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and yet try to be courageous；
And if you abandon this frugality；
And yet try to be generous；
And if you abandon this staying behind
And yet try to be first。
Then you will die
If with compasssion you attack； you will win；
If you defend； then you will stand firm。
When Heaven is about to establish him；
It is as though he surrounds him
with the protective wall of compassion。
68
Using men
Therefore； one who is good at being a warrior；
Does not make a show of his might；
One who is a good in battle does not get angry；
One who is good at defeating the enemy
Does not engage him。
And one who is goed at using men
Places himself below them。
This is called the Virtue of not competing；
This is called the ability to deal with people。
This is called matching Heaven。
It is the high point of the past。
69
Ambush
Those who use weapons have a saying which goes：
〃I do not presume to act like the host
but instead play the part of the guest；
I do not advance and inch
but would rather retreat a foot〃。
This is called moving forward
without appearing to move …
Rolling up one's sleeves
without showing one's arms …
Grasping firmly； without holding a weapon …
And enticing to fight when there is no opponent。
Of disasters； there is no greater catastrophe
Than thinking you have no rival。
To think you have no rival；
Is to come close to losing my treasures。
Therefore when weapons are raised；
and opponents are fairly well matched；
Then is the one who feels grief that will win。
70
Individuality
My words are easy to understand
and easy to put in practice；
Yet no one in the world do understand them；
And no one put them into practice。
Now； my words have an ancestor。
And my deeds have a lord。
And it is simply because ＇people＇
have no understanding ＇of them＇；
That they therefore do not understand me。
But when those who understand me are few；
Then I am of great value。
Therefore the sage wears coarse woolen cloth
But inside it； he holds on to jade。
71
Sickness
To know that you do not know is best。
Not to know that you do not know is a sickness。
Therefore the Sage is not sick。
The sage is not sick because he is sick of sickness。
Therefore； he is not sick。
72
Diplomacy
When the people do not respect those in power；
Then what they greatly fear； is about to arrive。
Do not narrow the size of the places in which they live；
Do not oppress them in their means of livelihood。
It is simply because you do not oppress them；
That they therefore will not be fed up。
Therefore the sage knows himself
but does not show himself；
He cherishes himself but does not value himself。
For this reason he lets go of that and chooses this。
73
Fate
If you are brave in being daring； You will be killed。
If you are brave in not being daring； you will preserve life。
With these two things； in one case there is profit；
In the other there is harm。
The things that Heaven hates … Who knows why？
The Tao of Heaven is not to fight
And yet to be good at winning …
Not to speak； and yet to respond with skills …
Not to summon it； yet to let it come on its own …
To be at ease and yet to plan with care。
the Even age is unsure of this。
Heaven's net casts wide。
Though its meshes are course；
nothing slips through。
74
Tyranny
If the people were constant in their behaviour
and yet did not fear to die；
How could you use execution to threaten them？
If you brought it about that the people
were constant in their behaviour
en moreover feared to die；
And we took those who behaved in abnormal ways
and killed them …
Who would dare act in this way？
If the people are constant and moreover necessarily fear to die；
Then we constantly have one in charge of executions。
Now killing people in place of the one in charge of executions；
This is like cutting wood in place of the master carpenter。
And of those who cut wood in the place of the master carpenter； only few do not hurt their hands。
75
Extremis
The reason why people starve；
Is because they take so much in tax…grain。
Therefore the people are starving。
The reason why the common people cannot be ruled；
Is because their superiors have their reasons for acting。
Therefore they cannot be ruled。
The reason why people take death lightly；
Is because they so avidly seek after life。
Therefore the people take death lightly。
Only those who do not act for the purpose of living …
Only those are superior to those who value life。
76
Flexability
When people are born； they are supple and soft；
When they die； they end up stretched and stiff；
When the ten thousand things； grasses and trees are alive；
They are supple and pliant；
When they are death they are withered and dried out。
Therefore we say that the firm and rigid
are the companions of death；
While the supple； the soft； the weak and the delicate
are the companions of life。
If a soldier is rigid； he will not win；
If a tree is rigid； it will come to its end。
Rigidity and power occupy the inferior position；
Suppleness； softness； weakness and delicateness
77
Balance
The Tao of Heaven is like the bending of a bow。
The high it presses down； and the low it raises up。
To those with a surplus； it takes away；
To those without enough； it adds on。
Therefore the way of Heaven
is to reduce the excessive
and increase the insufficient；
The way of Man …
Is to reduce the insufficient
and offer more to the excessive。
Now； who is able to have a surplus
And use it to offer to Heaven？
Clearly it is only the one who possesses Tao。
Therefore the Sage …
Takes action； but do not possess them；
Accomplishes his tasks … but does not dwell on them。
Like this； is his desire
Not to make a display of his worthyness。
78
Accept responsability
In the whole world nothing is softer
and weaker than water。
And yet for attacking the solid and strong；
nothing can beat it；
Because there is nothing that can replace it。
That water can defeat the strong …
That the weak can defeat the strong …
There is no one in the world that does not know it；
and yet there is no one who can put it into practice。
For this reason； the words of the Sage say：
To take on yourself the disgrace of the state …
This is called being the lord of earth and grain；
To assume responsability for all ill…omened events in the state …
This is called being the king of the World。
Correct words seem to say the reverse
Of what you expect them to say。
79
Reconciliat