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I tis when closest blood relations are at strife with one noth that we have talk of dutiful children and devoted parents；
It is not until the country is racked with strife and disorder that they patriots spring up。
But in the Tao is balance；
And when the Tao is abandoned； what conflicts！
19
Give up holiness； cast away cleverness；
And the people will be ahundredfold better off；
Give up duty to your neighbour； cast away morality；And the people will return to neighbourliness and family…
feeling1
Give up atsitic cleverness； cast away profit …making；
And there will be no more thieves and robbers。
But if in following thesethree precepts the people are not satisfied：
Take care that they are given things to hold on to …
Let them be shown Simplicity；
Let them hold fast to Purity。
Thus will self…seking diminish；
Thus will desirelessness be attained。
20
Give up accumulating knowledge； and you will free yourself from many cares。
After all； what is the diference between 〃Yes〃 and Yes； indeed〃？
Can it be compared with the difference between Good and Evil？
〃What others fear one may not with impunity disregard；〃 people say。
What a dark wilderness divides them from me！
I see men smiling and gay； as if the were taking part in a great festival；
Or mounting a tower to celebrate the coming of Spring。
While I alone am quiet； making no sign；
Like a baby not yet old enough to smile；
Or a tired traveller who has no home to turn to。
The common people live in plenty；
It is only I who seem emptied of everything。
Truly； my heart seems to be theheart of a fool；
So bewildered am I！
The people about me are bright； so bright：
Only I seem to be dull and cast down。
The people about me are so eager and so knowing：
Only I am sad； so sad。
I am restless as the waves of the sea；
I am unmoored； drifting； as one attached to nothing。
All other people have something they are able to do：
Only I am unpractical； like a good…for…nothing。
I alone an unlike other men；
For I hold it of worth to seek nourishment from the all…sustaining Mother。
21
The greatest virtue is but a manifestatio of the Tao。
The Tao itself is intangible； invisible； ungraspable。
Intangible； invisible； ungraspable；
Yet pregnant of things。
Dark； unfathomable；
Yet holding seed。
This seed is truth；
And in this truth is faith。
From immemorial time till now
Its nameless name and nature have not changed。
From it proceed all manifested things。
And how do I know that such is the origin of all manifested things？
How else than through the Tao？
22
〃If in humility you adapt yourself； you will remain complete。〃
If bent； you will become straight again；
If emptied； you willbecome full again；
If worn； you will be renewed。
He who has little may receive；
He who has much may be embarrassed。
Thus it is that the Sage embraces the One Tao and is an example for the world。
He does not seek to shine： therefore he is illumined。
He does not rpide himself on being rihgt： therefore his rightness speaks for itself。
He does not sing his own praises： therefore he succeeds。
He does not boast of what he achieves： therefore his work endures。
He contends with none： therefore no one in the world contends with him。
Thus； the Ancients' saying； 〃If in humility you adapt yourself you will remain complete；〃 was no empty precept。
For he alone attains completion who； yielding； returns home to the Tao。
23
To be moderate in talk is according to nature。
A hurricane does not blow all morning；
A rain…storm does not last all day。
What is it that makes the wind to blow； the rain to pour down？
Heaven…and…Earth！
Is such actions as these of Heaven…and…Earth do not go on forever；
How much less should the actions of men！
Therefore： He who acts with the Tao is identified with the Tao；
He who acts in Virtue is identified with Virtue；
He who fails through abandoning Virtue is identified with failure。
Conform to the Tao； and the Tao will receive you gladly；
Identify yourself with Virtue； and Virtue will receive you gladly；
Identify yourself with failure； and failure will receive you gladly。
And truly； if your faith is not strong enough； you will not meet with faith。
24
〃If you stand on tiptoe you will not stand firm。
With legs astride； you will not go forward。〃
Make a display of yourself and you will not shine；
If you assert yourself you wil not therefore be distinguished。
If you vaunt yourself you will not acquire merit。
If you glorify yourself you will not excel。
Such excesses； viewed from the Tao；
Are like excess in eating or unmannerly behaviour；
Which everywhere arouse distaste。
The man of Tao gives them short shrift。
25
Before Heaen and Earth came into existence
There was That which though formless was complete。
Silent！ Still！ Unfathomable！
It stands alone； unchanging！
All…pervading； inexhaustible！
One may think of it as the Mother of the Universe。
What its real name is I do not know：
If I name it； I call it the Tao。
If I classify it； I call it Supreme。
Supreme means ever in flow；
Ever in flow means going far away；
Going far away means returning to the source。
Therefore we may say：
The Tao is supreme；
Heaven too is supreme；
The Earth is supreme。
A ruler of men may also be supreme。
There are four things that are supreme； and a ruler of men is one of them。
Man follows the standards of the Earth；
The Earth follows the standards of Heaven；
Heaven follows the standards of the Tao。
The Tao follows its own standard。
26
At the root of lightness must be weightiness；
The master of activity is stillness。
Therefore a nobleman； though he travelled all day long；
would not allow himself to be separated from the waggon
bearing his luggage。
And however splendid were the sights surrounding him；
He would rest content in quiet solitude。
How much less should a king； with his myriad chariots；
Allow himself to be lightly swayed？
Through light behaviour he would lose his roots；
Through restlessness he would lose control。
27
The perfect traveller leaves no tracks behind him；
The perfect speaker leaves no cause for error；
The perfect reckoner has no need of counters；
The perfect watchman has no need of bolts or bars；
Yet none can open the door；
The perfect binder has no need of cords or twine；
Yet none can unfasten after him。
Thus it is with the Sage：
He is always the perfect saviour of men；
By him is no man rejected。
He is always the perfect saviour of creatures；
By him is no creature rejected。
His method is called the Twofold Enlightenment。
He makes the perfect man the instructor of the imperfect；
The imperfect man is the ；a