While　to　those　who　conform　themselves　toinefficacy；　inefficacy　readily　lends　its　ineffectiveness。
  Who　has　not　enough　faith　will　not　be　ableto　get　faith。　Or：
  〃By　not　believing　in　people　you　turn　theminto　liars。〃
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  Who　stands　on　tiptoe；　doesn't　stand　steady；
  He　who　takes　the　longest　strides；　doesn'twalk。。〃
  He　who　does　his　own　looking　sees　little；and　he　who　shows　or　reveals　himself　is　hardly　luminous
  He　who　justifies　and　defines　himself　isn'tsubsequently　distinct。
  He　who　boasts　of　what　he　will　do　succeedsin　nothing；
  Who　brags　doesn't　endure　for　long。　Who　isproud　of　his　work；　achieves　nothing　well　lasting。
  Such　people　are　like　remnants　of　food　andtumours　of　action　from　the　dao　point　of　view。　Good　braggarts　could　be　dregs。So　it's　said
  〃Pass　round　superfluous　dishes　to　those　thathave　already　had　enough；
  Such　things　of　disgust　all　are　likely　todetest　and　reject　in　disgust。〃
  So　the　man　of　dao　spurns　them。　The　man　thathas　dao　doesn't　stay　to　bray　and　show　off。
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  Before　heaven　and　earth　here　was　somethingnebulous；　formless　yet　complete；
  without　sound；　without　substance；　isolated；free　from　all　form；
  standing　alone　and　depending　on　nothing；unchanging；　operating　everywhere；　all　pervading；　revolving　and　withoutfail。
  One　can　think　of　it　as　the　mother　of　all
  I　don't　know　its　true　name。　I　call　it　dao。
  〃Way〃　is　the　by…name。
  If　forced　to　give　it　a　name　I　can　call　itgreat　（ta）　。
  Now　such　greatness　implies　reaching　out　inspace；　and　also　means　functioning　everywhere；　or　passing　on；
  Space…yielding　or　functioning　everywheresignifies　far…reaching。　And　passing　on　means　going　far　away；
  To　go　really　far　is　to　return　to　the　originalpoint。　To　reach　far　is　a　return。　To　go　far　away　means　to　return。
  So　dao　is　great　and　far…reaching；　and　sois　heaven；　earth　and　the　king。
  For　just　as　dao；　earth　and　heaven　each　hasits　subtle　greatness；　so　does　the　ruler。
  There　are　four　great　things　in　the　universe；and　the　king　is　one　of　them。　So　within　the　realm　there　are　four　portionsof　greatness〃；　and　one　belongs　to　the　king。
  The　ways　of　men　are　conditioned　by　thoseof　earth。
  The　ways　of　earth；　by　those　of　heaven。
  The　ways　of　heaven　by　those　of　dao；
  and　the　ways　of　dao　by　the　Self…so's
  Dao　in　turn　models　itself　after　Nature。
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  The　solid　is　the　platform　of　the　light；　andthe　heavy　is　the　root　of　the　light。
  （Maybe　firm　integrity　has　to　be　the　basisof　light　frivolity）。
  Quiet　strength　rules　over　activity；　the　not…so…activecould　be　the　big　boss　of　the　hasty。
  So　the　wise　man　travels　all　day　and　neverleaves　his　baggage；
  he　who　travels　all　day　hardly　likes　to　beseparated　from　his　provision…chart：
  However　great　and　glorious　the　view；　he　sitsquiet　and　dispassionate〃。
  So　the　lord　with　ten　thousand　chariots　canseldom　allow　himself　to　be　light…spirited　and　lighter　than　those　he　rules。The　ruler　of　a　great　country　should　never　make　light　of　his　body　…　anywhere。In　light　frivolity；　the　controller's　centre　is　lost；　in　hasty　action；　suchself…mastery。　If　the　ruler　is　light…hearted；　the　minister　will　be　destroyed。If　he　is　light；　the　foundation　is　lost；
  If　he　is　active；　the　lord　is　lost。＇Maybefor　ever。＇
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  A　good　traveller　leaves　no　track　or　tracebehind；　nor　does　fit　activity。　So　a　good　runner　leaves　no　track。
  Perfect　speech　is　like　a　jade…worker　whosetool　leaves　no　mark。　Good　speech　leaves　no　flaws。
  The　perfect　reckoner　needs　no　counting…slips；the　good　reckoner　uses　no　counters。
  The　perfect；　shut　door　is　without　bolt　norbar　and　can't　be　opened。
  The　perfect　knot　needs　neither　rope　nor　twine；yet　can't　be　untied。　No　one　can　untie　it。
  So　the　wise　man　is　good　at　helping　men；　alwaysgood　in　saving　men：　the　wise　man　is　all　the　time　helping　men　in　the　mostperfect　way　…　he　certainly　doesn't　turn　his　back　on　men；　is　all　the　timein　the　most　perfect　way　helping　creatures。　He　certainly　doesn't　turn　hisback　on　creatures；　and　consequently　no　man　is　rejected。　For　that　reasonthere's　no　useless　person。
  And　he　is　always　good　in　saving。　So　nothingis　rejected。
  This　is　called　following　the　light　（of　nature）…　is　called　resorting　to　the　light；　nay；　stealing　some　divine　light。
  Truly；　the　good　man　is　the　teacher　of　thebad；　as　they　say。　But　the　bad　man　is　the　lesson　of　the　good；　in　part　somematerial　from　which　the　good　can　learn。　And　so　the　imperfect　is　the　equipmentof　the　perfect　man〃。
  He　who　hardly　respects　or　values　his　teacher；hardly　cares　for　the　material　or　loves　his　lesson；　is　gone　far　astray　evenif　well　versed。
  That's　the　fine　secret。
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  〃He　who　knows　the　male　（active　force）；　yetkeeps　to　the　female　（the　passive　force　or　receptive　element）；　becomes　likea　ravine；　receiving　all　sort　of　things。
  Being　the　all…encompassing　ravine　he　knowsa　power　that　he　never　calls　upon　in　vain。　This　is　returning　to　the　stateof　infancy。
  He　who　knows　the　white；　yet　keeps　and　cleavesto　the　black　becomes　the　standard　by　which　all　things　are　tested；　he　becomesthe　model　for　the　world。
  As　such　he　has　all　the　time　the　eternal　powerthat　never　errs；　and　he　returns　to　the　limitless；　a　primordial　nothingness。
  He　who　knows　glory；　yet　keeps　to　obscurityor　even　cleaves　to　ignominy；
  turns　into　the　valley　that　receives　intoit　all　kind　of　things。　And　being　such　a　valley　he　has　all　the　time　a　powerthat　suffices。　So　he　returns　again　to　some　pristine　simplicity；　returnsto　the　state　of　simplicity：　its　the　raw；　uncarved　block。
  Break　up　simple　awareness　and　it　becomesshaped。　Next　it　becomes　someones　tool　in　the　hands　of　the　wise　man。　Forwhen　a　block　is　sawed　up　it's　made　into　subordinates　or　implements。
  When　the　wise　man　uses　it；　it　becomes　chief。
  So　the　greatest　carver　does　the　least　cutting；as　they　say。　The　great　ruler　doesn't　cut　up。
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  Those　that　would　gain　what's　under　heavenby　tampering　with　it　…　Ive　seen　that　they　don't　succeed。
  For　that　which　is　under　heaven　is　like　aholy　vessel；　dangerous　to　tamper　with。　Those　that　tamper　with　it；　harmit。　Human　go…between　is　likely　to　fail。　Those　that　grab　at　it　lose　it。Who　makes　can　spoil　well；　who　holds　can　lose。
  Among　creatures　of　this　world　some　lead　andsome　follow。　Some　things　go　forward　among　creatures：　some　go　in　front；some　follow　behind　…
  Some　blow　out；　some　blow　in；　some　blow　outwhile　others　would　blow　in。
  Some　are　feeling　vigorous　just　when　othersare　worn　out。　Some　are　strong；　some　are　weak。
  Some　are　loading　just　when　others　would　betilting　out。　Some　can　break；　some　can　fall。
  So　the　wise　man　discards　excess；　extravagance；and　ridiculous　pride：　He　discards　even　the　absolute；　the　all…inclusive；the　extreme。
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  He　who　by　dao　purposes　to　help　a　ruler　ofmen；　will　oppose　most　conquest　by　force　of　arms：
  such　things　are　wont　to　rebound。
  Where　armies　are；　thorns　and　brambles　cangrow。
  The　raising　of　a　great　host　could　be　followedby　a　year　of　dearth。
  Therefore　a　good　general　effects　his　purposeand　next　stops；　for　he　dares　not　rely　upon　the　strength　of　arms：　he　doesn'ttake　further　advantage　of　a　victory。　He　fulfils　his　purpose　and　does　hardlyglory　in　things　he　has　done；　effects　his　purpose　and　doesnt　boast　of　athing　he　accomplished；
  fulfils　an　ignoble　purpose；　but　takes　nopride　in　something　he　did　well；　fulfils　his　purpose　as　some　perhaps　regrettablenecessity　…　does　it　as　a　step　that　could　hardly　be　averted　and　avoided。So　he　effects　his　purpose；　but　hardly　loves　violence。　Why？
  Things　age　after　reaching　their　prime。　Whathas　a　time　of　vigour　（and　conquest）　also　has　its　time　of　decay。　After　thingsreach　their　prime；　they　begin　to　grow　old；　which　means　being　contrary　todao。　Furthermore；　morbid　violence　and　violence　in　excess　could　be　againstdao。　He　who　is　against　the　dao　perishes　young。　Whatever　is　contrary　todao　will　soon　perish。　Whats　against　dao　will　hardly　survive。
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  Fine　weapons　are　instruments　of　evil　as　soldierscan　be：　quite　ill…omened　things；　often　hated。
  Those　with　fine　dao　turn　away　from　weaponsthat　are　most　often　hated。
  The　gentleman　favours　the　left　hand　sideamong　people　in　peace；　peace　people　are　of　good　birth。　In　a　fair　peacethe　symbolic　left　is　the　place　of　honour。　Yes；　a　good　ruler　honours　theleft　and　its　good　omens　when　at　home；　but　in　war　this　is　reversed：　On　militaryoccasions　he　favours　the　right　side　as　the　place　of　war　honour。　And　sohe　honours　the　right　of　bad　omens。
  The　durable；　even　when　he　conquers；　doeshardly　regard　weapons　as　lovely　things。　Weapons　and　soldiers　can　be　badand　evil…doing　tools。　They're　not　often　the　tools　of　the　gentleman　andgood　ruler。
  To　hold　them　dear　means　to　delight　in　them；and　so　to　delight　in　slaughter　of　men。
  And　he　who　delights　in　the　slaughter　of　menwill　never　get　what　he　looks　for　out　of　those　that　live　and　function　underheaven。　In　ugly　victory　there's　no　beauty；
  and　who　calls　it　handsome　perhaps　preachesslaughter。
  Use　of　soldiers　＇and　police＇　can't　be　helped；best　policy　is　calm　restraint。
  Who　delights　in　the　slaughter　of　men　wontsucceed；　wont　succeed　in　ruling　the　world；　and　slaying　of　multitudes　shouldbe　mourned。