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And since they can抰 be recognized；
One can but strain to picture them：
Wary； as if wading a winter river；
Watchful； as if threatened from all sides；
Stately and restrained； like a guest；
Smooth and even； like melting ice；
Impassive； even as the spacious sea；
Unfettered； like a restless windstorm；
Rough and solid； like an unwrought bole；
Compact and dense； like something unrefined；
Wide and open…stretching； like a vale。
If sullied they kept calm and stayed pure；
If secure they moves with care and stayed alive。 But who can do so now？
Those who embrace the Way do not grow too great；
And thus survive and overcome defeat。
16
By reaching utmost receptivity
And keeping steadfast stability；
I； as myriads come forth in profusion；
Contemplate their circulation。
All multiply in fruitful growth；
Then bend homeward to their root。
This going home call equilibrium；
Equilibrium； returning life；
Returning life； call natural order；
To know this order； inner vision。
Not to know it is delusion。
Delusion will produce misfortune。
Knowing order means acceptance；
Acceptance； magnanimity；
Magnanimity； totality；
Totality； accord with Heaven；
Accord with heaven； with the Way；
With the Way； long…lasting life；
The self submerged will not miscarry。
17
The best of ancient kings were in their kingdoms hardly known；
Next the patriarchs； loved and widely praised。
Next again those the people feared。
Last come those whose abuse they endured；
Who unworthy of trust were met with distrust。
What care the ancients took with every word。
Of tasks fulfilled and works of merit done
The hundred families all declared；
揟his was no one抯 doing but our own。？br》
18
And when the olden way of rule declined；
The words for love and serve came in。
Next came knowledge and keen thought；
Advent of lying； sham； and fraud。
When kinsmen lost their kind concord；
They honoured child… and parent…love。
In dark disorder ruling houses
Turned to loyal devoted vassals。
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Refuse the wise； dismiss the intellects；
The folk will reap a hundredfold；
Refuse kin…kindness； dismiss due service；
The folk again will love as child and parent；
Refuse craft…skill； reject all gain；
No thief no robber will be found ？br》 These three as text do not suffice。
Commandments must be put in practice：
Plain appearance； humble habits；
Owning little； craving less。
Reject the teaching of the young
And thereby suffer no distress。
20
How distant from condemn consent？
Disgust； delight； how different？
He whom others fear；
He too has to fear。
All is beyond reach and never…ending。
High in sprits seems the crowd；
Like celebrants at a sacrifice；
Or viewers on the spring…rite stand。
I alone； adrift with no signs of hope；
Deserted and without appeal；
Am simple as a newborn before it smiles；
Dejected like someone without a home。
The crowd seems sunny an inspired；
I am sullen and low；
And my heart without guile。
The crowd； so busy and eager；
I； drawn into myself；
Impassive； even as the spacious sea； unfettered； like a restless wind。
The crowd has more than it needs；
I am left untended。
The crowd has its ways and its means；
I am set in my ways and despised。
Alone and apart from all others；
I honour the life…giving mother。
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Boundless virtue all…accepting
Attends the Way； the Way alone。
Assuming form； the Way reveals
Shapes half…seen and then half…hid。
In dark half…lit； a likening；
In light half…dark； forms visible；
Hidden within； the germ of life；
The germ of life； no thing more real：
It contains a thing to trust。
From present time to ancient day
These names have never been forgotten；
Through them we can scrutinize
The myriad millions？genesis。
How do we know of their formation？
Through the virtue of the Way。
22
Bend to not break。
Wrong leads to right；
Depletion to expansion；
Ruin to revival；
Deprivation to acquisition。
Thus the wise hold fast to oneness；
Their measure for this world below；
They make no display and thus shed light；
Put forward no claim and thus set patterns；
Do not advance and thus succeed；
Do not assert and thus preside。
By their refusal to contend
The world cannot with them contend。
Those ancient words 揃end to not break？br》 Have pith and point
Truly those unbroken credit them。
揝pare speech and let things be。？br》
23
The whirlwind抯 spent before the morning ends；
The storm will pass before the day is done。
Who made them； wind and storm？ Heaven and earth。
If heaven itself cannot storm for long；
What matter； then； the storms of man？
But those who attend and serve the Way
Correspond to the Way；
Those who attend and serve the power
Correspond to the power；
Those who decline and attend and serve them
Correspond to their decline。
Those who correspond to the Way
The Way will favour；
And those who correspond to its decline
The Way will decline to favour。
揟hose unworthy of trust are met with distrust。？br》
24
How long can you stand up on your toes？
How far walk with stretching stride？
Self…display does not illumine；
Self…justifying sets no pattern；
Self…advancement won抰 succeed；
Self…assertion cannot lead。
In terms of Dao； as has been said；
揕ike food discarded； excess actions
Provoke repugnance。？br》 Dao…keepers will indeed avoid them。
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Manifesting material in form unshaped；
Born before heaven and earth themselves；
Unseen； unheard； above； apart；
Standing alone ever true to itself；
Swinging in cycles that never fail；
Mother of heaven and earth； it seems；
But I know not how to give it names。
Pressed； I shall dub it the moving Way；
Or call it by name the all…supreme；
All…supreme and passing…beyond；
Passing beyond and reaching…far；
Reaching…far and reverting…back。
Indeed the Way is all…supreme；
And heaven too； and earth； and man ？br》 The four things in this world supreme；
And among them one is man；
Who is bound to follow the rule of earth；
And earth must follow heaven抯 rule；
And heaven the rule of the Way itself；
And the moving Way is following
The self…momentum of all becoming。
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As weight anchors lightness
And calm governs impulse；
The wise leader； all day on the march；
Stays by his stockage train
Within his guarded cordon；
Safely positioned； beyond harm抯 reach。
Could the lord of ten thousand wagons of war
Risk his own self for the sake of the world？
Let such lightness lose him his anchoring base？
Such impulse his rule？
27
Expert marching leaves no trails；
Expert wording