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of the living。
A mighty army
can to fall
by its own weight；
Just as dry wood
is ready
for the ax。
The mighty
and great
will be put low；
The humble
and weak
will be raised high。
77
Maybe
the Laws of the Universe （Tao）
may be compared
to the
stretching
of a bow！
The upper part is depressed；
while the lower is raised。
If the bow…string is too long；
it is cut short：
if too short；
it is added to。
The Laws of the Universe （Tao）
makes smaller
the more…than…enough
to supply
the less than enough。
The way of people
is different：
it takes
from the poor
to give
the rich。
Who except
a person of the Tao （ the Laws of the Universe ） can put
their never ending riches
to the service of the world？
The Complete Thinker
does work
without setting any store by it；
accomplishes tasks
without dwelling upon them。
They do not want their merits to be seen。
78
Nothing in the world
is softer and weaker
than water；
But；
for attacking
the hard and strong；
there is nothing like it！
For nothing
can take its place。
That the weak
overcomes the strong；
and the soft
overcomes the hard；
This is something
known by all；
but practiced
by none。
The Complete Thinker says：
To receive
the dirt of a country
is to be
the lord of its soil…shrines。
to hold up under
the disasters of a country
is to be
the prince of the world。
（ To be strong in the face of discrace and disaster； is to be truly Noble。）
Indeed；
the Truth
sound like its opposite！
79
When a great wound
is healed；
There will still
remain a scar。
Can this be
a desirable thing？
The Complete Thinker；
holding the left…hand tally
（ the count of things to come）；
Performs
their part
of the agreement；
But puts
no demands
on others。
The virtuous （powerful）
do their work；
The virtue…less （powerless）
knows only to put
taxes on the people。
The Laws of the Universe （Tao）
have no private feelings；
But
always agrees
with the constructive。
80
Ah； for a small country
with a small population
！ Though there are
very handy mechanical inventions；
the people
have no use for them。
Let them notice death
and not go to far away places。
Ships and tanks；
and weapons of war；
there may still be；
but there are no occasions
for using or displaying them。
Let the people go back to sending messages by knotting cords。
（Let nothing be urgent）
See to it that they are
happy with their food；
pleased with their clothing；
satisfied with their houses；
and use the simple ways of living。
Though there may be
another country so close
that they are in sight of each other
and the crowing of cocks
and barking of dogs
in one place
can be heard in the other；
yet there is no traffic
between them；
and throughout their lives
the two peoples
have nothing to do with each other。
81
Honest words
are not sweet；
Sweet words
are not honest。
Good people
are not bad…tempered；
The bad…tempered
are not good。
The wise
do not think of themselves
as knowing more than others；
the ones
who think of themselves
as knowing more than others
are not wise。
The Complete Thinker
does not collect riches。
The more they lives for others；
The fuller is their life。
The more they give；
the more they win。
The Laws of the Universe （Tao）
are to help；
not to hurt。
The Way of the Complete Thinker
is to do their duty；
not to compete
with anyone。
English_Waley_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese … English by
Arthur Waley； 1934
1
The Way that can be told of is not an Unvarying Way；
The names that can be named are not unvarying names。
It was from the Nameless that Heaven and Earth sprang；
The named is but the mother that rears the ten thousand creatures； each after its kind。
Truly； 揙nly he that rids himself forever of desire can see the Secret Essences？
He that has never rid himself of desire can see only the Outcomes。
These two things issued from the same mould； but nevertheless are different in name。
This 搒ame mould？we can but call the Mystery；
Or rather the 揇arker than any Mystery？
The Doorway whence issued all Secret Essences。
2
It is because every one under Heaven recognizes beauty as beauty；
That the idea of ugliness exists。
And equally if every one recognized virtue as virtue；
this would merely create fresh conceptions of wickedness。
For truly； Being and Not…being grow out of one another；
Difficult and easy complete one another。
Long and short test one another；
High and low determine one another。
Pitch and mode give harmony to one another。
Front and back give sequence to one another。
Therefore the Sage relies on actionless activity；
Carries on wordless teaching；
But the myriad creatures are worked upon by him；
He does not disown them。
He rears them； but does not lay claim to them；
Controls them； but does not lean upon them；
Achieves his aim； but does not call attention to what he does；
And for the very reason that he does not call attention to what he does
He is not ejected from fruition of what he has done。
3
If we stop looking for 損ersons of superior morality？（hsien） to put in power；
There will be no more jealousies among the people。
If we cease to set store by products that are hard to get；
There will be no more thieves。
If the people never see such things as excite desire；
Their hearts will remain placid and undisturbed。
Therefore the Sage rules
By emptying their hearts
And filling their hearts？
Weakening their intelligence
And toughening their sinews
Ever striving to make the people knowledgeless and desireless。
Indeed he sees to it that if there be any who have knowledge；
They dare not interfere。
Yet through his actionless activity all things are duly regulated。
4
The Way is like an empty vessel
That yet may be drawn from
Without ever needing to be filled。
It is bottomless； the very progenitor of all things in the world。
In it all sharpness is blunted；
All tangles untied；
All glare tempered；
All dust soothed。
It is like a deep pool that never dries。
Was it too the child of something else？
We cannot tell。
But as a substanceless image it existed before the Ancestor。
5
Heaven and Earth are ruthless；
To them the Ten Thousand things are but as straw dogs。
The Sage too is ruthless；
To