Translated by Lin Yutang

(The Wisdom of China - Edited by Lin Yutang - A Four Square
Book - The New English Library -Great Britain - 1963)

Translated by D. C. Lau

(Lao Tzu - Tao Te Ching - Penguin Classics -
Cox and Wyman Ltd. - Great Britain - 1983)

Book II: THE APPLICATION OF TAO [68]

38. Degeneration

The man of superior character is not (conscious of his) character.
Hence he has character.
The man of inferior character (is intent on) not losing character.
Hence he is devoid of character.
The man of superior character never acts,
Nor ever (does so) with an ulterior motive.
The man of inferior character acts,
And (does so) with an ulterior motive.
The man of superior kindness acts,
But (does so) without an ulterior motive.
The man of superior justice acts,
And (does so) with an ulterior motive.
(But when) the man of superior li [69] acts and finds no response,
He rolls up his sleeves to force it on others.

Therefore:
After Tao is lost, then (arises the doctrine of) humanity.
After humanity is lost, then (arises the doctrine of) justice.
After justice is lost, then (arises the doctrine of) li.
Now li is the thinning out of loyalty and honesty of heart.
And the beginning of chaos.
The prophets are the flowering of Tao
And the origin of folly.
Therefore the noble man dwells in the heavy (base),
And not in the thinning (end).
He dwells in the fruit,
And not in the flowering (expression).
Therefore he rejects the one and accepts the other.

68] The name, the "Book of Teh" (virtue) was given to the Second
Section by Hoshang Kung in the reign of Han Wenti (179-157 B.C.).
69] Li, Confucian doctrine of social order and control,
characterized by rituals. Also courtesy, good manners.

XXXVIII

82] A man of the highest virtue does not keep to virtue and
that is why he has virtue. A man of the lowest virtue never
strays from virtue and that is why he is without virtue.
The former never acts yet leaves nothing undone. The latter
acts but there are things left undone. A man of the highest
benevolence acts, but from no ulterior motive. A man of the
highest rectitude acts, but from ulterior motive. A man most
conversant in the rites acts, but when no one responds rolls
up his sleeves and resorts to persuasion by force.

83] Hence when the way was lost there was virtue; when virtue
was lost there was benevolence; when benevolence was lost there
was rectitude; when rectitude was lost there were the rites.

84] The rites are the wearing thin of loyalty and good faith
And the beginning of disorder;
Foreknowledge is the flowery embellishment of the way
And the beginning of folly.

84a] Hence the man of large mind abides in the thick not in
the thin, in the fruit not in the flower.

84b] Therefore he discards the one and takes the other.

There were those in ancient times possessed of the One;
Through possession of the One, the Heaven was clarified,
Through possession of the One, The Earth was stabilized,
Through possession of the One, the gods were spiritualized,
Through possession of the One, the valleys were made full,
Through possession of the One, all things lived and grew,
Through possession of the One, the princes and dukes
became the ennobled of the people.
- that was how each became so.

Without clarity, the Heavens would shake,
Without stability, the Earth would quake,
Without spiritual power, the gods would crumble,
Without being filled, the valleys would crack,
Without the life-giving power, all things would perish,
Without the ennobling power, the princes and dukes would stumble.
Therefore the nobility depend upon the common man for support,
And the exalted ones depend upon the lowly for their base.

That is why the princes and dukes call themselves
"the orphaned," "the lonely one," "the unworthy."
Is is not true then that they depend upon the common man for support?
Truly, take down the parts of a chariot,
And there is no chariot (left). [70]
Rather than jingle like the jade,
Rumble like the rocks.

70] Another commonly accepted reading through word-substitution
in the text: "Truly, the highest prestige requires no praise."
Apart from the forced substitution of words, this reading makes
no sense in the context.

85] Of old, these came to be in possession of the One:
Heaven in virtue of the One is limpid;
Earth in virtue of the One is settled;
Gods in virtue of the One have their potencies;
The valley in virtue of the One is full;
The myriad creatures in virtue of the One are alive;
Lords and princes in virtue of the One become leaders
in the empire.
It is the One that makes these what they are.

85a] Without what makes it limpid heaven might split;
Without what makes it settled earth might sink;
Without what gives them their potency gods might
spend themselves;
Without what makes it full the valley might run dry;
Without what keeps them alive the myriad creatures
might perish;
Without what makes them leaders lords and princes
might fall.

86] Hence the superior must have the inferior as root;
the high must have the low as base.

86a] Thus lords and princes refer to themselves as
"solitary", "desolate", and "hapless". This is taking
the inferior as root, is it not?

87] Hence the highest renown is without renown,
Not wishing to be one among many like jade
Nor to be aloof like stone.

Reversion is the action of Tao.
Gentleness is the function of Tao.
The things of this world come from Being,
And Being (comes) from Non-being.

XL

88] Turning back is how the way moves;
Weakness is the means the way employs.

89] The myriad creatures in the world are born from
Something, and Something from Nothing.

When the highest type of men hear the Tao (truth),
they try hard to live in accordance with it.
When the mediocre type hear the Tao,
they seem to be aware and yet unaware of it.
When the lowest type hear the Tao,
They break into loud laughter -
If it were not laughed at, it would not be Tao.

Therefore there is the established saying:
"Who understands Tao seems dull of comprehension;
Who is advance in Tao seems to slip backwards;
Who moves on the even Tao (Path) seems to go up and down."

Superior character appears like a hollow (valley);
Sheer white appears like tarnished;
Great character appears like infirm;
Pure worth appears like contaminated.
Great space has no corners;
Great talent takes long to mature;
Great music is faintly heard;
Great form has no contour;
And Tao is hidden without a name.
It is this Tao that is adept at lending (its power)
and bringing fulfillment.

90] When the best student hears about the way
He practises it assiduously;
When the average student hears about the way
It seems to him one moment there and gone the next;
When the worst student hears about the way
He laughs out loud.
If he did not laugh
It would be unworthy of being the way.

91] Hence the Chien yen has it:
The way that is bright seems dull;
The way that leads forward seems to lead backward;
The way that is even seems rough.
The highest virtue is like the valley;
The sheerest whiteness seems sullied;
Ample virtue seems defective;
Vigorous virtue seems indolent;
Plain virtue seems soiled;
The great square has no corners;
The great vessel takes long to complete;
The great note is rarefied in sound;
The great image has no shape.

92] The way conceals itself in being nameless.
It is the way alone that excels in bestowing and in accomplishing.

Out of Tao, One is born;
Out of One, Two;
Out of Two, Three;
Out of Three, the created universe.
The created universe carries the yin at its back
and the yang in front;
Through the union of the pervading principles it
reaches harmony.

To be "orphaned," "lonely" and "unworthy" is what men hate most.
Yet the princes and dukes call themselves by such names.
For sometimes things are benefited by being taken away from,
And suffer by being added to.

Others have taught this maxim,
Which I shall teach also:
"The violent man shall die a violent death."
This I shall regard as my spiritual teacher.

93] The way begets one; one begets two; two begets three;
three begets the myriad creatures.

94] The myriad creatures carry on their back the yin and
embrace in their arms the yang and are the blending of the
generative forces of the two.

95] There are no words which men detest more than "solitary",
"desolate", and "hapless", yet lords and princes use these to
refer to themselves.

96] Thus a thing is sometimes added to by being diminished and
diminished by being added to.

97] What others teach I also teach. "The violent will not come
to a natural end." I shall take this as my precept.

The softest substance of the world
Goes through the hardest.
That-which-is-without-form penetrates that-which-has-no-crevice;
Through this I know the benefit of taking no action. [71]
The teaching without words
And the benefit of taking no action
Are without compare in the universe.

71] Pervading influence of the spirit reaches everywhere, in contrast
with superficial activities which create obstacles of their own.
"That-which-is-without-form," etc., is further developed by Chuangtse
(Ch. III).

98] The most submissive thing in the world can ride roughshod
over the hardest in the world - that which is without substance
entering that which has no crevices.

99] That is why I know the benefit of resorting to no action.
The teaching that uses no words, the benefit of resorting to no
action, these are beyond the understanding of all but a very
few in the world.

Fame or one's own self, which does one love more?
One's own self or material goods, which has more worth?
Loss (of self) or possession (of goods), which is the greater evil?

Therefore: he who loves most spends most,
He who hoards much loses much.
The contented man meets no disgrace;
Who know when to stop runs into no danger -
He can long endure.

100] Your name or your person.
Which is dearer?
Your person or your goods,
Which is worth more?
Gain or loss,Which is a greater bane?
That is why excessive meanness
Is sure to lead to great expense;
Too much store
Is sure to end in immense loss.
Know contentment
And you will suffer no disgrace;
Know when to stop
And you will meet with no danger.
You can then endure.

The highest perfection is like imperfection, [72]
And its use is never impaired.
The greatest abundance seems meager,
And its use will never fail.
What s most straight appears devious,
The greatest skill appears clumsiness;
The greatest eloquence seems like stuttering.
Movement overcomes cold,
(But) keeping still overcomes heat.
Who is calm and quiet becomes the guide for the universe.

72] Because it assumes fluid form according to circumstances.

101] Great perfection seems chipped,
Yet use will not wear it out;
Great fullness seems empty,
Yet use will not drain it;
Great straightness seems bent;
Great skill seems awkward;
Great eloquence seems tongue-tied.

102] Restlessness overcomes cold; stillness overcomes heat.

103] Limpid and still,
One can be a leader in the empire.

When the world lives in accord with Tao,
Racing horses are turned back to haul refuse carts.
When the world lives not in accord with Tao,
Cavalry abounds in the countryside.

There is no greater curse than the lack of contentment.
No greater sin than the desire for possession.
Therefore he who is contented with contentment
shall be always content.

104] When the way prevails in the empire, fleet-footed horses
are relegated to ploughing the field; when the way does not
prevail in the empire, war-horses breed on the border.

105] There is no crime greater than to have too many desires;
There is no disaster greater than not being content;
There is no misfortune greater that being covetous.

105a] Hence in being content, one will always have enough.

Without stepping outside one's doors,
One can know what is happening in the world,
Without looking out of one's windows,
One can see the Tao of heaven.

The farther one pursues knowledge,
The less one knows.
Therefore the Sage knows without running about,
Understands without seeing,
Accomplishes without doing.

106] Without stirring abroad
One can know the whole world;
Without looking out of the window,
One can see the way of heaven.
The further one goes
The less one knows.

107] Therefore the sage knows without having to stir,
Identifies without having to see,
Accomplishes without having to act.

The student of knowledge (aims at) learning day by day;
The student of Tao (aims at) losing day by day.
By continual losing
One reaches doing nothing (laissez-faire).
He who conquers the world often does so by doing nothing. [73]
When one is compelled to do something, [74]
The world is already beyond his conquering.

73] By moral influence.
74]By ordering people about.

108] In the pursuit of learning one knows more every day;
in the pursuit of the way one does less every day.
One does less and less until one does nothing at all; and
when one does nothing at all there is nothing that is undone.

109] It is always through not meddling that the empire is won.
Should you meddle, then you are not equal to the task of
winning the empire.

The Sage has no decided opinions and feelings, [75]
But regards the people's opinions and feelings as his own.

The good ones I declare good;
The bad ones I also declare good.
That is the goodness of Virtue.
The honest ones I believe;
The liars I also believe;
That is the faith of Virtue.

The Sage dwells in the world peacefully, harmoniously.
The people of the world are brought into a community of heart,
And the Sage regards them all as his own children.

75] Hsin, Lit. "heart." Both thinking and feeling are denoted
by this word. It is impossible to say a "decided heart."

110] The sage has no mind of his own. He takes as his own
the mind of the people.
111] Those who are good I treat as good. Those who are not
good I also treat as good. In doing so I gain in goodness.
Those who are of good faith I have faith in. Those who are
lacking in good faith I also have faith in. I so doing I
gain in good faith.

112] The sage in his attempt to distract the mind of the
empire seeks urgently to muddle it. The people all have
something to occupy their eyes and ears, and the sage treats
them all like children.

50. The Preserving of Life

Out of life, death enters.
The organs of life are thirteen; ]76]
The companions of death are (also) thirteen.
What send man to death in this life are also (these) thirteen.
How is it so?
Because of the intense activity of multiplying life.

It has been said that the who is a good preserver of his life
Meets no tigers or wild buffaloes on land,
Is not vulnerable to weapons in the field of battle.
The horns of the wild buffalo are powerless against him.

The paws of the tiger are useless against him;
The weapons of the soldier cannot avail against him.
How is it so?
Because he is beyond death. [77]

76] According to Han Fei, the four limbs and nine external cavities.
Another orthodox reading is " three-tenths," but this makes less sense.
77] Lit. "deathless."

113] When going one way means life and going the other means
death, three in ten will be comrades of life, three in ten will
be comrades of death, and there are those who value life and as
a result move into the realm of death, and these also number
three in ten. [*]
Why is this so? Because they set too much store by life. I have
heard it said that one who excels in safeguarding his own life
does not meet with rhinoceros or tiger when travelling on land
nor is he touched by weapons when charging into an army. There
is nowhere for the rhinoceros to pitch its horn; there is nowhere
for the tiger to place its claws; there is nowhere for the weapon
to lodge its blade. Why is this so? Because for him there is no
realm of death.

*] "Three in ten" is a rough way of saying "one third".

Tao gives them birth,
Teh (character) fosters them.
The material world gives them form.
The circumstances of the moment complete them.
Therefore all things of the universe worship Tao and exalt Teh.
Tao is worshipped and Teh is exalted
Without anyone's order but is so of its own accord.

Therefore Tao gives them birth,
Teh fosters them,
Makes them grow, develops them,
Gives them a harbor, a place to dwell in peace,
Feeds them and shelter them.
It gives them birth and does not own them,
Acts (helps) and does not appropriate them,
Is superior, and does not control them.
- This is the Mystic Virtue.

114] The way gives them life;
Virtue rears them;
Things give them shape;
Circumstances bring them to maturity.

114a] Therefore the myriad creature all revere the way and
honour virtue. Yet the way is revered and virtue honored
non because this is decreed by any authority but because it
is natural for them to be treated so.

115] Thus the way gives them life and rears them;
Brings them up and nurses them;
Brings them to fruition and maturity;
Feeds and shelters them.

116] It gives them life yet claims no possession;
It benefits them yet exacts no gratitude;
It is the steward yet exercises no authority.
Such is called the mysterious virtue.

There was a beginning of the universe
Which may be regarded as the Mother of the Universe.
From the Mother, we may know her sons.
After knowing the sons, keep to the Mother.
Thus one's whole life may be preserved from harm.

Stop its apertures,
Close its doors,
And one's whole life is without toil.

Open its apertures,
Be busy about its affairs,
And one's whole life is beyond redemption.

He who can see the small is clear-sighted;
He who stays by gentility is strong.
Use the light,
And return to clear-sightedness -
Thus cause not yourself later distress.
- This is to steal the Absolute.

117] The world had a beginning
And this beginning could be the mother of the world.
When you know the mother
Go on to know the child.
Go back to holding fast to the mother,
And to the end of your days you will not meet with danger.

118] Block the openings,
Shut the doors, [*]
And all your life you will not run dry.
Unblock the openings,
Add to your troubles,
And to the end of your days you will be beyond salvation.
119] To see the small is called discernment;
To hold fast to the submissive is called strength.
Use the light
But give up the discernment.
Bring not misfortune upon your self.

119] This is known as following the constant.

*] "Openings" and "doors" refer to the senses and the intelligence.

If I were possessed of Austere Knowledge,
Walking on the Main Path (Tao),
I would avoid the by-paths.
The Main path is easy to walk on,
Yet people love the small by-paths.

The (official) courts are spic and span,
(While) the fields go untilled,
And the (people's) granaries are very low.
(Yet) clad in embroidered gowns,
And carrying find swords,
Surfeited with good food and drinks,
(They are) splitting with wealth and possessions.
- This is to lead the world toward brigandage.
Is this not corruption of Tao?

LIII

120] Were I possessed of the least knowledge, I would, when
walking on the great way, fear only paths that lead astray.
The great way is easy, yet people prefer by-paths.

121] The court is corrupt,
The fields are overgrown with weeds,
The granaries are empty;
Yet there are those dressed in fineries,
With swords at their sides,
Filled with food and drink,
And possessed of too much wealth.
This is known as taking the lead in robbery.

121a] Far indeed is this from the way.

Who is firmly established is not easily shaken.
Who has a firm grasp does not easily let go.
From generation to generation his ancestral sacrifices
Shall be continued without fail.

Cultivated in the individual, character will become genuine;
Cultivated in the family, character will become abundant;
Cultivated in the village, character will multiply;
Cultivated in the state, character will prosper;
Cultivated in the world, character will become universal.

Therefore:
According to (the character of ) the individual,
judge the individual;
According to (the character of ) the family,
judge the family;
According to (the character of ) the village,
judge the village;
According to (the character of ) the state,
judge the state;
According to (the character of ) the world,
judge the world.
How do I know the world is so.
By this. [78]

78] From within myself; or the meaning could be very well developed
in the following chapter, since the chapter division is not original.

122] What is firmly rooted cannot be pulled out;
What is tightly held in the arms will not slip loose;
Through this the offering of sacrifice by descendants
will never come to an end.

123] Cultivate it in your person
And its virtue will be genuine;
Cultivate it in the family
And its virtue will be more that sufficient;
Cultivate it in the hamlet
And its virtue will endure;
Cultivate it in the state
And its virtue will abound;
Cultivate it in the empire
And its virtue will be pervasive.

124] Hence look at the person through the person; look
at the family through the family; look at the hamlet
through the hamlet; look at the state through the state;
look at the empire through the empire.

124a] How do I know that the empire is like that?
By means of this.

Who is rich [79] in virtue
Is like a child.
No poisonous insects sting him,
No wild beasts attack him,
And no birds of prey pounce upon him.
His bones are soft, his sinews tender, yet his grip is strong.
Not knowing the union of male and female, yet his organs are complete,
Which means his vigor is unspoiled.
Crying the whole day, yet his voice never runs hoarse,
Which means his (natural) harmony is perfect.
To know harmony is to be in accord with the eternal,
(And) to know eternity is called discerning.
(But) to improve upon life is called an ill-omen;
To let go the emotions through impulse [80] is called assertiveness.
(For) things age after reaching their prime;
That (assertiveness) would be against Tao.
And he who is against Tao perishes young.

79] Lit. " thick," "heavy."
80] Hsin, lit. "mind," or "hearth."

125] One who possesses virtue in abundance is comparable
to a new born babe;
Poisonous insects will not sting it;
Ferocious animals will not pounce on it;
Predatory birds will not swoop down on it.
Its bones are weak and his sinews supple yet his hold
is firm.
It does not know of the union of the male and the female
yet its male member will stir:
This is because its virility is at its height.
It howl all day yet it does not become hoarse:
This is because its harmony is at its height.

126] To know harmony is called the constant;
To know the constant is called discernment.
To try to add to one's vitality is called ill-omened;
For the mind to egg on the breath is called violent.

127] A creature in his prime doing harm to the old
Is known as going against the way.
That which goes against the way will come to an early end. [*]

[*] This section is identical with section 70 and the text
has been emended in the same way.

He who knows does not speak;
He who speaks does not know.
Fill up its apertures,
Close its doors,
Dull its edges,
Untie its tangles,
Soften its light,
Submerge its turmoil,
- This is the Mystic Unity. [81]

Then love and hatred cannot touch him.
Profit and loss cannot reach him.
Honor and disgrace cannot affect him.
Therefore is he always the honored one of the world.

81] All submerged in the One

128] One who knows does not speak; one who speaks does
not know.

129] Block the openings,
Shut the doors.
Blunt the sharpness;
Untangle the knots;
Soften the glare.
Let your wheels move only along old ruts.

129a] This is known as mysterious sameness.

130] Hence you cannot get close to it, nor can you keep it at
arm's length; you cannot bestow benefit on it, nor can you do
it harm; you cannot ennoble it, non can you debase it.

130a] Therefore it is valued by the empire.

Rule a kingdom by the Normal.
Fight a battle by (abnormal) tactics of surprise. [82]
Win the world by doing nothing.
How do I know it is so?

Through this: -
The more prohibitions there are,
The poorer the people become.
The more sharp weapons there are,
The greater the chaos in the state.
The more skills of technique,
The more cunning [83] things are produced.
The greater the number of statutes,
The greater the number of thieves and brigands.

Therefore the sage says:
I do nothing and the people are reformed [84] of themselves.
I love quietude and the people are righteous of themselves.
I deal in no business and the people grow rich by themselves.
I have no desires and the people are simple
and honest by themselves.

82] Cheng, the normal, the straight, the righteous; ch'i,
the abnormal, the deceitful, the surprising.
83] Ch'i, same word as that used for "surprise tactics," with
implied disapproval as being not proper for ruling a kingdom.
84] Hua, touched, transformed, "civilized" by moral
influence. The best explanation of "doing nothing."

131] Govern the state by being straightforward; wage war by
being crafty; but win the empire by not being meddlesome.

131a] How do I know that it is like that? By means of this.

132] The more taboos there are in the empire
The poorer the people;
The more sharpened tools the people have
The more benighted the state;
The more skills the people have
The further novelties multiply;
The better known the laws and edicts
The more thieves and robbers there are.

133] Hence the sage says,
I take no action and the people are transformed of themselves;
I prefer stillness and the people are rectified of themselves;
I am not meddlesome and the people prosper of themselves;
I am free from desire and the people of themselves become
simple like the uncarved block.

When the government is lazy and dull,
Its people are unspoiled;
When the government is efficient and smart,
Its people are discontented.

Disaster is the avenue of fortune,
(And) fortune is the concealment for disaster.
Who would be able to know its ultimate results?
(As it is), there would never be the normal.
But the normal would (immediately) revert to the deceitful. [85]
And the good revert to the sinister.
Thus long has mankind gone astray!

Therefore the Sage is square (has firm principles),
but not cutting (sharp-cornered),
Has integrity but does not hurt (others), [86]
Is straight, but not high-handed,
Bright, but not dazzling.

85] See note [82]
86] In removing corruption by artificial laws and statutes and punishments.

134] When the government is muddled
The people are simple;
When the government is alert
The people are cunning.

135] It is on disaster that good fortune perches;
It is beneath good fortune that disaster crouches.

135a] Who knows the limit? Does not the straightforward
exist? The straightforward changes again into the crafty,
and the good changes again into the monstrous.
Indeed, it is long since the people were perplexed.

136] Therefore the sage is square-edged but does not scrape,
He corners but does not jab,
Extends himself but not at the expense of others,
Shines but does not dazzle.

In managing human affairs, there is no better rule than to be sparing. [87]
To be sparing is to forestall;
To forestall is to be prepared and strengthened;
To be prepared and strengthened is to be ever-victorious;
To be ever-victorious is to have infinite capacity;
He who has infinite capacity is fit to rule a country,
And the Mother (principle) of a ruling country can long endure.
This is to be firmly rooted, to have deep strength,
The road to immortality and enduring vision.

87] Never do too much.

137] In ruling the people and in serving heaven it is best
for a ruler to be sparing.
It is because he is sparing
That he may be said to follow the way from the start;
Following the way from the start he may be said to accumulate
an abundance of virtue;
Accumulating an abundance of virtue there is nothing he cannot
overcome;
When there is nothing he cannot overcome, no one knows his limit;
When no one knows his limit
He can possess a state;
When he possesses the mother of a state
He can the endure.
This is called the way of deep roots and firm stems by which one
lives to see many days.

Rule a big country as you would fry small fish. [88]
Who rules the world in accord with Tao
Shall find that the spirits lose their power.
It is not that the spirits lose their power,
But that they cease to do people harm.
It is not (only) that they cease to do people harm,
The Sage (himself) also does no harm to the people.
When both do not do each other harm,
The original character is restored.

88] Let alone, or the fish will become paste by constant turning about.

138] Governing a large state is like boiling a small fish .[*]

139] When the empire is ruled in accordance with the way,
The spirits loose their potencies.
Or rather, it is not that they lose their potencies,
But that, though they have their potencies, they do not harm
the people.
It is not only they who, having their potencies, do not harm
the people,
The sage also, does not harm the people.
As neither does any harm, each attributes the merit to the other.

*] This is because a small fish can be spoiled simply by being handled.

A big country (must be like) the delta low-regions,
Being the concourse of the world,
(And) the Female of the world.
The Female overcomes the Male by quietude,
And achieves the lowly position by quietude.

Therefore if a big country places itself below a small country
It absorbs [89] the small country.
(And) if a small country places itself below a big country,
It absorbs the big country.
Therefore some place themselves low to absorb (others),
Some are (naturally) low and absorb (others).
What a big country wants is but to shelter others,
And what a small country wants is but to be able to
come in and be sheltered.
Thus (considering) that both may have what they want,
A big country ought to place itself low.

89] Ch'ü, takes, conquers, overcomes, wins over.

140] A large state is the lower reaches of a river -
The place where all the streams of the world unite. [*]

141] In the union of the world,
The female always gets the better of the male by stillness.

141a] Being still, she takes the lower position.

142] Hence the large state, by taking the lower position,
annexes all the small state;
The small state, by taking the lower position, affiliates
itself to the large state.

142a] Thus the one, by taking the lower position, annexes;
The other, by taking the lower position, is annexed.
All that the large state wants is to take the other under its wing;
All that the small state wants is to have its services accepted by
the other.
If each of the two wants to find its proper place,
It is meet that the large should take the lower position.

*] cf. section 159.

Tao is the mysterious secret of the universe,
The good man's treasure,
And the bad man's refuge.
Beautiful saying can be sold at the market,
Noble conduct can be presented as a gift.
Though there be bad people,
Why reject them?

Therefore on the crowning of an emperor,
On the appointment of the Three Ministers,
Rather than send tributes of jade and teams of four horses,
Send in the tribute of Tao.
Wherein did the ancients prize this Tao?
Did they not say, "to search for the guilty ones and pardon them"?
Therefore is (tao) the treasure of the world.

143] The way is the refuge for the myriad creatures.
It is that by which the good man protects,
And that by which the bad is protected.

144] Beautiful words when offered will win high rank in
return;
Beautiful deeds can raise a man above others.

145] Even if a man is not good, why should he be abandoned?

146] Hence when the emperor is set up and the three ducal
ministers are appointed, he who makes a present of the way
without stirring from his seat is preferable to one who
offers presents of jade disks followed by a team of four
horses. Why was this way valued of old?
Was is no said that by means of it one got what one wanted
and escaped the consequences when one transgressed?

146a] Therefore it is valued by the empire.

Accomplish do-nothing.
Attend to no-affairs.
Taste the flavorless.
Whether it is big or small, many or few,
Requite hatred with virtue.
Deal with the difficult while yet it is easy;
Deal wit the big while yet it is small.
The difficult (problems) of the world
Must be dealt with while they are yet easy;
The great (problems) of the world
Must be dealt with while they are yet small.
Therefore the Sage by never dealing with great (problems)
Accomplishes greatness.

He who lightly makes a promise
Will find it often hard to keep his faith.
He who makes light of many things
Will encounter many difficulties.
Hence even the Sage regards things as difficult,
And for that reason never meets with difficulties.

147] Do that which consists in taking no action; pursue that
which is not meddlesome; savour that which has no flavour.

148] Make the small big and the few many; do good to him who
has done you an injury.

149] Lay plans for the accomplishment of the difficult before
it becomes difficult; make something big by starting with it
when small.

149a] Difficult things in the world must needs have their
beginnings in the easy; big things must have their beginnings
in the small.

150] Therefore it is because the sage never attempts to be
great that he succeeds in becoming great.

151] One who makes promises rashly rarely keeps good faith;
one who is in the habit of considering things easy meets with
frequent difficulties.

151a] Therefore even the sage treats some things as difficult.
That is why in the end no difficulties can get the better of him.

That which lies still is easy to hold;
That which is not yet manifest is easy to forestall;
That which is brittle (like ice) easily melts;
That which is minute easily scatters.
Deal with a thing before it is there;
Check disorder before it is rife.
A tree with a full span's girth begins from a tiny sprout;
A nine-storied terrace begins with a clod of earth.
A journey of a thousand li beings at one's feet.

He who acts, spoils;
He who grasps, lets slip.
Because the Sage does not act, he does not spoil,
Because he does not grasp, he does not let slip.
The affairs of men are often spoiled within an ace of completion.
By being careful at the end as at the beginning
Failure is averted.

Therefore the Sage desires to have no desire,
And values not objects difficult to obtain.
Learns that which is unlearned,
And restores what the multitude have lost.
That he may assist in the course of Nature
And not presume to interfere.

152] It is easy to maintain a situation while it is
still secure;
It is easy to deal with a situation before symptoms
develop.
It is easy to break a thing when it is yet brittle;
It is easy to dissolve a thing when it is yet minute.

152a] Deal with a thing while it is still nothing;
Keep a thing in order before disorder sets in.

153] A tree that can fill the span of a man's arms
Grows from a downy tip;
A terrace nine storeys high
Rises from hodfuls of earth;
A journey of a thousand miles
Starts from beneath one's feet.

154] Whoever does anything to it will ruin it; whoever
lays hold of it will loose it.

154a] Therefore the sage, because he does nothing, never
ruins anything; and, because he does not lay hold of
anything, looses nothing.

155] It their enterprises the people
Always ruin them when on the verge of success.
Be as careful at the end as at the beginning
And there will be no ruined enterprises.

156] Therefore the sage desires not to desire
And does not value goods which are hard to come by;
Learns to be without learning
And makes good the mistakes of the multitude
In order to help the myriad creatures to be natural and
to refrain from daring to act.

The ancients who knew how to follow the Tao
Aimed not to enlighten the people.,
But to keep them ignorant.
The reason it is difficult for the people to leave in peace
Is because of too much knowledge.
Those who seek to rule a country by knowledge
Are the nation's curse.
Those who seek not to rule a country by knowledge
Are the nation's blessing.
Those who know these two (principles)
Also know the ancient standard,
And to know always the ancient standard
Is called the Mystic Virtue.
When the Mystic Virtue becomes clear, far-reaching,
And things revert back (to their source)
Then and then only emerges the Grand Harmony.

157] Of old those who excelled in the pursuit of the way did
not use it to enlighten the people but to hoodwink them. The
reason why the people are difficult to govern is that they
are not clever.

158] Hence to rule a state by cleverness
Will be to the detriment of the state;
Not to rule a state by cleverness
Will be a boon to the state.
These two are models.
Always to know the models
Is known as mysterious virtue.
Mysterious virtue is profound and far reaching,
But when things turn back it turns back with them.

158a] Only then is complete conformity realized.

How did the great rivers and seas become the Lords
of the ravines?
By being good at keeping low.
That was how they became Lords of the Ravines. [90]
Therefore in order to be the chief among the people,
One must speak like their inferiors.
In order to be foremost among the people,
One must walk behind them.
Thus it is that the Sage stays above,
And the people do not feel his weight;
Walks in front,
And the people do not wish him harm.
Then the people of the world are glad to uphold him forever.
Because he does not contend,
No one in the world can contend against him.

90] See Chapter 6.

159] The reason why the River and the Sea are able to be king
of the hundred valleys is that they excel in taking the lower
position. Hence they are able to be king of the hundred valleys.

160] Therefore, desiring to rule over the people,
One must in one's words humble oneself before them;
And, desiring to lead the people,
One must, in one's person, follow behind them.

161] Therefore the sage takes his place over the people yet is
no burden; takes his place ahead of the people yet causes no
obstruction. That is why the empire supports him joyfully and
never tires of doing so.

162] It is because he does not contend that no one in the empire
is in a position to contend with him.

All the world says: my teaching (Tao) greatly resembles folly.
Because it is great; therefore it resembles folly.
If it did not resemble folly,
It would have long ago become petty indeed!

I have Three Treasures;
Guard them and keep them safe:
the first is Love. [91]
The second is, Never too much. [92]
The third is, Never be the first in the world.
Through Love, one has no fear;
Through not doing too much, one has amplitude
(of reserve power);
Through not presuming to be the first in the world,
One can develop one's talent and let it mature.

If one forsakes love and fearlessness,
forsakes restraint and reserve power,
forsakes following behind and rushes in front,
He is doomed!

For love is victorious in attack,
And invulnerable in defense. [93]
Heaven arms with love
Those it would not see destroyed.

91] Ts'e, tender love (associated with the mother).
92] Chien, lit. "frugality, "be sparing"; see Chapter 59.
93] See Chapters 31, 69.

163] The whole world says that my way is vast and
resembles nothing. It is because it is vast that it
resembles nothing. If it resembled anything, it would,
long before now, have become small.

164] I have three treasures
Which I hold and cherish.
The first is known as compassion,
The second is known as frugality,
The third is known as not daring to take the lead in
the empire;
Being compassionate one could afford to be courageous,
Being frugal one could afford to extend one's territory,
Not daring to take the lead in the empire one could
afford to be lord over the vessels. [*]

164a] Now, to forsake compassion for courage, to forsake
frugality for expansion, to forsake the rear for the lead,
is sure to end in death.
165] Through compassion, one will triumph in attack and be
impregnable in defence. What heaven succours it protects
with the gift of compassion.

*] i.e. officials. Cf. section 64 and the note to it.

The brave soldier is not violent;
The good fighter does not lose his temper;
The great conqueror does not fight (on small issues);
The good user of men places himself below others.
- This is the virtue of not-contending,
Is called the capacity to use men,
Is reaching to the height of being
Mated to Heaven, to what was of old.

166] One who excels as a warrior does not appear formidable;
One who excels in fighting is never roused in anger;
One who excels in defeating his enemy does not join issue;
One who excels in employing others humbles himself before them.

166a] This is known as the virtue of non-contention;
This is known as of making use of the efforts of others;
This is known as matching the sublimity of heaven.

There is the maxim of military strategists;
I dare not be the first to invade, but rather be the invaded. [94]
Dare not press forward an inch, but rather retreat a foot.
That is, to march without formations,
To roll up the sleeves,
To charge not in frontal attacks,
To arm without weapons. [95]
There is no greater catastrophe than to underestimate the enemy.
To underestimate the enemy might entail the loss of my treasures. [96]
Therefore when two equally matched armies meet,
It is the man of sorrow [97] who wins.

94] Invader and invaded, lit. "host" and "guest." It is possible
to read it differently by supplying the often dropped when.
"When I dare not be the invader, then I will be the defender."
95] Or to feel like being in this condition, i.e. the subjective
condition of humility. This is entirely consistent with Laotse's
philosophy of camouflage, the earliest in the world. Cf. "great
eloquence is like stuttering," etc., Ch.45.
96]Possibly the "three Treasures" in Ch.67.
97] Who hates killing. See Ch. 31. The correct text of the Yüh
Yüeh would make this read, "The man who yields wins."

My teachings are very easy to understand
and very easy practise,
But no one can understand them and
no one can practice them.
In my words there is a principle.
In the affairs of men there is a system.
Because they know not these,
They also know me not.
Since there are few that know me,
Therefore I am distinguished.
Therefore the Sage wears a coarse cloth on top
And carries jade within his bosom.

LXX

170] My words are very easy to understand and very easy to
put into practice, yet no one in the world can understand
them or put them into practice.

171] Words have an ancestor and affairs have a sovereign. [*]

172] It is because people are ignorant that they fail to
understand me.
Those who understand me are few;
Those who imitate [†] me are honoured.

172a] Therefore the sage, while clad in homespun, conceals
on his person a priceless piece of jade.

*] If one could grasp the "ancestor" and the "sovereign", then the
understanding of all words and all affairs will follow.
[†] The word here translated as "imitate" is the same as the word
translated as "then" in section 70. It is likely that, as in that
section, this is also a corruption of the word meaning"harm" (see
Kao, op. cit., p.140). If that is the case, it is much easier to
see the relevance of what is said about the sage in the next section.

Who knows that he does not know is the highest;
Who (pretends to) know what he does not know is sick-minded.
And who recognizes sick-mindedness as sick-mindedness
is not sick-minded.
The Sage is not sick-minded.
Because he recognizes sick-mindedness as sick-mindedness,
Therefore he is not sick-minded.

173] To know yet to think that one does not know is best;
Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.

173a] It is by being alive to difficulty that one can avoid it.
The sage meets with no difficulty. It is because he is alive to
it that he meets with no difficulty.

When people have no fear of force, [99]
Then (as is the common practice) great force descends upon them.

Despise not their dwellings,
Dislike not their progeny.
Because you do not dislike them,
You will not be disliked yourself.
Therefore the Sage knows himself, but does not show himself,
Loves himself, but does not exalt himself.
Therefore he rejects the one (force) and
accepts the other (gentility).

98] Chapters 72,73,74 and 75 are closely related in thought and
similar in construction.
99]Wei, military force or authority; sometimes also used in
connection with "God's anger." Another interpretation, "when the
people have no fear of God, then God's anger descends upon them."
But this fits not so well with the context. See next two chapters
on the futility of punishment, especially the first two lines, Ch. 74.

174] When the people lack a proper sense of awe, then some
awful visitation will descend on them.

175] Do not constrict their living space, do not press down
on their means of livelihood. It is because you do not press
down on them that they will not weary of the burden.

176] Hence the sage knows himself but does not display
himself, loves himself but does not exalt himself.

176a] Therefore he discards the one and takes the other.

Who is brave in daring (you) kill,
Who is brave in not daring (you) let live.
In these two,
There is some advantage and some disadvantage.
(Even if) Heaven dislikes certain people,
Who would know (who are to be killed and) why?
Therefore even the Sage regards it as a difficult question.
Heaven's Way (Tao) is good at conquest without strife,
Rewarding (vice and virtue) without words,
Making its appearance without call,
Achieving results without obvious design.
The heaven's net is broad and wide. [100]
With big meshes, yet letting nothing slip through. 100]

This has now become a Chinese proverb for "virtue
always rewarded, vice always punished."

177] He who is fearless in being bold will meet with his death;
He who is fearless in being timid will stay alive.
Of the two, one leads to good, the other to harm.

178] Heaven hates what it hates,
Who knows the reason why?

179] Therefore even the sage treats some things as difficult.

179] The way of heaven
Excels in overcoming though it does not contend,
In responding though it does not speak,
In attracting though it does not summon,
In laying plans though it appears slack.

179a] The net of heaven is cast wide. Though the mesh is not fine,
yet nothing ever slips through.

The people are not afraid of death;
Why threaten them with death?
Supposing that the people are afraid of death,
And we can seize and kill the unruly,
Who would dare to do so? [101]
Often it happens that the executioner is killed.
And to take the place of the executioner
Is like handling the hatchet for the master carpenter.
He who handles the hatchet for the master carpenter
seldom escapes injury to his hands.

101] Note the similarity of construction with the first
five lines of Chapter 73.

180] When the people are not afraid of death, wherefore
frighten them with death? Were the people always afraid of
death, and were I able to arrest and put to death those who
innovate, then who would dare?
There is a regular executioner whose charge is to kill.
To kill on behalf of the executioner is what is described
as chopping wood on behalf of the master carpenter. In
chopping wood on behalf of the master carpenter, there are
few who escape hurting their own hands instead.

When people are hungry,
It is because their rulers eat too much tax-grain.
Therefore the unruliness of hungry people
Is due to the interference of their rulers.
That is why they are unruly.
The people are not afraid of death,
Because they are anxious to make a living.
That is why they are not afraid of death.
It is those who interfere not with their living
That are wise in exalting life.

181] The people are hungry;
It is because those in authority eat up too much in taxes
That the people are hungry.
The people are difficult to govern:
It is because those in authority are too fond of action
That the people are difficult to govern.
The people treat death lightly:
It is because the people see too much store by life
That they treat death lightly.

181a] It is just because one has no use for life that one
is wiser that the man who values life.

When man is born, he is tender and weak;
At death, he is hard and stiff.
When the things and plants are alive, they are soft
and supple;
When they are dead, they are brittle and dry.
Therefore hardness and stiffness are the companions of death,
And softness and gentleness are the companions of life.

Therefore when an army is headstrong, [102] it will lose in a battle.
When a tree is hard, it will be cut down.
The big and strong belong underneath.
The gentle and weak belong at the top. [103]

102] Ch'iang means "stiff," "strong," and "headstrong."
103] As with twigs and trunks.

182] A man is supple and weak when living, but hard and stiff
when dead. Grass and tree are pliant and fragile when living,
but dried and shrivelled when dead.
Thus the hard and the strong are the comrades of death; the
supple and the weak are the comrades of life.

183] Therefore a weapon that is strong will not vanquish;
A tree that is strong will suffer the axe.
The strong and big takes the lower position,
The supple and weak takes the higher position. [*]

*] Throughout the chapter the words used in the Chinese are jou and
ch'iang, but in translation the former is translated as "supple" and
as "pliant", while the latter is translated as "stiff" and as "strong".
Elsewhere in the book, jou is also translated as "submissive".

The Tao (way) of Heaven,
Is it not like the bending of a bow?
The top comes down and the bottom-end goes up,
The extra (length) is shortened, the insufficient (width) is expanded.
It is the way of Heaven to take away from those that have too much
And give to those that have not enough.
Not so with man's way:
He takes from those that have not
And gives it as tribute to those that have too much.
Who can have enough and to spare to give to the entire world?
Only the man of Tao.
Therefore the Sage acts, but does not possess,
Accomplishes but lays claim to no credit,
Because he has no wish to seem superior.

184] Is not the way of heaven like the stretching [*] of a bow?
The high it presses down,
The low it lifts up;
The excessive it takes from,
The deficient it gives to.

184a] It is the way of heaven to take from what has in excess
in order to make good what is deficient. The way of man is
otherwise. It takes from those who are in want in order to
offer this to those who already have more than enough. Who is
there that can take what he himself has in excess and offer
this to the empire?
Only he who has the way.

185] Therefore the sage benefits them yet exacts no gratitude,
Accomplishes his task yet lays claim to no merit.

185a] Is this not because he does not wish to be considered a
better man than others?

*] In order to test the bow and to correct any faults that may appear.

There is nothing weaker than water
But none is superior to it in overcoming the hard,
For which there is no substitute.
That weakness overcomes strength
And gentleness overcomes rigidity,
No one does not know;
No one can put into practice.

Therefore the Sage says:
"Who receives unto himself the calumny of the world
Is the preserver of the state.
Who bears himself the sins of the world
Is king of the world."
Straight words seem crooked.

186] In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak
than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong
nothing can surpass it. This is because there is nothing that
can take its place.

187] That the weak overcomes the strong,
And the submissive overcomes the hard,
Everyone in the world knows yet no one can put this knowledge
into practice.

188] Therefore the sage says,
One who takes on himself the humiliation of the state
Is called a ruler worthy of offering sacrifices to the gods
of the earth and millet; [*]
One who takes on himself the calamity of the state
Is called a king worthy of dominion over the entire empire.

189] Straightforward words
Seem paradoxical.

*] Each state has its own shrines to the gods of earth and millet,
and a state remains independent only so long as its ruler is able
to maintain these shrines.

Patching up a great hatred is sure to leave some hatred behind.
How can this be regarded as satisfactory?
Therefore the Sage holds the left tally, [104]
And does not put the guilt on the other party.
The virtuous man is for patching up;
The vicious is for fixing guilt. [105]
But "the way of Heaven is impartial;
It sides only with the good man." [106]

104] Sign of inferiority in an agreement.
105] Wang Pi's commentary: "for pointing out faults."
106] An ancient quotation appearing in many ancient texts.

190] When peace is made between great enemies,
Some enmity is bound to remain undispelled.
How can this be considered perfect?

191] Therefore the sage takes the left-hand tally, [*]
but exacts no payment from the people.
The man of virtue takes charge of the tally;
The man of no virtue takes charge of exaction.[†]

192 It is the way of heaven to show no favouritism.
It is forever on the side of the good man.

*] The left-hand tally is the half held by the creditor.
†] The reading ch'e "exaction" here is difficult. It is possible
that Kao is right in suggesting that it should be amended to sha,
"to kill" (op. cit., p. 150). If that is the case the translation
will become "takes charge of execution".

(Let there be) a small country with a small population,
Where the supply of goods are tenfold or hundredfold,
more than they can use.
Let the people value their lives [107] and not migrate far.
Though there be boats and carriages,
None be there to ride them.
Though there be armor and weapons,
No occasion to display them.
Let the people again tie ropes for reckoning,
Let them enjoy their food,
Beautify their clothing,
Be satisfied with their homes,
Delight in their customs.
The neighboring settlements overlook one another
So that they can hear the barking of dogs and crowing
of cocks of their neighbors,
And the people till the end of their days shall never
have been outside their country.

Lit. "death."

193] Reduce the size and population of the state. Ensure that
even though the people have tools of war for a troop or a
battalion they will not use them; and also that they will be
reluctant to move to distant places because they look on death
as no light matter.

193a] Even when they have ships and carts, they will have no
use for them; and even when they have armour and weapons, they
will have no occasion to make a show of them.

193b] Bring it about that the people will return to the use of
the knotted rope,
Will find relish in their food,
And beauty in their clothes,
Will be content in their abode
And happy in the way they live.

193c] Though adjoining states are within sight of one another,
and the sound of dogs barking and cocks crowing in one state
can be heard in another, yet the people of one state will grow
old and die without having had any dealing with those of another.

True words are not fine-sounding;
Fine-sounding words are not true.
A good man does not argue;
he who argues is not a good man.
The wise one does not know many things;
He who knows many things is not wise.

The Sage does not accumulate (for himself).
He lives for other people,
And grows richer himself;
He gives to other people,
And has greater abundance.

The Tao of Heaven
Blesses, but does not harm.
The Way of the Sage
Accomplishes, but does not contend.

194] Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not
truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are
not good. He who knows has no wide learning; he who has wide
learning does not know.

195] The sage does not hoard.
Having bestowed all he has on others, he has yet more;
Having given all he has on others, he is richer still.

196] The way of heaven benefits and does not harm; the way
of the sage is bountiful and does not contend.