Thinking in the beginning
"(It is the way of the Tao) to act without (thinking of) acting; to conduct affairs without (feeling the) trouble of them; to taste without discerning any flavour; to consider what is small as great, and a few as many; and to recompense injury with kindness. (The master of it) anticipates things that are difficult while they are easy, and does things that would become great while they are small. All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small. Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things. He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little faith; he who is continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult. Therefore the sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has any difficulties."
Author
Lao TzuAll Translations
"爲無爲, 事無事, 味無味。 大小多少, 報怨以徳。 圖難乎於其易, 爲大乎於其細。 天下之難事必作於易, 天下之大事必作於細。 是以聖人終不爲大, 故能成其大。 夫輕諾者必寡信, 多易者必多難。 是以聖人猶難之, 故終無難矣。"
"Konání jest nedělání, zaměstnání jest nezaměstnanost, chuť jest bezchutnost, velké jest malé, mnoho jest málo. Zlobu splácí ctností. Uvažuje těžké, dokud je to lehké, dělá velké, dokud je to malé. Podnebesí těžké záležitosti povstávají nutně z lehkých, podnebesí velké záležitosti povstávají nutně z nepatrných. Proto svatý člověk nekoná po celý život nic velkého, proto jest s to, aby dokonal svou velikost. Tyhle lehkovážné sliby (jak jsou obvyklé ve světě) mají nutně málo věrnosti. Mnoho lehkého stává se nutně mnohou obtíží. Proto i svatý člověk považuje to za těžké, proto je po celý život bez obtíží."
"Das Tun sei Nicht-Tun, Das Geschäft. sei Nicht-Geschäft, Der Genuß sei Nicht-Genuß, Das Große sei Kleines, Das Viele sei Weniges. Vergeltet Feindschaft mit Wohltun. Plant das Schwere in seinem Leichtsein, Tut das Große in seinem Kleinsein. Die schwierigen Geschäfte der Welt beginnen ja mit Leichtsein, Die großen Geschäfte der Welt beginnen ja mit Kleinsein. Daher: Der heilige Mensch tut nie das Große, darum kann er sein Großes vollenden. Wer leichthin verspricht, hält sicher selten. Wem vieles leicht ist, wird sicher vieles schwer. Daher: Der heilige Mensch behandelt es als schwer, darum wird ihm lebenslang nichts schwer."
"(It is the way of the Tao) to act without (thinking of) acting; to conduct affairs without (feeling the) trouble of them; to taste without discerning any flavour; to consider what is small as great, and a few as many; and to recompense injury with kindness. (The master of it) anticipates things that are difficult while they are easy, and does things that would become great while they are small. All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small. Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things. He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little faith; he who is continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult. Therefore the sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has any difficulties."
"Practica el no-actuar, dedícate a no ocuparte en nada, saborea lo que no tiene sabor. Considera grande lo pequeño y mucho lo poco, responde a la injusticia con la virtud. Intenta lo difícil en lo fácil, realiza lo grande en lo menudo. Las cosas difíciles del mundo comienzan en lo fácil, realiza lo grande en lo menudo. Las cosas difíciles del mundo comienzan por lo fácil, las cosas grandes del mundo comienzan por lo menudo. Por eso el sabio nunca realiza cosas grandes, y así es como puede llevar a cabo grandes cosas. Quien promete a la ligera gozará de escaso mérito, quien supone todo fácil encontrará todo difícil, esa es la razón de que al final no encuentre ninguna dificultad."
"Agis sans pour autant bouger, oeuvre sans t'impliquer, savoure ce qui est sans saveur. Célèbre Ce qui est petit, élève ce qui est humble, réponds aux offenses par des bienfaits. Accomplis ce qui est difficile en commençant par le facile, vois de la grandeur dans la plus humble chose. Dans l'univers, les choses difficiles se réalisent comme si elles étaient faciles, et les grandes oeuvres du monde ont commencé par de petites Aussi le Sage n'entreprend rien de grand, et c'est pour cela qu'il peut réaliser des oeuvres éternelles. Qui promet à la légère ne mérite pas la confiance. Qui trouve tout facile rencontre des obstacles. Pour le Sage, tout est d'égale difficulté. C'est pourquoi il accomplit tout sans peine."
"Aki a nem-cselekvéssel (vu-vej) cselekszik, a tevékenység-nélküliséggel (vu-si) intézi ügyeit, ízletesnek találja az íz-nélkülit, az meglátja a nagyot a kicsinyben s a sokat a kevésben, a gyűlöletet erénnyel (tö) viszonozza, nehéz dolgot tervezve a könnyebbjével kezdi, nagy dolgokra készülve a csekélyekkel kezdi. Mert az égalattiban minden nehéz dolog feltétlenül könnyűből jön létre, s az égalatti minden nagy tette feltétlenül csekélyből fakad. Így a bölcs (seng) sohasem művel nagy dolgokat, s éppen ezért képes nagy dolgokat vinni véghez. Aki könnyen ígér, az iránt mindig megfogyatkozik a bizalom. Aki sok dolgot tart könnyűnek, mindig sok nehézre bukkan. Ám a bölcs ember (seng-zsen) mindent nehéznek tart, s éppen ezért (igazi) nehézséggel sohasem találkozik."
"pratica il non-agire occupati del non-fare assapora il senza-sapore considera grande il piccolo e molto il poco ricambia l’offesa con la virtú affronta il difficile partendo dal suo facile realizza il grande partendo dal suo piccolo le cose piú difficili del mondo hanno inizio da quelle facili le cose piú grandi del mondo hanno inizio da quelle piccole perciò il saggio non cerca di fare grandi cose e cosí può realizzare la propria grandezza colui che promette alla leggera raramente mantiene la parola colui che reputa tutto facile spesso incontra molte difficoltà per questo il saggio considera tutto difficile e alla fine non ha difficoltà"
"Acțiunile bune nu se fac în grabă, Munca bună nu necesită epuizare. În cursul timpului ce este mic crește, Ce este în urmă ajunge în frunte. Marile călătorii încep cu un pas timid, Marile realizări au începuturi modeste. Înțeleptul vede persectiva lucrurilor În pași timizi, începuturi modeste. De aceea Înțeleptul urmând Calea Tao, Cu cumpătare întreprinde orice, Astfel că tot ce face e solid, durează, Îndeplinește totul fără grabă și eforturi."
"Нужно осуществлять недеяние, соблюдать спокойствие и вкушать безвкусное. Великое состоит из малого, а многое - из немногого. На ненависть нужно отвечать добром. Преодоление трудного начинается с легкого, осуществление великого начинается с малого, ибо в мире трудное образуется из легкого, а великое - из малого. Поэтому совершенномудрый начинает не с великого, тем самым он совершает великое. Кто много обещает, тот не заслуживает доверия. Где много легких дел, там много и трудных. Поэтому совершенномудрый относится к делу, как к трудному, поэтому он не испытывает трудности."
"Thảnh thơi ta sống thảnh thơi, Đời ta chẳng chút lôi thôi tần phiền. Đời ta thơm phức hương tiên, Bao nài lớn nhỏ, sá xem ít nhiều. Cởi giây thù oán chẳng đeo, Ta đem đức độ đổi điều gian ngoan. Khó gì ta cũng cứ làm, Bắt đầu từ dễ ta sang khó dần. To gì ta cũng chẳng cần, Bắt đầu từ nhỏ ta lần sang to. Đời người vạn sự gay go, Đều từ dễ dãi lần mò mãi ra. Những điều cao đại xưa giờ, Đều từ nhỏ nhặt đem vo cho thành. Cho nên những bậc tinh anh, Chẳng cần lớn lối vẫn dành cao sang. Những ai hứa hẹn muôn ngàn, Tình suông rồi sẽ bẽ bàng đơn sai. Những ai khinh thị cuộc đời, Càng ngờ dễ dãi, càng vời khó khăn. Cho nên những bậc thánh nhân, Biết e cái khó, khó khăn chừa người."