talk. For truly the whole returns intact."
23
"Use few words and let things be. Thus, strong winds do not last the entire morning; Torrential rains do not last the whole day. Who made this so? Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth cannot make these last, How can Man? Therefore those who practice Dao identify with Dao; Those who practice De identify with De; Those who lack both identify with the lack. If you identify with Dao, Dao is glad to have you. If you identify with De, De is glad to have you. If you identify with the lack, The lack is also glad to have you."
24
"You cannot keep standing on tiptoe; You cannot keep walking in strides. He who exhibits himself is not apparent; He who justifies himself is not evident; He who brags deserves no credit; He who is arrogant cannot last. From the point of view of Dao These are called surplus food and unwanted fat, Which people abhor And those attaining Dao avoid."
25
"There was something undifferentiated and yet complete, Born before Heaven and Earth, Soundless and formless, Independent and unchanging. Revolving endlessly, It may be thought of as the Mother of all under Heaven. I do not know its name; So I just call it Dao, And arbitrarily name it Great. To be Great means to move on and on; To move on and on means to go far and wide; To go far and wide means to return. Thus, Dao is great; Heaven is great; Earth is great; Man is also great. The universe has four great ones, And Man is one of them. Man follows the ways of Earth; Earth follows the ways of Heaven; Heaven follows the ways of Dao; Dao follows its own ways."
26
"What is heavy weights down what is light; What is still reins in what is restless. That is why A wise traveler never walks away from his luggage van. Though he possesses luxurious mansions, He lives in peace and stays aloof. Why would an owner of ten thousand chariots Treat his own life lightly when governing the world? Be light-headed and you lose your root; Get restless and you lose your control."
27
"A good driver never leaves behind a trace of his rut; A good speaker never commits a slip of the tongue; A good accountant needs no tallies or counters. A good fastener uses no latch or bolt but cannot be opened; A good knot uses no rope or noose but cannot be untied. That is how The sage is always good at saving people So that no one is abandoned; He is always good at saving things So that nothing is abandoned. That is called the heritage of wisdom. Thus those who are good Are teachers to those who are not so good; Those who are not so good Are object lessons for those who are good. If you do not value your teachers, If you do not cherish your object lessons, No matter how knowledgeable, you are totally lost. That is the profound truth."
28
"Know the male, Stay with the female, Be the ravine of the world. Be the ravine of the world, And the Eternal De will never leave you; And you will return to infancy. Know the light, Stay with the dark, Be the valley of the world. Be the valley of the world, And the Eternal De will always satisfy you; And you will return to the pristine timber. Raw timber scattered becomes utensils. The sage uses them And becomes the leader of leaders. Thus, a great regime is undivided."
29
"Wanting to win the world and acting upon it - To me this is not going to work. The world is a sacred vessel, It cannot be acted upon, It cannot be held on to. Those who act upon it will fail, Those who hold on to it will lose. That is why the sage practices Non-doing And therefore does not fail; He does not hold, And therefore does not lose. For some prefer to go on their own, others prefer to follow; Some breathe gently, some blow hard; Some are strong, some fragile; Some self-increment, some self-destruct. That is why the sage refuses to be excessive, Or extravagant, Or extreme."
30
"He who assists a ruler with Dao, Does not use weapons to coerce the world. For that is sure to rebound. Where troops were stationed, Brambles will grow; After a major war There will be famine. It’s all a matter of being good at gaining results, Not winning by force. Results gained, yet not arrogant, Results gained, yet not boastful, Results gained, yet not proud, Results gained, yet with reluctance, Results gained, yet not by force. Things that resort to force age fast. That is called going against Dao. Going against Dao brings early demise."
31
"The fact is that weapons are ominous vessels, Which people abhor, And those attaining Dao avoid. In times of peace, men of honor esteem the left; When it comes to using arms they esteem the right. For arms are ominous utensils Not the vessels of men of honor. They are used only as the last resort, And should preferably be treated lightly. A victory is not to be glorified; Those who glorify a victory Are gloating over killing human beings. And those who gloat over killing people Must not be granted their worldly ambitions. On happy occasions the left is the upper hand; On woeful occasions the right is the upper hand. The lieutenant general is positioned on the left; The general is positioned on the right. That is how a funeral ceremony is conducted. With multitudes slaughtered, One should grieve over the occasion. The victory should be treated as a funeral."
32
"Dao in its eternity is the nameless pristine timber. Though small, No one in this world can subdue it. If lords and kings can abide by it, All things will submit themselves. When Heaven and Earth copulate, Sweet dewdrops fall. People share them equally without being told to. When things begin to grow, they take on names. As names are established, They know their limits. Knowing their limits, they avoid hazards. For the world is to Dao, What brooks and ravines are to the rivers and seas."
33
"He who knows others is intelligent; He who knows himself is enlightened. He who overcomes others shows might; He who overcomes himself shows strength. He who is content is rich. He who is diligent has will. He who does not lose his foundation endures. He who dies but never vanishes enjoys longevity."
34
"The great Dao overflows; It can go left, it can go right. All things depend on it for life and it never declines; It accomplishes but never possesses. It nurtures all things but never dominates; That may be called small. All things submit themselves to it but it never dominates; That may be called great. Because it never claims its own greatness, It therefore achieves greatness."
35
"When the Great Image is upheld, All under Heaven flock to it. Flocking together but causing no harm, All live in peace and tranquility. Music and food May make passers-by pause; But Dao, when expressed, Tastes as bland as it is flavorless. You look at it but cannot see, You listen to it but cannot hear, You use it and it cannot be exhausted."
36
"If you want to close something, You must first open it. If you want to weaken something, You must first strengthen it. If you want to abolish something, You must first promote it. If you want to take something, You must first give it. That is called subtle premonition. The soft and weak overcomes the hard and strong; Fish cannot live out of deep water; The state must not flex its muscles."
37
"Dao in its eternity does nothing, Yet nothing is not done. If lords and kings can all abide by that, All things will change of themselves. As they change, their desires start to grow; I calm them down with the nameless pristine timber. Calmed by the nameless pristine timber, They will have no more desire. Desireless and calm, The world will correct its own course."
38
"Superior De is not about virtue; It therefore has virtue; Inferior De does not want to lose virtue; It therefore has no virtue. Superior De does nothing and has no intent of doing anything; Superior Humaneness does something but has no intent of doing anything. Superior Righteousness does something and has the intent of doing something. Superior Propriety does something but receives no response, So it raises its arm and flexes its muscles. Thus when Dao is lost, there is De; When De is lost, there is Humaneness; When Humaneness is lost, there is Righteousness; When Righteousness is lost, there is Propriety. As for Propriety, It is the paucity of faith and the beginning of turmoil; As for prophecies, They are the embellishments of Dao and the beginning of folly. That is why a true man Stays with abundance and not with paucity, Stays with substance and not with embellishments. Hence, he discards that and adopts this."
39
"Look at those in the past who attained the One: Heaven, having attained the One, was clear; Earth, having attained the One, was tranquil; The Spirit, having attained the One, was potent; The valleys, having attained the One, were plentiful; All things, having attained the One, were able to live; Lords and kings, having attained the One, set the norm for the world. If we push this further, We may say that if Heaven was not clear, It would probably collapse; If Earth was not tranquil, It would probably be destroyed; If the Spirit was not potent, It would probably cease to work; If the valleys were not plentiful, They would probably dry up; If all things had nothing to live by, They would probably become extinct; If the lords and kings had lost their norm, They would probably fall. Thus the noble depends on the humble as the roots; The high depends on the low as the base; That is why the lords and kings call themselves the Orphaned, the Widowed, or the Undeserving. Isn’t that taking the lowly as the roots? Isn’t that so? Thus the highest honor is no honor. Therefore do not desire jade-like glamour, But rock-like solidity."
40
"Return is Dao’s motion; Weakness is Dao’s application. All things under Heaven are born of Being; Being is born of Nonbeing."
41
"When the best student hears about Dao, He applies it diligently. When the average student hears about Dao, He seems to get it one moment and miss it the next. When the slow student hears about Dao, He laughs at it. Without that laugh, it would not be Dao. Thus here are some sayings: Understanding Dao is like befuddlement; Progress in Dao is like moving backwards; The smooth road to Dao is like a rugged path. Superior De seems like a valley; Abundant De seems unfulfilled; Robust De seems indolent; The pristine and pure seems volatile. Great clarity is like turbidity; Great squares have no corners; Great vessels are completed late; Great music has little sound; Great Image has no form. Dao is hidden and has no name; For only Dao is good at giving and achieving."
42
"Dao gives birth to One; One gives birth to Two; Two gives birth to Three; Three gives birth to Ten Thousand things. All things have Yin on their back and Yang in their embrace; The Qi of the two converge and become harmony."
43
"The world’s softest Prevails over the world’s hardest. The formless penetrates the seamless. That is how I came to know the advantage of Non-doing. Teaching without words, Benefiting by Non-doing - Few in this world could emulate that."
44
"Which is dearer—your reputation or your life? Which is more valuable—your life or your goods? Which is more vulnerable—your gain or your loss? Too much doting leads to big waste; Too much hoarding leads to great loss. Therefore resting content is not humiliating; Knowing when to stop is not dangerous. For that’s the way to last."
45
"Great perfection seems incomplete; Its use never expires. Great abundance seems empty; Its use is inexhaustible. Great straightness seems crooked; Great agility seems awkward; Great eloquence seems tongue-tied. Stillness overcomes restlessness; Cold overcomes heat. Tranquility sets the benchmark for the world."
46
"When the world is governed by Dao, War horses are retired to plow the fields. When the world is not governed by Dao, Colts are born on the battlefields. No calamity is greater than discontent; No mistake is greater than greed. Therefore it is the contentment of being content That is the everlasting content."
47
"You need not go outdoors To know about the world. You need not peek through the window To understand the Heavenly Dao. The farther you travel, The less you know. That is why the sage Knows without traveling, Understands without seeing, Achieves without doing."
48
"To pursue learning you increase day by day; To pursue Dao you decrease day by day. Decrease and yet again decrease, Till you reach the state of Non-doing. Do nothing and yet nothing is not done. The world is often won without busying around; When busying around occurs, The world cannot be won."
49
"The sage never has a heart and mind of his own; He takes everyone’s heart and mind as his. Those who are good I treat with good; Those who are not good I also treat with good— Till good prevails. Those who are trustworthy I trust; Those who are not trustworthy I also trust— Till trust prevails. The sage rules this world Inhaling every breath with caution. He tries to blur the mind of the world. People all focus on their ears and eyes; The sage treats them all as children."
50
"Of all who go from birth to death, Those who live long Are three out of ten; Those who die young Are three out of ten; Those who are alive But mill around in the field of death— Are also three out of ten. Now why is that? It is because they take too good care of their lives. I have heard those who know how to preserve themselves Do not encounter rhinos or tigers when traveling on land, Do not wear armor when going into battle; That the rhino finds no spot to butt its horn, That the tiger finds no spot to sink its claws, That the weapon finds no spot to thrust its blade. Now why is that? It is because they are not in the field of death."
51
"Dao gives birth to them; De nurtures them; Form shapes them; Circumstances make them. That is why all things revere Dao and honor De. Dao is revered, De is honored, Because they never give orders but always let things be. Thus Dao gives birth to all things, And De nurtures them— Raises and cultivates them, Mellows and matures them, Tends and shields them. Birthing but not possessing, Getting things done but not taking advantage, Leading but not dominating— This is called the Profound De."
52
"The world has a beginning; That is the mother of the world. Once you get to know the mother, You understand her children. Once you understand the children, You return to the mother— To the end of your life you will have no peril. Stop all outlets, Close all doors— To the end of your life you will be free from hassle. Unplug the outlets, Encourage activities— To the end of your life you will be incorrigible. Seeing the small is called enlightenment; Staying soft is called strength. Take advantage of the light, Return to your enlightenment, Bring no more calamity to yourself— That is the legacy of eternity."
53
"If I know a little of anything, When I travel on the main road, What I fear most is going astray. The main road is flat and smooth, Yet some people prefer the by-paths. Their palaces are spotlessly clean, Their fields lie in waste, Their barns quite empty. They wear embroidered satin, Carry all-penetrating swords, Indulge in food and drink, Luxuriate in wealth and goods. That is dao the bandit chief, Not Dao the Main Road."
54
"Good builders do not give up; Good holders do not let go; Lineage worshipers do not quit. Cultivate this in yourself, And your De will be genuine. Cultivate this in your family, And your De will be plenty. Cultivate this in your village, And your De will take the lead. Cultivate this in your state, And your De will be abundant. Cultivate this in the whole world, And your De will be universal. Thus through one person you observe all persons; Through one family you observe all families; Through one village you observe all villages; Through one state you observe all states; And through the world you observe the world. How do I know that the world is like this? That is how."
55
"One who is well endowed with De May be likened to a newborn infant: Poisonous insects do not sting him; Ferocious animals do not grab him; Birds of prey do not pounce on him. Bones weak, tendons soft, yet his grip is firm; He knows nothing about sex, yet his penis erects: That is because his essence is in ample supply. He cries all day but never gets hoarse: That is because he is in perfect harmony. Understanding harmony means knowing the constant; Knowing the constant means enlightenment; Indulging in good life means ill omen; Letting the mind direct Qi means using force. Things that resort to force age fast. That is called going against Dao. Going against Dao brings early demise."
56
"Those who know don’t speak; Those who speak don’t know. Stop all outlets, Close all doors, Blunt the sharpness, Resolve the differences, Soften the light, Blend in with the dust— That is called Profound Commonality. Attaining this, you will not feel favored; Attaining this, you will not feel estranged; Attaining this, you will not seek profits; Attaining this, you will not do harm; Attaining this, you will not become ennobled; Attaining this, you will not become debased— That is why the whole world honors such a state."
57
"Govern the state by the proper norm, Conduct warfare with surprise, Win the world without meddling. How do I know it is so? Because of this: The more inhibitions the world has, The more impoverished the common people become. The more weapons the ruler has, The more disorderly the state becomes. The more cunning the ruler uses, The more untoward things happen. The more laws and decrees are issued, The more bandits and thieves come forth. Therefore the sage says: I do nothing, And the common people change of themselves. I stay still, And the common people get things right for themselves. I do not meddle, the common people make themselves prosperous. I have no desires, And the common people keep themselves simple."
58
"When government policy is general and vague, The common people are honest and simple; When government policy is meticulous and severe, The common people become wily and crafty. Misfortune is what fortune leans on; Fortune is what misfortune hides under. Who knows the boundary? There is no absolute standard. Right can turn into wrong; Good can turn into evil. People have been puzzled For a very long time. Therefore the sage is Square but does not cut, Incisive but does not hurt, Direct but not unrestrained Brilliant but not glaring."
59
"In governing people and serving Heaven, There is nothing like conservation. For to conserve Means to be prepared early. To be prepared early means ample accumulation of De. Ample accumulation of De means being invincible. An invincible power knows no limit. With power that knows no limit, one can govern the state. With the Mother as the guardian, the state can last long. That is called deep roots and solid foundation. And that is the way to long life and lasting existence."
60
"Governing a large state Is like cooking a small fish. When Dao prevails over the world, The demons lose their spiritual power. Not only do demons lose their spiritual power, The spirits do not hurt people. Not only do spirits not hurt people, The sage does not hurt people either. Because neither party hurts, De is able to converge and return to its origin."
61
"The big states lie on the lower reaches of the rivers, These are places for the female of the world, Places where the world converges. The female invariably overcomes the male by being still, And in stillness she takes the lower position. So if a big state stays below a small state, It wins over the small state. If a small state stays below a big state, It wins over the big state. Whether they stay below in order to win, Or whether they stay below and win, All the big state wants is to incorporate the other; All the small state wants is to partner with the other. Since both can get what they want, It is better for the bigger state to take the lower position."
62
"Dao is the sanctuary for all. It is a treasure for the good, And a warranty for the not so good. Beautiful words may win people’s respect; Beautiful deeds may earn people’s admiration. So even if a person is not so good, Why abandon him? Therefore, when the Son of Heaven is enthroned And the Three Elders are installed, Though you may present a jade disc as tribute, Followed by a carriage of four, It is better to just sit and admonish with this teaching. Why did the ancients value this teaching? Has it not been said, “If you seek, you will receive, And if you are guilty, you will be spared?” That is why all under Heaven value this teaching."
63
"Do without doing, Serve without meddling, Savor the savorless. Big or small, many or few, Tackle the difficult when it is easy; Attack the big when it is small. All difficulties under Heaven Begin with the easy; All big things under Heaven Begin with the small. Therefore, The sage never tries to tackle the big And always accomplishes the big. For making rash promises impairs credibility; Taking things too easy causes too many difficulties. Therefore, The sage treats everything as difficult And ends up with no difficulty."
64
"It is easy to manage when the situation is stable; Easy to plan ahead before things look ominous; Easy to crack when things are fragile; Easy to scatter when things are little. Act before something happens; Take control before there is turmoil. A tree with the girth of a man’s embrace Grows out of a tiny shoot. A terrace nine stories high Rises from a basket of dirt. The journey of a thousand li Begins under your feet. Those who act fail; Those who hold lose. That is why the sage does not act and so does not fail; He holds on to nothing and so has nothing to lose. People doing business Often fail on the brink of success. Take caution at the end as at the beginning, And there will be no failed business. That is why the sage desires what no one else desires, Sets no store by rare goods, Studies what no one else studies, And balances off the excesses of the multitude. He aids all things as they grow without taking over."
65
"In ancient times those who were good at Dao Did not use it to enlighten the common people But to keep them in ignorance. The common people are hard to control Because they have too much intelligence. Therefore, to govern a state with intelligence Is a woe to the state; To govern a state with no recourse to intelligence Is a blessing to the state. Be aware that these two are different models. Constant awareness of these models Is called Profound De. Profound De is indeed deep; It travels far, Returns with all things, And eventually reaches Great Conformity."
66
"Rivers and seas are the kings of all waters Because they love to stay in lowly places. That is why they are the kings of all waters. Thus, if the sage wants to lead from the top, He must promise to place himself at the bottom. If he wishes to lead from the front, He must place himself in the back. In this way, the sage is placed at the top and yet the common people do not feel the weight; He is placed in front and yet the common people do not feel any threat. Thus the whole world gladly supports him and never gets tired. Just because he does not contend, No one in this world can contend with him."
67
"Everyone says I am great, Great but not talented. Just because I am not talented, I am able to be great. If I were talented, I would have long become small. I have three treasures, Which I hold dear. The first is compassion, The second is frugality, And the third is refraining from being ahead of the world. Compassionate, therefore courageous; Frugal, therefore abundant; Refraining from being ahead of the world, Therefore serving as the head of all servants. Nowadays people abandon compassion to seek courage; Abandon frugality to seek abundance; Abandon the back to seek the front— That is a dead end. For compassion Brings victory in battle And solidity in defense. Whoever Heaven sets out to rescue, Compassion comes to protect."
68
"A good soldier Does not use mayhem. A good warrior Does not show anger. A good winner Does not contest. A good employer Remains humble. That is called the virtue of non-contention; It is also called knowing how to use people, And being worthy of Heaven. It was the ultimate principle of ancient times."
69
"The military has a saying: I do not dare to play host, Much rather play guest; I do not dare to advance an inch, Much rather retreat a foot. This is called marching without formation, Flexing muscles without raising an arm, Facing up without confronting the enemy, Grasping firmly without holding weapons. No disaster is bigger than taking the enemy lightly; Taking the enemy lightly almost cost me my treasures. When two armies of equal strength confront, The one in grief wins."
70
"My words are very easy to understand, And very easy to practice. Yet the world cannot understand, And cannot practice. My words have their point, My deeds have their grounds. But just because they are ignorant They cannot understand me. Those who understand me are few, Those who follow my rules are rare. That is why the sage wears coarse linen and holds his jade next to his skin."
71
"To know one does not know Is the best; To not know but claim one knows Is sickness. The sage is not sick Because he sees sickness as sickness. Only when one sees sickness as sickness Can one be not sick."
72
"When the common people no longer fear terror, A great terror is imminent. Do not constrict their living space; Do not oppress their livelihood. Only when there is no oppression, Will people not feel tired of living. Therefore the sage knows his own worth and does not exhibit himself. He loves himself but does not promote himself. Thus he rejects one and prefers the other."
73
"Daring to be bold means death; Daring to be not bold means life. Of the two, One seems beneficial and the other harmful. Whichever Heaven disapproves, Who knows why? The Dao of Heaven Does not contend and yet knows how to win; Does not speak and yet knows how to respond; Does not wait to be summoned but just shows up. It seems at ease and yet plans well. The net of Heaven spreads far and wide; It seems slack and yet nothing slips through."
74
"If the common people do not fear death, Why scare them with death? If you can make them constantly fear death, And there are still those who commit evil, We could then arrest them and put them to death. Who would dare? Killing is normally the job of the executioner. To substitute the executioner to do the killing Is like chopping wood in place of the master woodcutter. For if you chop wood in place of the master woodcutter, It would hardly be possible if you did not injure your hand."
75
"The common people are hungry Because those above levy too many taxes. That is why they are hungry. The common people are hard to govern Because those above do too much. That is why they are hard to govern. The common people take death lightly Because those above care too much for their own life. That is why they take death lightly. For those who do not do too much for their own life Are wiser than those who seek luxurious life."
76
"When alive humans are soft and weak; When dead they are hard and stiff. Grass and trees are soft and fresh when alive; When dead they dry up and wither away. Thus That which is hard and stiff belongs to the dead; That which is soft and weak belongs to the living. That is why A strong but stiff army is bound to lose; A strong but stiff tree is bound to break. The hard and stiff are inferior; The soft and weak are superior."
77
"The way of Heaven— Isn’t it like shooting with a bow? If it is aimed too high, you lower it; If it is aimed too low, you raise it. If you use too much force, you reduce it; If you use insufficient force, you increase it. So the way of Heaven Is to take from the wealthy to supply the needy. The way of Man, on the other hand, is different. It takes from the needy to enrich the wealthy. Who can give his wealth to enrich the world? Only those who have attained Dao. That is why the sage gets things done but never takes advantage, Accomplishes his work but claims no credit— He simply does not wish to display his excellence."
78
"Nothing in this world is softer than water, Yet nothing can better attack the strong than water, For nothing can replace it. That the weak can subdue the strong And the soft can subdue the tough No one in this world does not know, Yet no one can put it into practice. That is why the sage says, He who takes on the disgrace of the state Should be called the leader of society; He who takes on the calamity of the state Should be the king of the world. A truthful statement sounds like its opposite."
79
"If you try to reconcile major grievances There are bound to be remnants of grievances. If you repay grievance with kindness, What good could that do? Therefore the sage keeps the receipt But does not press the debtor. Those who have De are like the creditor; Those who do not have De are like the debt collector. The way of Heaven is impartial, But it stays consistently with good people."
80
"Let the states be small and the population be sparse. Let them have no use for mass-scale tools and utensils; Let the common people fear death and not move far. Although boats and carriages are available, Let there be no occasion to travel in them. Although there are armors and weapons, Let there be no place to store them. Let people restore the skill of knotting and put it to use. Let them enjoy their food, Admire their clothing, Feel secure in their dwelling, Rejoice in their culture. Let them see each other across the borders, Hear each other’s roosters and dogs, But, till they die in ripe old age, Never visit each other."
81
"Truthful words are not beautiful; Beautiful words are not truthful. One who is good is not eloquent; One who is eloquent is up to no good. One who knows is not erudite; One who is erudite does not know. The sage does not hoard. The more he serves the more he has; The more he gives the more he receives. The way of Heaven Brings benefits and does no harm; The way of the sage Only serves and never contends."