Different　sounds　mix　and　create　harmony。　And　so　the　preceding　and　the　succeeding　follow　each　other　harmoniously。
  The　wise　prefers　non…doing*　and　lives　in　quietness**。　Everything　happens　around　such　a　person　as　if　by　itself。　He　is　not　attached　to　anything　on　the　Earth。　He　does　not　own　anything　made　by　him。　He　is　not　proud　about　his　works。
  Since　he　does　not　exalt　himself；　does　not　boast；　does　not　require　special　respect　from　others　？he　is　pleasant　to　all。
  *　Calm　of　mind　and　body　including　stopping　of　the　flow　of　thoughts。　It　allows　mastering　the　art　of　meditation　and　developing　oneself　as　a　consciousness。　（Those　who　are　not　used　to　the　word　non…doing；　can　mentally　replace　it　with　the　word　mediation；　when　reading　this　text）。
  **　Here　the　author　means　inner　quietness；　which　is　called　hesychia　in　Greek。　The　ancient　direction　of　the　Christian　mysticism　Hesychasm　is　named　after　it　（see　the　book　Practice　of　the　Modern　Hesychasm　by　Vladimir　Antonov）。
  3
  If　the　chosen　are　not　exalted；　no　one　envies　them。　If　material　treasures　are　not　praised；　no　one　steals　them。　In　other　words；　if　the　objects　of　passions　are　not　shown　off；　there　are　no　temptations。
  The　wise　ruler　does　not　create　such　temptations　to　people　but　takes　care　that　people　have　enough　food。　This　eliminates　passions　and　strengthens　people抯　health。　Yes；　the　wise　ruler　always　strives　to　prevent　temptations　and　passions　and　does　not　let　evil　people　act。
  The　absence　of　these　problems　brings　calm。
  4
  Tao　looks　like　void。　Yet；　It　is　omnipotent！
  It　is　in　the　Depth。*
  It　is　the　Origin　of　everything。
  It　controls　everything。
  It　pervades　everything。
  It　is　Shining　Light。
  It　is　the　subtlest！
  It　is　the　Main　Essence　of　everything！
  One　cannot　describe　Its　origin；　for　It　is　Primal。
  *　In　the　depth　of　multidimensionality。　In　other　words；　at　the　搒ubtle？end　of　the　multidimensional　scale。
  5
  The　matter　？both　in　the　sky　and　on　the　earth　？is　dispassionate　toward　all　creatures；　be　they　plants；　animals；　people。　Though；　it　is　the　base　for　all　of　them。
  In　the　same　way；　the　wise　is　dispassionate　toward　others。
  The　space　above　the　earth　is　void　and　free　like　the　space　inside　a　bellows　or　a　flute。　The　more　there　is　space　for　action；　the　more　efficient　the　action　can　be。
  He；　who　interferes　with　actions　of　others　and　talks　too　much　becomes　unbearable　for　people。
  Therefore；　it　is　always　better　to　follow　the　principle　of　non…interference　and　keep　calm。
  6
  The　life　and　development　of　the　Subtlest*　are　eternal　and　infinite。
  It　is　the　Deepest　Base　of　everything。
  On　It　the　material　world　exists。
  It　acts　without　violence。
  *　Tao。
  7
  The　sky　and　the　Earth　are　lasting。　They　last　long　because　they　exist　not　on　themselves　and　not　for　the　sake　of　themselves。　They　are　created　by　Tao　and　exist　for　It。
  The　wise　places　himself　behind　others　and　thus　does　not　hinder　other　people　and　can　lead　them。　He　does　not　treasure　the　life　of　his　body；　and　his　life　is　guarded　by　Tao。
  This　happens　because　he　also　exists　here　not　for　the　sake　of　himself。　This　is　why　his　personal　needs　are　realized　for　him。
  The　wise　exists　for　Tao　and　serves　It。
  8
  The　wise　lives　like　water。　Water　serves　all　beings　and　does　not　require　anything　for　itself。　It　exists　below　all　things。　In　this　respect；　it　is　similar　to　Tao。
  Life　has　to　follow　the　principle　of　naturalness。
  Follow　the　path　of　heart！　Be　friendly！
  Tell　only　truth！
  When　guiding　others；　follow　the　principle　of　keeping　calm！
  Every　action　has　to　be　realizable　and　done　in　time。
  He　who　does　not　strive　to　be　ahead　of　others　can　avoid　many　mistakes。
  9
  One　should　not　pour　water　into　a　full　vessel。　And　there　is　no　sense　to　sharpen　the　edge　too　much。　And　if　the　room　is　overfilled　with　gold　and　jasper　who　will　guard　it？
  Excessiveness　in　everything　leads　to　troubles。
  When　the　work　is　finished；　one　should　retire。
  Such　are　the　laws　of　harmony　suggested　by　Tao。
  10
  In　order　to　maintain　calm；　one　has　to　feel　the　Unity　with　Everything*。　Then　one　does　not　develop　false　egocentric　desires。
  One　has　to　refine　the　consciousness。　Let　man　become　in　this　respect　to　a　newborn　baby。　He　who　became　so　subtle　becomes　free　from　delusions。**
  One　has　to　rule　the　country　and　people　with　love　for　them　and　without　violence。
  The　gate　from　the　world　of　matter　to　the　hidden　world　is　open　when　one　stays　in　calm。　Understanding　of　this　truth　comes　in　non…doing。
  To　educate　without　violence；　to　create　without　boasting；　to　produce　without　possessing　the　products；　to　be　older　than　others　and　do　not　command　them：　this　is　the　true　righteousness　of　the　Great　Te***！
  *　Feeling　of　being　an　integral　part　of　the　Absolute。
  **　Only　through　this　one　can　cognize　Tao。
  ***　The　higher　morality　suggested　by　Te　？the　Holy　Spirit　（Brahman）。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　are　united　in　one　bicycle　wheel。　But　the　use　of　wheel　depends　also　on　the　space　between　the　spokes。
  Vessels　are　made　of　clay。　Yet　their　usefulness　depends　on　the　empty　space　inside　them。
  Buildings　consist　of　walls；　doors；　windows。　Yet　building抯　usefulness　depends　also　on　the　space　in　it。
  This　is　the　relation　between　usefulness　of　objects　and　emptiness。
  12
  He　who　sees　only　five　colors　in　the　world　is　like　the　blind。
  He　who　hears　only　the　sounds　of　the　material　world　is　similar　to　the　deaf。
  He　who　partakes　and　feels　only　the　taste　of　the　material　food　is　deluded。
  He　who　rushes　at　full　speed　after　his　prey　is　insane。
  By　accumulating　wealth　and　adornments；　you　act　to　the　detriment　of　yourself。
  The　efforts　of　the　wise　are　directed　at　having　enough　food；　not　at　accumulating　many　objects。　He；　satisfied　with　little　in　the　world　of　matter；　chooses　the　Primordial。
  13
  Glory　and　disgrace　are　equally　feared　of。　Fame　is　a　great　distress　in　life。
  What　does　it　mean　that　glory　and　disgrace　are　equally　feared　of？　It　means　that　people　fight　for　glory　and　then　fear　to　lose　it。
  And　what　does　it　mean　that　fame　is　a　great　distress　in　life？　It　means　that　I　suffer　a　great　distress　because　I　treasure　my　name。
  When　I　cease　treasuring　my　name；　I　will　have　no　distress。
  Thus；　the　wise　does　not　seek　praising　himself。　He　just　serves　people　self…sacrificingly。　Therefore；　he　can　live　among　people　in　peace。　He　does　not　fight　with　anyone　for　something　？therefore　he　is　invincible。
  14
  If　you　look　at　Tao；　you　cannot　notice　It　at　once。　This　is　why　It　is　called　hard…to…be…seen。
  If　you　listen　to　Tao；　you　cannot　hear　It　immediately。　This　is　why　It　is　called　hard…to…be…heard。
  If　you　try　to　grasp　Tao；　you　cannot　reach　It。　This　is　why　It　is　called　hard…to…be…caught。
  In　Tao　are　Those　Who　fill　you　with　delight！*　All　They　in　Tao　are　merged　into　One。
  Tao　is　equal　above　and　below。
  Tao；　infinite　in　size；　cannot　be　called　by　the　name　of　some　of　Them。
  They　come　out　from　Tao　manifesting　Their　Individualities　and　then　come　back　to　the　state　without　individual　manifestation　？in　It。
  Tao　has　no　corporal　image　and　face。　Therefore；　It　is　said　of　as　hidden　and　mysterious。
  Meeting　with　Tao；　I　do　not　see　Its　face；　following　Tao；　I　do　not　see　Its　back。
  By　strictly　following　the　primal　Path　of　transformation　of　oneself　as　a　consciousness；　one　can　cognize　that　Eternal　Origin。　This　Path　is　the　Path　to　Tao。
  *　Holy　Spirits　coming　out　from　Tao　and　coessential　to　It。　In　the　aggregate　sense；　They　are　called　in　the　Christian　Tradition　the　Holy　Spirit。
  15
  Since　ancient　time；　those　capable　of　spiritual　Enlightenment　cognized　hidden　and　hardly　cognizable　small　and　large　steps　of　this　Path。
  Such　seekers　were　hard　to　recognize。　Let　me　just　outline　their　appearance：　they　were　cautious　like　man　crossing　a　river　in　winter；　they　were　circumspect；　because　they　bewared　strangers；　they　were　alert；　because　they　knew　that　one抯　time　of　staying　on　the　Earth　is　limited；　they　were　watchful　as　if　they　walked　melting　ice；　they　were　simple；　they　were　vast　like　a　dale；　they　were　unreachable　for　idle　looks。
  They　were　those　who　in　calm　could　transform　the　dirty　into　pure。
  They　were　those　who　contributed　to　the　evolution　of　Life。
  They　worshipped　Tao　and　were　satisfied　with　little　in　the　world　of　matter。　Not　desiring　much；　they　were　satisfied　with　what　they　had　and　did　not　seek　for　more。
  16
  Make　emptiness*　in　yourself　complete　and　achieve　the　full　calm！　Let　everything　around　move　by　itself。　Let　everyone　bloom　spiritually　and　advance　to　cognition　of　their　true　Essence**。
  Those　who　cognized　their　true　Essence　？achieve　full　calm。　Thus　they　attain　the　common　Abode　of　All　Who　Attained***。
  One抯　being　in　this　Abode　has　to　become　constant。　He；　who　fulfilled　this；　is　called　Enlightened；　Perfect；　possessing　the　Higher　Wisdom。
  Those　Who　attained　that　Abode　represent　the　United　揥e？which　is　the　Highest　Ruler。　That　Abode　is　also　called　the　Sky****。　This　is　the　Abode　of　the