Tao Te Ching A New English Version, with Foreword and Notes, by Stephen Mitchell nanrenrenenniac @) wovcencuassicsAtorcoe fon fh oak pb io 988 by Harper Ron PSM es undeatof HarpCaits Phen ‘no TE NG, Talaton pic © 156 by Sephen Michal. AL tah sonra. din the United Se of Ata, Rl of hi ‘Rok my ewe red ay anne wha wah espera cree cc nef Cece enki ee ‘ele and ever, Fo foam ao Hepes PBs 10 as Shed Stee New Ye NY 1022, Hpi Bak may be phd er duce, i oe ft ne Fr frao pea wee Spel Mate De Fikpalas bah, 10 fa el Set, New Yr NY 1002. ot Harper Poni eon pbk 195. i eel Ch don pb 200. ‘os Hae Ral Moder hak eon pith 2006 Desi y David Baler “Te Lary of Cong has aoe he adore ein los lat Trani oT hing hth, Sep Wie BitbooL2ces 9m ay-staen | aas25 Isa 18 9780406140666 (gh) | To Vick Whe cas fi pod omar? ‘Shei pci nd al igs. mrov, 3110Foreword ‘aw Te Ching (pronounced, more ot less, Dow Deb Jin) can be tzansated as The Bos of the Immanece of the Wey ot The Book of the Way ad of Howe Manos lfm te World, simply, Be Bok of Way, Since iis already wal knows by it Chinese el, have lee hat send Abou Lao, ato, these x prctaly nothing t be sid. He may have been an cer concemporay of Cons cus (591-479 BCE) and may hate eld he postion of achive keeper one ofthe pty kingdoms ofthe ime. But all che information chat bas come dowe £0 ie highly ste ect. Bven the meaning of his name is uncertain (he nest likely ineepetatons: "che Old Master" or, moce pictut ‘uel, "the Old Boy") Like a rogunt woodman, he fe no acs All he left uti is book: the clasic manual 00 ‘he art of living, wren in sel of gem uc, adian vith humor and grace and largeheatedaes and deep wis: dom: one of she mone of the Wl People usually thnk of Lao-2u as 2 eenit, a dropout fom society, dling serenely some musta ht, wavs: ited except pethaps bythe occasional raveerartving from 6s joke co ask, "What the meaning of life?” Buc i's lear fors his teachings that he deeply cated about society, 1 society means the welare of one's flow human beings, is book &, among other things, a teat on the art of ‘government, whether of «country o of child, The mispes- ‘ception may aise fen his insistence oe ww Hetally "doing sce doing,” which hasbeen sen a passivity. Noe: ing could be farther from che rath| good athlete can enter sate of Body-awazenss in which the ight srke othe eight movemene happens by ‘sel, eforeey, withoue any scefereace of che conscious ‘vl This i pcadigm for non-acion: the putest and most lfcive foe of ston. The game plays the game; the poem ‘wes che poems; we can't ell dhe dancer fom the dance ‘Les ales do you ned co fre chines, ‘nil finaly you ative a noe-ction, When sodhing i done, soto ee undone Nothing i done because the doce has wholeheartedly vane ‘shed ico the ded; the fuel has been completly trans fumed aco fare. This “soting iin fact, everyting. Te happens when we erst the incligence of he universe ia the same way dt at athlece or dance erst the sop Jcelignce ofthe body. Hence Lao-au's emphasis on sft. nes. Sofess meas the opposite of rigid, and is synony- mous with suppleness, adapeabiliy, endurance. Anyone who has seen 2 €8 chi of aikido master doing aor-doing will now how powerful chistes i Lao-tz's cent fgue is & man oe woman whose lie & Jn peste hatrony with ehe way things are, This is moc an iden ei a eligy Ihave seen "The Master has mastered [Nacate; ot inthe sense of conquering it, bur of becoming it In sutendeing tthe Tao, in giving up all concep, indgmenc, and dese, er mind has grown maarlly com sina, She Sind deep inher owe expeience the cotta truths ofthe art of living, which are paradoxical only on the surfice: that che more ely solary we are, the more ‘compassionate we can be; the more me et go of what we love, the more preset ou love become the clearer our insight ico what i beyond good and ei, che more we can tbody che good. Until fly she is abe oy, nal hu ‘nly, "Lam the Tuo, the Teh, the Lie The teaching ofthe Tao Te Ching mot in he deepest sense. Unencumbered by any concep of sin the Master docs see ei as a force to esi, but simply 84 page sc, # state of selFabroption which i disharmony with ‘the universal process, 50 tha, a8 wich « dicty window, the light can't shine ehough. This freedorn fom moral eatego- ‘ies allows him his great compasion fr the wicked and he sels ‘Thas dhe Mater islet al people aa does’ ong. eis ready ro ue al stations sd does’ wate anything “This called embodying the lt ‘What god man but «bad mas eacher? ‘Whats a bd maa but a god ma’? you done uadestend th, you wl ot st, however eeligene you at leche great sce. ‘The reader wll notice tha in che many passages where ‘Lao-cu deste the Master, Ihave used the pronoun she” Jet at often as “he” The Chinese language dosn't make ‘his kind of distinction; i Engl we have 10 choowe. But ‘nce we ae all poreacialy, he Master snc che Master is, essentially, us) Ife je would be unerv co psent« male archerpe, as other versions hve, italy, done, neil, because ofall che great would elgins the ceichng of‘Lao nat by far the mot female, Ofcourse, you shoud fel fe, throughout the book, to substitute “he” fr "she" ot ‘As ro method: I worked fom Paul Cans eral version, ‘which provides Engl equialen (often very quaint one) alongside each of the Chinese ideogeams. I also coasted dozens of taslatons inco English, German, and French. Bur the mos exten preparation for my work was a fou teen.yearlong couse of Zen rising, which brought me face face with Lao-t ad his ue dciples and his, the aly Chinese Zea Masters ‘Wit great poetry, the ees eazlaion i sometimes the most ul "We mus uy its fect a an English poe, De, Johason suid “that sche way co judge ofthe mei of ‘tarlatiog.” Ihave often been fly lieral—oe a ter cone ott be wich such sb, kledoscopic bok as he Tao ‘Te Ching. Bur I have alio paraphrased, expanded, con- raced, interpteted, wotked with the tet played with it ‘nul ic became embod in a language eh fle genine tO ‘me. fT have’ always eanlated Lan-aus words, my inten tion has always been eo tensa is ind Tao Te Ching“The tao hat canbe tld {snot the eeral Tao, “The name thar canbe named ‘nog che eternal Name “The unnamable i the eeraly rel [Naming is he oxgin ofl pucculae chins. re from dese, you realize che mystery. Caughe in deste, you se only she masifsations. Yee mystery and maifeseations sie fom the same source. “This source is called darkness ashes within darknes, ‘The gateway to all understanding2 ‘When people sce sme sings as beau, other things become uly ‘When people te some tings as good, cher chings Become ba. Bing and on being cca each othe. Dificule and eaty suppor each che. Long and short define ach other High and low depend on eich other ‘Before and afer fllw eachother. “Thetfoe che Master acc without doing anything sand teaches withou saying anyhiag. “Things ave and she les them come; things dsappea and she lets them go. ‘She has bus dor’ posses, ces but does’ expect When her wot s doa, she forges it ‘The why lass foreve 3 you oversee grea men, people become powers. you overvae pssessions, people begin to steal. “The Master lade by empeying peoples minds and filing tei cons, by weakening thie ambicion and coughing thee resolve He helps people lose everthing they know, everything they dese, and eeatesconfsion ‘in dhose who eink cha chey know Practice noting and everthing wil fall iat paceA, eS) “The Tos ikea well: ‘ed ut never used up Ie ilk the eternal oid filed wich infnie possible. isin bur always presen. 1 done know who gave bth toe Teor than God. “The To doesn cake sides; it gives bith eo both good and evil “The Master doen’ ke sides; she welcomes bh suas and sinners “The Tho ike a bllows: iedsenpey ye infil capable ‘The more you ue, che mor i prodaces ‘the more you tlk ot the les you understand Hold on co the cee.6. 7. “The This called the Grest Mother: empay yet nexhauaible, it gives ich eo ifnite wos. Ie ieabeays preset within you. ‘You can uve i any way you want ‘The Tao is init, sera ‘Why ite eeral? Te was never ben: ‘hus ic can never di ‘Why isc inne? es 2 desis for al ‘has ic is present orl bigs “The Master says behiad; ‘hat is why she is ahead. Shei detached from ll ings the is why she one with ther, Because she has let goof hese, she is psc full8. 9. “The supreme good is ike water, ‘which nourishes all things without eying ‘es contene wich the low places that people didn, “Thus ici ke the Tao In dling, Ive close wo the round, In chinking, keep tothe simple In confi, be fir nd generous In governing, dont ty to conta In work, do wha you enjoy In fay ie, be complzaly present ‘When you ate content to be simply yourself sn dont compare ot compe, everybody wil spect you. Fill your bowl eo dhe bein and i wll sil. Keep sharpening your kaie adie wil lune (Chase afer money and security sa your heat wil neve aclach Care about people's approval snd you wil be tei pisones. Do your work, hen step bck “The only path to seen.10 va) Can you cos your mind from is wandering, sd keep tothe original ents? (Can you let your body become supple a «newborn cis? (Can you clesme your inne vision until you se othing but the ight? (Cam you love people nd lsd them without imposing your wil? Can you del withthe moss val matters by lecng evens ake ei course? Gan yoo step back foc your own mind sd thus understand all chings? Giving beh and sourcing, having without possesing, Acc with no expectations, leading and ae eying to conta: this is the supreme view ‘We jin spokes together in whe bu isthe center hale hae makes the wagon move ‘We shape clay iat por, ue eis he empties inside thar holds whstever we want We hammer wood fra uss but iis the inne space sha makes tile, We work with being, bur som being ir what me we12 oS Colors bind ehe eve. Souads dafen the et. Flavors amb the tse “Thoughts weaken he mind. Desires wiher the heat “The Master observes the world not eras inne vision, He allows things to come and go His ear i open as the sky. Succes isa dangerous 2 fare Hope is as tllow sa. ‘What dos ic mean that succes is 8 dangerous a fare? ‘Whezher you go up the lade or dowa i oe ponion shy ‘Whea you stand with your two fet onthe ground, you wll always keep you balance. ‘Whac docs ic mean thac hope is hllow as fae? Hope and fear ar bch phantoms hae aie fom chinking ofthe ll When we don't se thes asl, what do we ave to fear? Ses the world a your sl. Have fi in the way things ae. Love the wold as yours then you ca care for ll eng,14 15. ook, and ic canbe seen. Lien, andi cant be eae Reach andi cant be grasped Aloe, ein’ bright Below i ise dark ‘Searls, unaamable, it return tothe real of wating oom that icles al forms, ‘mage without an image, subtle, beyond all concepion Approach it and cher sno besianiog; fallow cand there 0 end. ‘You cant know i, but you can be it, at eae in your ow ie Jose realize whete you come fm: this sche sence of wisdom, ‘Theancene Maser were profound and subele “Ther wisdom was unichomable ‘There is mo way 10 dsebe i; all we can descbe iste appearance ‘They were cael 1 someone crossing an ice-over steam, ler 3 8 warie i enemy erry, Coures a8« ust id as meling ce. Shapable aa block of wood ‘Receptive a valley, (Clear as plas of wast Do you have the patience to wait till your md sets athe water i ee? Can you remain unmoving cll the sigh acon ares by itl? “The Master docs’ sek uillment, Nor secking, nx expecting, she is present, and can welcome al ching,16. iia Empey your mind ofall hough. Le yout heat beat pee. arch the turmoil of beings, be contemplate tei retues, ach separate being in the wnivese etuins he common source etutning to the source is serenity. If you don realize the source, you stumble in confusion and sorrow ‘When you realize where you come fam, you nauclly become olan, Aisiverested, amused, kindhesreed at 2 geandnodier, digi a king Immersed in the wonder ofthe Ta, you can del with whatever Ife beings you, fd when death comes, you ae esd When the Maser governs, che people srehardly awa that he exis [Nea best is leader whois ved [Noxt, one whe is eared The worst is one who is despised. you dst st the people, you make them untrustworthy. “The Master dct’ tlk he st. When his work i done, he people sy, "Amazing ve di i all by oursele”18 19. ‘When the great Tao is Forgot, _odoes and pty apreae ‘When the body's ntligence declines, cleverness and kaowledge sep fo, “When there i 0 peace i ee fay, filial py begins. ‘When the couse fl ao chaos, tits & Boe, ‘Throw sway holiness and wisdom, people willbe «hundred times happie, “Thuow away moray ad justice, td people wil do the right sing. “Throw sway industry and prof, and theze wont be any thieves. these eee aren coough, just stay athe cen of te ile deal hing ake tei cou,20. 21 ‘Scop thing, and end your problems. ‘Wc diference beween ye and no? ‘Whac diference berween sucess and flute? Mast you value what other value, void what other avoid? How tdculoss! (cher people ar exited, a though they were ts parade, ‘sone don't cae, 1 alone am expresones, lice a ofan before can smile (Other people have what they need: alone possess nothing 1 alone deft about, ike someone wich hore. 1am like anit, my ind is 50 emp. (cher peope ate Bight, alone am dak Other people ate sharps {alone am dl ‘Other people have a purpose; I alone don't know. 1 dif likes wave on the cea, 1 ow ats the wind 1 am diferent fram ordinary people 1 drink frm che Great Mother's reas: “The Master keeps he ind always at oe with the Ta, ‘ha is what gives her het ince, ‘The Tao is ungrapable How can her mind be tone with i? Because she done cling to idea. ‘The Tao is dark and vnfchomabl, How can ic make he aan? Because she ei. Since blore time and space were, the Tao i Tes beyond and ir How dof know this is rue? ook ise myself td ee,22. you want to Become whole, ee yourself be paca. you want co become susight, tex youre be crooked you want to become fall lee yourself be empty. you waat be reborn, Jee youself de you wane 10 be given everything, ive evrything up, “The Maser, by residing in the To, sets an example for all beings. Because he doen’ display himself, people can we his igh. ‘Because he has nahing to pve, people can erst his wor Because he does’ know who hei, people ecognze themselves in him case he has no goin mind, cveything he does succes. When the ancient Maser sid, you wane co be given everthing, ive everything 4p they wren wsing empy phrases Only in being lived by the Tao ‘an you be tuly youre 23. Express yourself comple, thes keep gui DBelike the forces of ature: ‘when ic blows, hee ony wind: when i eis, hee i ony ain, when the clouds pase, che sn sine theough you open youscl che Ta, Yate a one with the Tao sand you cn embody ic completly. IF you open yoursl ta insight, you ate 2 on wih insighe snd you can use i completely 1 you open youre lst, you ae 2 on with los tnd you ean accep ie cmplerey (Open yours othe Teo, ‘hen erst you natural responses, and everthing wil fl inc place.24. He who stands on Sipoe oes stand Be. Hie who ruses shen docs go fa He who tes co shine ans is ove igh He who defies himself ‘at know who he ely He who has power over ethess cas empower hse. He who clings his work wil cate nothing that endures 1 you want to accoed with the Ta, just do your jb, them let go 25, “There was something formless and perfect before che unten was born leis sree. Epes Salary. Unehangiag. Infinite. Eeraly present, Tes the mothe ofthe univers For lck of beer name, {callie the To, Jews through ll hings, ise and ouside sed eeu ‘othe origin of all ching “The Toi great The waivers ges. Earth is gree Man is gest. "These ate the four rest pone ‘Man flows the eth, arch follows the univers, The universe follows the Ta ‘The To follows ony ite26. “The any ithe root of height. “The unmoved is the source of all movement Tw dhe Master travels ll day svithou leering bom, However splendi che views, she says serenely in herself Why shoud the lord of ee couney Ali bout like 3 fool? Ifyou lec youre be Blown co and fo, you lok ouch with your for. Ir you ler relesness move you you lose touch with who you are 27. A god traveler has no ied plans od is ao incent upon acvng, {A good arc es nition lead hie wherever wants, ‘A good sinus has eed himself concepes and keps his ned ope 20 what i ‘Ths the Master aval all people aaa doesnt reject anyooe. He i ready o we all situations sod dese wate anything “This is called embodying the lg. ‘Whac i good man but «bad man's cache? ‘What ia bad man bua good man’ jb? you da’ understand th, you will get lost, ower iclligene yo ae, Teds ee grea sete.28. ‘Know the male, yee keep 0 the female receive the word in your arms Ifyou receive the weld, the Tuo wil never leave you td you wil be ike ele child Know che whi, yee keep to the black: bea patern forthe wold 1 you ue pater fr the wee, the Tea willbe strong inside you nd chere wll be nothing you cant do Keow the pesonl, yet kep 0 the impersonal: Accept the wood a i you accep the word, the Tao wil be haminous inside you sd you wil eeu co your primal st “The wold formed rom the vid, ike wens from a lock of wood. “The Master knows che wens yet keep othe block his she can use all hig 29. Do you want wo inprove he wold? 1 done think cca be done “The wold sacred Ie cane be improved, ‘you camper with i, you xin it you rea i ike an bjt, yout se ‘There eime for bring bead, ‘ime for being bein «time for being in motion, ‘time for being a time for being vigorous, me fr being exhsted Aime fr Being fe, A ie For Being in dangee “The Master ses sings a they ee, ‘without tying to coata them She es them go thei own way, sd resides a he cener of he cine30. ‘Whorer sles on the Tao in govering men dea ey 0 force sues or defeat cacmis by fre of ars. oc evry force there» counterorce ‘Violen, even well intentioned, slay erbound upon ones “The Maste docs hijab and chen stops. He understands that che univer ie forever ou of cone ed has eying ro damince evens 0 agains the cura of the Too Because he believes in imsel the dst xy to convince exes. Because hei content with ins the dosnt need othe! appeoval, Because he scepts hrs, the whole wold acces him, Bil ‘Weapons ae the ros of viene; all decene men detest chem, ‘Weapons are the oso fae decent man wil void then excep in the det necesisy and, if compel, wil we them ly with dhe uo retain Pesce his highest vale If he pace has been hated, how can he be content? His enemies ae not demons, bur human beings like hist He docs’t wish them personal han, Not dos he eae in victory. How could hese in very sd delight in the slaughter of men? He cones abate gravely, vith sorrow and with great compason, 2s if he were ending 2 funeral32 33 The Tao can't be perceive, Smaller ehan an clecuoo, it contins uncountable gala, I powerful men and women ‘ould remain centered in the Ta, all things woud be io harmny. “The world would become a pura All people woul be at peace, andthe law would be writen in thei ear ‘when you have names and fms, know thatthe ae provisional When you have inseeuions, know where thee Funcions shoul ead. Knowing when £ 5p, you can avoid any danger. All hing end in the Tao 1 iver low inc the se Knowing others is inelligence knowing youseis rue wisdom, Mastering others is cength; mastering yours te power Ifyou tae tha you have enough, you ace uly ch, you stayin the center sn embrace death wid your whole heat, you wl endure forever.34. 35 “The great Tha flows everywhere Al ching are bors fom i ye ie deat create them, Tr poste at is work, yet it makes no cai. I nourishes nie word, yer it oer’ ld on t hen Sine i merged with all ings sand hide in thee hears, ic canbe called humble. Siace al ehiags vanish ince andi lone endues, ft can be called geese. Ie ane aware of its greats thas cis erly ge ‘She who centered inthe Tao can go where she wishes, thou dang. She perceives the unvesl huey, fren amid great pa, ‘because she bas fund peace ia her hee. ‘Music or the sell of good cooking may make people sop and eso. ‘But words that pia 0 the Tay seem monotonous and with Baer When you look or it there i othing ose When you listen fori her is nothing vo hee ‘When you we, ii nexhaotbe36 3% you wane co shrink something, you mat fret allow i 1 expand you wane to get id of something, you must fist allow ito flows you wane co take something, you muse fallow it robe given, This is called the subee perception oft way things are “The safe overcomes the hard “The slow overcomes the fr et your workings remain a mystery Jus show people the resus “The Tao never does anything, yet though all higs ace done powerful men and women oul center themseives init, fhe whole world would be ranformed by ese, its acura eyehes People would be content ith thei simple, everday tes, in harmony, and fc of desi When there sno dee, all ehings are peace38 “The Master doesn't ty tobe powefal hus he scaly powerfl ‘The cednaey man keep reaching for power, hus he never has enough ‘The Maser does nothing, yet he leaves nothing undone “The oudinaty man is always doing things, yet many oc are le co be dane “The kind man does something, Yee something remains undone ‘The ase man does someting and lees many chings tbe done ‘The moral man does something, sand when no one responds he coll up his lever and wes fre ‘When the Tao i or, there is goodness |When goodaess is ot, there i moray ‘When morality ost, here ial. ical she sk of ere ft, the beginning of cha “Therefore the Master concer hms sith the depths and ot the sue, ‘vith the frie andor the ower He has o wil of bis ova, He dwells in realy, snd lete allusion go 39 le harmony withthe Ta, the sky is eae and spacious, ‘the eth sella Gl, sll restuces outs coger, oncene with the way they at, nae eepeting thermal, endl renewed ‘When man oerfees with he Tao, the sky becomes thy, the earth becomes deplered the egilrium cumbles, ‘creatures become etic. ‘The Maser views the parts with compan, ‘because he undesend the whole His constane practice i hui. He does ler like a evel tt lets himself be shaped by the Tao, ss rugged and common 3 stone.AO. Al Recut the movement of she Tao ‘Yielding i the way ofthe To, All sings ae born of being. Being botn of noo-beiag. ‘When 3 supeio man heus of the Tio, he immediatly begins to embayi ‘When an average man heat ofthe Th, tae al ives half ube i ‘When 3 folsh man heats of dhe Te, he laughs oa loo. Ithe di’ lag, fe would’ be the To, “Ths ici si “The path ito te igh sem dark, ‘he path forward seems to g0 back, ‘he ditce pach ees lon, true power sems weak, re purity seems tes, nue sexdfasoes sms changeable, eve clay Seems obscuse, ‘he prestes art scems unsophisticated, ‘he greatest love ems inifeen, he greatest wisdom seems cic “The To is nombre tobe fou ‘Yeti nourishes and completes al thingsThe Tao giver bith ro One One gives bith to Two. Two gives bth 10 The Tasce gives bith al hing Al chins ave cs backs co the ferale and sand Facing she ale ‘When male an female combine all hinge achieve batmony Oedinary mes hate wold Buc the Maer makes we of embeecing his loneest,reaiing hes one with the whole univer The gentlest thing inthe wos overcomes the hares ching in he wold “That which ss no substance enters whete theres no space Teaching wthoue woods, performing without secon: hat che Maser’ way.44. 45. Fame or integiy: which i more importa? apps: which s more valuable? Money Soest o fue: which s more desteuctive? you look eo ates or lillmene, you wll never ely be fulflled I your happiness depends on money, you wl aver be happy with yourself Be conene with what you have; rejoice inthe way things ae ‘When yo realize ther is aohing lacking, ‘he whole wold belongs co you. “True pesection scems impels, ye iti perc isl. “Trae flloes sem expe, ye aly presen “True steagheness sem cooked “True widom seems folsh ‘True are scoms ate, ‘The Master allows eiags to happen, ‘She shapes ewnt they come, ‘She steps out of he way sd es the Tao speak for ie- 46 47. “When a counery is ia harmony with che Tao, the factories make cucks and eractr. ‘When a country goes counter tthe Tho, vwaheade ate socked ouside the cies. Without opening yout doo, you eas open your here to the won ‘Without looking ost your window, you can ee the sence of he Tao. “There iso greater illusion than fear, riveree to gents wrong thin prepang to defend yousele, the ess you undean ‘no erste misfreane than having an eer. = “The Master ativs without ening, ‘3 the light without looking, sachenes withovt doing thing. ‘Whoever can se through al ar sill alway be ae48. 49. Ine puts of knowlege, very day someting is ade, Inthe practice ofthe Ta, very day something is dopped Les and esd you ned 0 foc hing, ntl nly you ative at now-ctoa. ‘When nothing it done, thing let undone “True macery can be gained by letng things go thc own way: Ie cate he gained by invefring “The Maser bas a0 mind other owe, ‘She weeks with the mind fee people Shei good to people who are good ‘Shea good to people who arene good. This is re goods Se truss people who are rast. She also eases people who aren’ trutcworthy. “This ese rs, “The Masters mind i ike space People done understand he. “They lok coher and wale ‘She eas them like he own chide50. 51 The Master gives ise up to whatever the moment brings He koows that ei going co di, te be has sotng lf o hold a eo: no ilasions in is nnd, eo csaances in his body He doesn thik about his actions; they Bow Fam che cox of hs being. He holds nothing buck fom lies ‘therefore hes ay for death, asa man i ea for sleep afters god days work very being in the univer {san expression ofthe Tao, Te springs ne existence, unconscious, perfect, ee takes on a physical Body, lees cecumstances complet ic ‘That is why every being spontancously honors the Ta “The Tao gives bith call beings, nourishes them, maining chem, ‘are for them, comforts them, proecs them, takes them back oil eating withous poseting, scting without expecting, suing without ieee, That i why love ofthe Tao Is inthe very nau of tingsew) a3 Inthe begining was the Tao, Al ehings sue fem all sings turn rie ‘Tofind che vii, trace back ehe maifestations. ‘When you recognize the cikeen snd fd dhe motes, you mil be ve often you ote your mind in judgments aad ea with desis, your hese wil be toubled. Ir you keep your mid om judging and are’ ed by the sense, your are will ad peace, Seng into darkness ay. Knowing how t yields stength ‘Ute your oma ight and return othe source of ight “Thins called practicing tera ‘The great Way ity, yet people prefer the side packs, Be aware when chins ate ox of balance ‘Stay centered within the Ta, When ih speculators pcaper whl furmers loti le ‘when government oficial spend money ‘on weapons instead of ures, thea the upper class exeaagane and inesponsble while the poo have sowbete to ueo-— all hiss robbery and chaos, {eso in keping withthe Ta.54. Ee ‘Whoever is placed inthe Tao wl aot be roted up, ‘Whoever embraces the Tao wl aoe slip sway. ec same wil be bel in honor fiom generation to generation. Let che Tap be preset in your ie and you will become genuine Tec iebe pectene in you fiily and your fury wil douish Let it be present i your countey and your county willbe an example to al couneis in che wot. Tet it be presen in the universe and ce universe wil ing How dol know this is ru? By looking inside mys. He wh isin harmony wich the Tao Slike a newborn child, Tes bones ae sof, es mules ate weak, bce grip i power ede’ know about the union of mile and fale, ye its pens can stand enc, so intense sis vital power. Tecan seam it head offal day, yet i never becomes hoarse, so complet ists harmon. ‘The Mascer’s power ile this eles al dings come and go forts, wichout dese, He never expects els ‘thus he is never dapat He is never dsppoined ha his pic never grows oi56. “Those who kaow dont all “Those who talk don't kaow. ‘Cen your mouth, lock off your senses, ‘lune your shares, ‘nti your kaos, sofen your glare, sete your dust “This sche primal identi. Be lke the Tao. Ii cane be approached or withdrawa fom, benefited or harmed, honored or broughe ito disgrace. Ie gives ie wp continually. “Thats why ie endoes 57. you wane tobe «gta leader, you mas learnt follow the Tao. Sop tying eo conta Le goof xed plans and concep, td the wold will govern sel, ‘The mate prliitions you have, the ess veeous people willbe, ‘The moe weapons you have, theless secure people wl be. “The more subsides you have, ‘he les sellin people wil be, ‘Therefore the Master sas er goof hel, an people become hoot ee go of economics, and people become prosperous, Hee goof ein, nd people become scene, ec go of ll dest fo the common good, i he good becomes common gras,58 59. 1a couney is governed with olernce, the people re comforable and honest. a country governed wit repression, he people ace depessed and erly When the wilt power isin charge, the higher the ides, te lower ehe rests “Tey co make people happy, and you ly the groundwork for misery “Try o make people meal and yu lay the groundwork fo vie. “Thus the Maser is content, to serve as an example sd 20t co impose he wll. She is pointed, but dese perce Scsighfarwar, but supp Radian, bu easy on ee ees For governing country well there is noting beter than moderation ‘The mat of moderne man {is feeds fam his owa ides, Tolerant ike the ky, all-pervading ike suis fem lke 3 mounts, supple lke 3 rein the wind, he has no deiation ia view tnd makes we of anything life happens eo bring his way [Nothing is imposible fo him Because he ha et 0, he cam cae forthe people's wee 52 mother cares for he hid60. Governing a large country is ike eying » smal Ssh You sal it with roo much poking ‘Cences your county ia the Tao and evi wil have no power. Nor thai ine here, but youll be able o step ou of way. Give evi nothing 0 oppose and it will inp by ise 61 ‘When a county obtains great power, ie becomes like the all seams un downward into it “The more power ic ows, the greater the need fr hurl Husnly meaas easing the TaD, ‘hus never needing wo be defensive. ‘A great nation isle grea man: ‘When he makes a mistake, he relies it Having eae it he admis Having admis i, be cone it He consdes thse who poine ou is fale shi most benevolent teachers, He chink of enemy 8 the shadow cha he himself ats, If nacion i centered inthe Tao, iF aourishes its own people aed doast meddle inthe ass of hers, ‘it wl bes igh call ions inthe word62. 63 ‘The Tho i the centr of che universe, the good man's teasute, the bad man's fe “HRoaos can be bought with ine words, tespoct an be wom with good ded; ‘bu the Tho is Beyond all value, sand noone ca achieve ic “Ts, when a sew leaders chosen, oo fr co hep hin vith your welch or your expertise Offer incead to teach him about the To. ‘Why did te ancient Maser esteem the Tas? ccs, being one wih che Tao, ‘when you sek, you Bad; sand when you make a miscke, you are given. ‘Thats why everybody loves. ‘Ace without doing; sro thou fos. ‘Think ofthe smal as lasge tad the few a8 many, CConfone the dale hile iis slew accompli the erst ts by wees of al act ‘The Master never reaches forthe great hus she achieves geste. ‘When she runs into a diculy, she stops and gives hel tic She doesne lg coher owe comet thas problems are ao prabler for he.64. 65. What i rooted i ext t nourish ‘Whar is eeents easy to corcect. ‘What i bre eay co break, ‘Whe small is eaty to cater, Prevent exouble Before it ates. ur thing in order before they exis. ‘The giae pine cee _1oms from a ay sprou. “The journey of thousand mies starts fom beneath your fet Rashing int action, you fil ‘The sncens Mates Aida’ ry 0 educate the peopl, bur kindly rage thers to no-know. . When chey thik chat they kaow the answes people are difcl to gue, ‘When they know tha dey don kaow, people can find thee owe way. I you want ro lesn how to gover, sci being lever a ch “The simples pazern the least, “Tying to grasp things, you lose chem, Content with an oxdnay li, you an show all people the way back to cheir own re ature, Forcing project ro completion, you ruin what was alos ie “Therefne che Master taker atin by ling things take cei course He emai calm sche end a the begining He has aching, thus has nothing to ls. ‘What he desies is non-desce; svat he lars is o alent. He simply reminds people of who they have alvays been “He cre about nothing but che Tho “Thus he can cate for ll things66. All seams ow to the sen because i lower chan chey a Humily gives iis power f you wane > govern the people you must place youself below them If yu wane lead he people, you mus les how to fallow them “The Mase it above the people, snd noone fel oppressed She goes ahead ofthe people snd no one els manipulate ‘The whole wud is gatefal o he. Because she competes with 0 028 ‘noone can compete with her. 67. Some ay thar my teaching is nonsense (Oches cl ily but impractical ‘Bat to hose who have loked inside themselves, this nonsense makes perfect sete ‘And those who put into practice, this losiness bas oo eat go deep, hove ju hee things co ech Sli, patience, compastio, ‘Thae three are your geste reasutes Simple in scion and in haughty, yu eer to che sure of being Patent with bth fiends and enemies, yx accord with the way things ae, Compassionate toward youre you recone al beings in the wor68 “The best athlete want his opponent a his bes. ‘The bes peer cers che mind of bis enemy. “The bet businessman serves che communal good ‘The bes ender fellows se wll of the peopl, Allo the embody the vie of non-compeion [Not that hey don't love to compete, bor they doi inte spe of ply In this ehey ae Uke children sd in harmony withthe Tao, 69. “The geowcals hae saying "Racer chan make the ist move i ic is better co wait and se, / Rather than advance an iach ic is beter co eat a yd ‘Ths called i Boing forward wihout advancing j pushing back without using weapons ‘There isn greet misfortune ‘chan underestimating your enemy Underesimating your enemy means thinking that heii ‘Thus you destiny your thie resus snd become an enemy yours When two great forces oppose each other, the vier wil go to the oe that kaows how to ye70. My seachings are easy to understand si any 0 pt to practice. ‘Yer your inllec wll never grasp the, and if ou ey co practice cher, youl a My eachngs are older chan che word How can you gasp thie meaning? you wane to kaow me, look aside your heat 71 Noe kaoming i re knowledge Presuing o now «dss. Fit reine chat you re sick; then you can ove toward heslh ‘The Master is her ova psi, She has healed ere of ll knowing ‘Thus she is trly whole72. rs ‘When they los thee sense of ame, people uta to eligon. ‘When they no longer est themselves, ‘hey begin ro depend upon autho “Therefore the Master seps bac so that pople won't be confuse He teaches without aeaching, so hae people wil hae nothing to lam ‘The Tao is always a ne Ie overcomes without competing, answers without speaking 2 wo, arrives without being surnoned, accomplishes without «plan. Its nee coves the whole univers, ‘Ana though is meshes are wide, ‘ie does' lec ching slip through74. 75 Ifyou relize shat al hing change, ‘here is nothing you wll ey cohol on, Kyou see aftaid of dying, ‘hee i nothing you cane achieve “eying to conto he fare fs ike ying to take the mare carpenter’ place ‘When you handle che mater caspeneers eal, chances aretha youll cut yourself, ‘When tats are coo high people go hungry When che goverment ito innuive, people oe thei sii, ‘Ace for the people's bef “eas hem; leave them alone76. (Men are Bora soft and supple; ead, chey are tf and hard. Plants ae born ender and pliant dead hey az bile andy: “Tas whoever wif and infleble isa disciple of death Whoever soft and yielding isa disciple of ie “The hard and st wil be broken, “The soft and supple wll prevail Asie aces inthe word the Tho {slike the beading of bow, ‘The cops bene downwae the bottom is ben up. Ie adjusts excess and deficiency so that there pfx balance. cakes fom whi 00 mich nd gives o what enough “Those who try cont shoe fre eo proc hic power, ‘0 aginst the direction ofthe Tao, “They take from thos who donc have enough ind give to those who have fc foo mich ‘The Maser can keep giving because there no end to her welt, ‘She acts withoue expectation, succeeds without taking ered, and does‘ thik dat she i exer than anyone ele.78. 7g) Nothing i the word ‘sas soft and yielding a wae ‘Yes for dlaoling the hard and inflexible, noting ca supa “The soft overcomes she had the genele overcomes che igi Bveryone kaows this cue, bur few can pu i inc practice “Thesefte the Mater remains sexe in the ide of sorrow Evil cannot enter his eat. Because he has given up helping, he people's greatest help “True word sem paradoxical Flues an opporcuniy you blame someone ee, there itn end co the Blame ‘Theron che Master falls her owe obligations snd comets her ova mistakes, ‘She dos what she aces todo snd demands nothing of chess80. 81 a couney is govered wisely, ins inhabitans will be concent “They enjoy the labor of thei hands and doa wate cme inventing Iaborsaving machines Siac they deaely lve thie homes, they arent terested in eave “There may bea few wagons und boat, but these doe go anywhere. “There maybe an ateal of weapons, brut nobody ever ues them, People enjoy thei food, fake pleasure in being with theca, spend weekends working in thee gardens, eligi the doings ofthe neighborhood. ‘And eventhough che nest county i 0 close that peopl can hers oostes crowing and i dogs barking, they ate content to die of od age vrithout evr having gone eo sei “rue words arene eloquent eloquent words ze’ tue ‘Wise men dot need ro prove thee poiat; men who need to prove hee pine arent wise. ‘The Maser has. no posesions, “The more he does for others, the bape he ‘The more he gives to oches, he weaker he i, “The To nourishes by n0¢ fring. By not dominsting, the Mase lea,