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"The heavens and the earth are not partial to institutionalized morality. They take things (wanwu) and treat them all as straw dogs. Sages too are not partial to institutionalized morality. They treat the common people as straw dogs. The space between the heavens and the earth— Isn’t it just like a bellows! Even though empty it is not vacuous. Pump it and more and more comes out. It is better to safeguard what you have within Than to learn a great deal that so often goes nowhere."

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

English

"The heavens and the earth are not partial to institutionalized morality. They take things (wanwu) and treat them all as straw dogs. Sages too are not partial to institutionalized morality. They treat the common people as straw dogs. The space between the heavens and the earth— Isn’t it just like a bellows! Even though empty it is not vacuous. Pump it and more and more comes out. It is better to safeguard what you have within Than to learn a great deal that so often goes nowhere."

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