He　won抰　fight
  And　therefore　he　is　impeccable
  9
  It　is　better　to　carry　an　empty　barrel　than　a　full　one
  Sharpen　a　knife　until　it　is　razor…sharp　and　it　won抰　last　long
  When　a　house　is　filled　with　valuables；　it　is　impossible　to　guard
  When　wealth　and　ambition　make　one　arrogant；　it　will　lead　to　a　fall
  When　fame　and　success　menace　you；　pull　back
  That抯　the　only　road　to　true　bliss
  10
  Can　you　empty　your　head　and　lastingly　lose　yourself　in　Creation？
  Can　you　live　up　to　your　nature　and　become　like　a　child？
  Can　you　purify　the　doors　of　perception　and　see　clearly　again？
  Can　you　love　your　fellow　man　and　serve　mankind　disinterestedly？
  Can　you　go　in　and　out　of　the　narrow　gate　without　any　effort？
  Can　you　be　in　the　world　without　being　possessed　by　it？
  Can　you　realize　that　you　can抰　know　anything　and　therefore　understand　everything？
  Nature　brings　forth　everything　and　feeds　everything
  She　brings　forth　but　possesses　nothing
  She　does　everything　disinterestedly　and　asks　for　nothing
  She　leads　but　demands　nothing
  That　is　what　people　call　the　incomprehensibility　of　Nature
  11
  Thirty　spokes　unite　within　the　nave
  But　the　wheel　is　only　useful　because　of　the　cavity　inside　the　nave
  Clay　is　kneaded　into　vases
  But　the　utility　is　determined　by　the　cavity
  When　building　a　house　they　leave　blank　spots　in　the　walls　for　doors　and　windows
  But　the　utility　of　the　house　depends　on　the　cavity　inside
  Therefore；　that　which　exists　is　useful
  But　the　cavity　makes　it　possible
  12
  All　those　artificial　colours　blind　people抯　eyes
  All　that　man…made　music　deafens　people's　ears
  All　those　various　flavours　dull　our　taste
  Horse　races　and　hunting　drive　people　crazy
  The　desire　for　scarce　goods
  Hinders　people　from　going　on　the　straight　and　simple　path
  Therefore　the　wise　finds　his　satisfaction
  In　feeding　himself　and　then　he　won抰　exhaust　his　eyes
  Therefore　he　does　this　and　leaves　that
  13
  Watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism
  Honour　and　misfortune　are　as　disastrous　as　having　character
  What　does　that　say？
  Watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism？
  Watch　out　for　gratitude；　because　it　originates　from　submission
  Watch　out　for　criticism；　because　it　comes　from　superior　power
  Therefore；　watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism
  What　does　it　mean　that　honour　and　misfortune　are　as　bad　as　having　character？
  Disasters　come　over　us　because　we抳e　got　something　to　lose
  If　we　had　nothing　to　lose；　which　disasters　could　still　strike　us？
  Therefore：　to　him　who　considers　himself　just　as　worthy　as　the　world；
  Mankind　can　entrust　the　world
  And　to　him　who　loves　himself　and　the　world　just　as　unconditionally；
  Mankind　can　entrust　the　care　for　the　world
  14
  We　look　at　it　but　we　do　not　see　it　and　we　call　it　the　invisible
  We　listen　to　it　but　don抰　hear　it　and　we　call　it　the　inaudible
  We　grope　at　it　but　never　touch　it　and　we　call　it　the　untouchable
  The　invisible；　the　inaudible　and　the　untouchable　come　together　in　one
  There　is　no　light　when　it　rises
  There　is　no　darkness　when　it　descends
  Continuously；　constantly；　but　it　cannot　be　put　into　words
  And　it　returns　to　nothing
  This　is　what　they　call　the　form　of　the　formless；　the　image　of　the　invisible
  People　call　it　indefinite　and　impalpable
  You　won抰　see　it　from　the　front
  You　won抰　see　it　from　behind
  One　who　lives　after　their　original　conscience；　lives　in　the　present
  And　understands　everything　that　has　ever　been
  That　is　living　according　to　nature
  15
  The　wise　of　old　were　profound　and　acute
  People　thought　of　them　as　unfathomable
  Because　they　where　unfathomable；　I抣l　try　to　sketch　their　way　of　living：
  They　seemed　cautious；　like　people　who　cross　a　wintry　river
  They　seemed　irresolute；　as　if　danger　was　threatening　everywhere
  They　seemed　dignified；　as　if　they　where　guests
  They　seemed　natural；　like　raw　wood
  They　seemed　empty；　like　a　valley
  They　seemed　opaque；　like　muddy　water
  How　can　one　make　muddy　water　clear？
  Stagnation　will　settle　the　mud　down　and　the　water　will　become　clear
  Let　everything　happen　as　it　happens　and　you　will　come　to　rest
  The　head　of　the　wise　is　empty；　he　does　not　search　for　anything　and　expects　nothing
  He　is　empty；　everlasting；　youthful　and　not　caught　in　time
  He　is　perfect
  16
  One　who　has　an　empty　head　is　satisfied；　One　who　is　satisfied　has　an　empty　head
  All　creatures　exert　and　come　to　rest
  All　plants　grow　to　maturity　and　come　to　rest
  That　final　rest　is　what抯　called　being　done；　completion
  Returning　to　nature　is　what抯　called　eternal　life
  Living　in　the　present　is　called　being　enlightened
  One　who　is　not　enlightened　lives　in　confusion　and　misery
  One　who　lives　according　to　his　nature　understands　everything　and　is　forbearing
  One　who　is　forbearing　is　righteous
  One　who　is　righteous　is　royal
  One　who　is　royal　is　divine
  One　who　is　divine　knows　oneself
  One　who　knows　oneself　has　eternal　life
  One　who　has　eternal　life　is　not　afraid　to　die
  17
  Of　the　wise　of　old；　people　only　knew　that　they　existed
  Later　on　they　loved　them　and　admired　them
  Thereafter　they　got　scared　of　them
  And　finally　the　wise　were　seen　as　despicable
  One　who　can抰　trust　oneself；　can抰　trust　another
  How　cautious　were　the　first　with　their　words
  They　proceeded　so　cautiously　that　when　they　where　done
  The　people　thought　they　did　it　themselves
  18
  When　people　deviate　from　their　nature
  Friendliness　and　righteousness　became　merits　to　be　earned
  Knowledge　and　cleverness　came　into　being　and　lying　started　to　rule
  Relatives　came　into　conflict　with　each　other　and　loving　each　other　became　a　duty
  Cause　when　mankind　and　families　get　confused
  Allegiance　becomes　an　order
  19
  Dispose　yourself　of　worldly　knowledge　and　cleverness
  And　it　will　only　be　good　for　mankind
  Stop　pretending　to　be　nice　and　fair；　but　be　it
  Then　people　will　love　each　other　unconditionally
  Dispose　yourself　of　the　work　of　your　hands　and　stop　serving　your　self…interest
  And　there　will　be　no　thieves　or　robbers　anymore
  But　these　three　things　won抰　be　enough
  What　it抯　really　about　is　turning　back　to　simplicity
  Giving　up　your　selfishness　and　not　wishing　for　anything
  20
  When　you　unlearn　what　you　have　learned；　you　will　be　free　from　worries
  We抳e　learned　that　there　is　but　little　difference　between　yes　and　yes　；　but
  That　there　is　a　big　difference　between　good　and　evil
  That　we　have　to　be　scared　of　what　others　are　scared　of
  What　an　endless　pack　of　bullshit
  Everybody　is　restless　and　excited　like　they　are　watching　a　soccer　game
  Only　I　am　at　rest　and　unwound　and　I　don抰　have　to　do　those　things　and　like　a　child；　I　want　nothing
  I'm　not　attached　to　anything　and　don抰　have　to　go　anywhere　in　particular
  The　others　already　have　so　much　and　still　they　want　more
  Only　I　seem　to　have　lost　everything
  They　think　I抦　crazy　and　confused
  People　seem　to　be　bright　and　clever
  And　think　that　I　am　naive　and　foolish
  It　looks　like　I　blow　with　the　wind　and　don抰　seem　to　find　rest　anywhere
  The　others　seem　to　know　so　much
  And　in　their　eyes　I　am　nothing　but　a　boor
  I　am　only　different　because　I　live　according　to　my　nature
  21
  A　righteous　and　blissful　life　is　approachable　only　when　you　follow　your　conscience
  The　conscience　is　invisible　and　impalpable。　How　can　you　follow　it？
  It　speaks　through　images；　like　shadows　in　the　dark
  But　how　faintly　and　obscurely
  The　conscience　is　hidden　but　it　carries　the　essentials　of　everything　inside
  The　true　life…force　shelters　itself　inside　conscience
  Everything　people　know　deeply　inside　is　stowed　within　the　conscience
  It　has　always　been　there　since　the　beginning；　with　many　different　names
  The　conscience　separates　truth　from　lie
  How　do　I　know　all　this？
  My　conscience　has　told　me　that　it's　so
  22
  Dissension　becomes　unity
  The　impure　becomes　pure
  The　voids　shall　be　filled
  The　old　becomes　new
  One　who　has　nothing；　receives　everything
  One　who　has　a　lot；　receives　nothing
  One　who　is　wise　cherishes　simplicity　and　in　this　way　he　is　an　example　to　the　world
  He　is　modest　and　therefore　he　excels
  He　doesn抰　have　to　prove　himself　and　that抯　why　people　trust　his　words
  He　has　nothing　to　defend　and　therefore　he　is　invulnerable
  So　the　aphorism　of　the　wise　of　old　揟he　imperfect　becomes　perfect？is　true
  The　perfect　considers　the　world　as　his　home
  23
  One　who　knows　oneself　doesn抰　need　a　lot　of　words
  A　whirlwind　doesn抰　last　all　morning
  A　shower　doesn抰　last　a　whole　day
  Where　do　wind　and　rain　come　from？
  They　sprout　from　nature
  If　nature　doesn抰　endure　its　rains　and　storms
  Then　why　should　a　human　being　have　to　talk　so　much？
  So　the　One　who　follows　his　conscience；　coincides　with　his　conscien