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"The whole world says that* My Tao is great but seems to resemble nothing. Because it is great, it seems to resemble nothing. If resembling anything, it would have become small long ago.** I have three treasures To be kept and treasured; One is compassion. The second is thriftiness. The third is not daring to be ahead of the world. Through compassion, one can be brave.*3* Through thriftiness, one can be expansive.*4* Not daring to be ahead of the world, One can be the master of the vessels.*5* Now to abandon compassion and to be brave,*6* To abandon thriftiness and to be expansive, To abandon the rear and to be in front - That means death! Compassion, in attack, will bring victory;*7* In defense, it will hold firmly. When heaven is going to save a person, It will protect him with compassion."

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

English

"The whole world says that* My Tao is great but seems to resemble nothing. Because it is great, it seems to resemble nothing. If resembling anything, it would have become small long ago.** I have three treasures To be kept and treasured; One is compassion. The second is thriftiness. The third is not daring to be ahead of the world. Through compassion, one can be brave.*3* Through thriftiness, one can be expansive.*4* Not daring to be ahead of the world, One can be the master of the vessels.*5* Now to abandon compassion and to be brave,*6* To abandon thriftiness and to be expansive, To abandon the rear and to be in front - That means death! Compassion, in attack, will bring victory;*7* In defense, it will hold firmly. When heaven is going to save a person, It will protect him with compassion."

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