Deep　and　still；　it　appears　to　exist　forever。
  I　do　not　know　whose　son　it　is。　It　seems　to　have　existed　before　the　Lord。
  5
  Heaven　and　Earth　are　not　humane。　They　regard　all　things　a　straw　dogs。
  The　sage　is　not　humane。　He　regards　all　people　as　straw　dogs。
  How　Heaven　and　Earth　are　like　a　bellows。　While　vacuous；　it　is　never　exhausted。　When　active；　it　produces　even　more。
  Much　talk　will　of　course　come　to　a　dead　end。　It　is　better　to　keep　to　the　centre。
  6
  The　spirit　of　the　valley　never　dies。　It　is　called　the　subtle　and　profound　female。
  The　gate　of　the　subtle　and　profound　female　Is　the　root　of　Heaven　and　Earth。
  It　is　continuous；　and　seems　to　be　always　existing。　Use　it　and　you　will　never　wear　it　out。
  7
  Heaven　is　eternal　and　Earth　everlasting。
  They　can　be　eternal　and　everlasting　because　they　do　not　exist　for　themselves；　And　for　this　reason　can　exist　forever。
  Therefore　the　sage　places　himself　in　the　background　but　finds　himself　in　the　foreground。
  He　puts　himself　away；　and　yet　he　always　remains。
  Is　it　not　because　he　has　no　personal　interests？　This　is　the　reason　why　his　personal　interests　are　fulfilled。
  8
  The　best　（man）　is　like　water。　Water　is　good；　it　benefits　all　things　and　does　not　compete　with　them。　It　dwells　in　（lowly）　places　that　all　disdain。　This　is　why　it　is　so　near　to　Tao。
  （The　best　man）　in　his　dwelling　loves　the　earth。　In　his　heart；　he　loves　what　is　profound。　In　his　associations；　he　loves　humanity。　In　his　words；　he　loves　faithfulness。
  In　government；　he　loves　order。　In　handling　affairs；　he　loves　competence。　In　his　activities；　he　loves　timeliness。
  It　is　because　he　does　not　compete　that　he　is　without　reproach。
  9
  To　hold　and　fill　a　cup　to　overflowing　Is　not　as　good　as　to　stop　in　time。
  Sharpen　a　sword　edge　to　its　very　sharpest；　And　the　（edge）　will　not　last　long。
  When　gold　and　jade　fill　your　hall；　You　will　not　be　able　to　keep　them。
  To　be　proud　with　honour　and　wealth　Is　to　cause　one's　own　downfall。
  withdraw　as　soon　as　your　work　is　done。　Such　is　Heaven's　Way。
  10
  Can　you　keep　the　spirit　and　embrace　the　One　without　departing　from　them？
  Can　you　concentrate　your　vital　force　and　achieve　the　highest　degree　of　weakness　like　an　infant？
  Can　you　clean　and　purify　your　profound　insight　so　it　will　be　spotless？
  Can　you　love　the　people　and　govern　the　state　without　knowledge　（cunning）？
  Can　you　play　the　role　of　the　female　in　the　opening　and　closing　of　the　gates　of　Heaven？
  Can　you　understand　all　and　penetrate　all　without　taking　any　action？
  To　produce　things　and　to　rear　them；　To　produce；　but　not　to　take　possession　of　them；　To　act；　but　not　to　rely　on　one's　own　ability；　To　lead　them；　but　not　to　master　them　…　This　is　called　profound　and　secret　virtue。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　are　united　around　the　hub　to　make　a　wheel；　But　it　is　on　its　non…being　that　the　utility　of　the　carriage　depends。
  Clay　is　moulded　to　form　a　utensil；　But　it　is　on　its　non…being　that　the　utility　of　the　utensil　depends。
  Doors　and　windows　are　cut　out　to　make　a　room；　But　it　is　on　its　non…being　that　the　utility　of　the　room　depends。
  Therefore　turn　being　into　advantage；　and　turn　non…being　into　utility。
  12
  The　five　colours　cause　one's　eyes　to　be　blind。　The　five　tones　cause　one's　ears　to　be　deaf。　The　five　flavours　cause　one's　palate　to　be　spoiled。
  Racing　and　hunting　cause　one's　mind　to　be　mad。　Goods　that　are　hard　to　get　injure　one's　activities。
  For　this　reason　the　sage　is　concerned　with　the　belly　and　not　the　eyes；　Therefore　he　rejects　the　one　but　accepts　the　other。
  13
  Be　apprehensive　when　receiving　favour　or　disgrace。　Regard　great　trouble　as　seriously　as　you　regard　your　body。
  What　is　meant　by　being　apprehensive　when　receiving　favour　or　disgrace？　Favour　is　considered　inferior。　Be　apprehensive　when　you　receive　them　and　also　be　apprehensive　when　you　lose　them。　This　is　what　is　meant　by　being　apprehensive　when　receiving　favour　or　disgrace。
  What　does　it　mean　to　regard　great　trouble　as　seriously　as　you　regard　your　body？　The　reason　why　I　have　great　trouble　is　that　I　have　a　body　（and　am　attached　to　it）。　If　I　have　no　body；　What　trouble　could　I　have？
  Therefore　he　who　values　the　world　as　his　body　may　be　entrusted　with　the　empire。　He　who　loves　the　world　as　his　body　may　be　entrusted　with　the　empire。
  14
  We　look　at　it　and　do　not　see　it；　Its　name　is　The　Invisible。　We　listen　to　it　and　do　not　hear　it；　Its　name　is　The　Inaudible。　We　touch　it　and　do　not　find　it；　Its　name　is　The　Subtle　（formless）。
  These　three　cannot　be　further　inquired　into；　And　hence　merge　into　one。
  Going　up　high；　it　is　not　bright；　and　coming　down　low；　it　is　not　dark。　Infinite　and　boundless；　it　cannot　be　given　any　name；　It　reverts　to　nothingness。
  This　is　called　shape　without　shape；　Form　without　objects。　It　is　the　Vague　and　Elusive。　Meet　it　and　you　will　not　see　its　head。　Follow　it　and　you　will　not　see　its　back。
  Hold　on　to　the　Tao　of　old　in　order　to　master　the　things　of　the　present。　From　this　one　may　know　the　primeval　beginning　（of　the　universe）。　This　is　called　the　bond　of　Tao。
  15
  Of　old　those　who　were　the　best　rulers　were　subtly　mysterious　and　profoundly　penetrating；　Too　deep　to　comprehend。
  And　because　they　cannot　be　comprehended；　I　can　only　describe　them　arbitrarily：　Cautious；　like　crossing　a　frozen　stream　in　the　winter；　Being　at　a　loss；　like　one　fearing　danger　on　all　sides；　Reserved；　like　one　visiting；
  Supple　and　pliant；　like　ice　about　to　melt。　Genuine；　like　a　piece　of　uncarved　wood；　Open　and　broad；　like　a　valley；　Merged　and　undifferentiated；　like　muddy　water。
  Who　can　make　muddy　water　gradually　clear　through　tranquillity？　Who　can　make　the　still　gradually　come　to　life　through　activity？
  He　who　embraces　this　Tao　does　not　want　to　fill　himself　to　overflowing。　It　is　precisely　because　there　is　no　overflowing　that　he　is　beyond　wearing　out　and　renewal。
  16
  Attain　complete　vacuity。　Maintain　steadfast　quietude。
  All　things　come　into　being；　And　I　see　thereby　their　return。　All　things　flourish；　But　each　one　returns　to　its　root。
  This　return　to　its　root　means　tranquillity。　It　is　called　returning　to　its　destiny。　To　return　to　destiny　is　called　the　eternal　（Tao）。　To　know　the　eternal　is　called　enlightenment。　Not　to　know　the　eternal　is　to　act　blindly　to　result　in　disaster。
  He　who　knows　the　eternal　is　all…embracing。　Being　all…embracing；　he　is　impartial。　Being　impartial；　he　is　kingly　（universal）。　Being　kingly；　he　is　one　with　Nature。　Being　one　with　Nature；　he　is　in　accord　with　Tao。
  Being　in　accord　with　Tao；　he　is　everlasting　And　is　free　from　danger　throughout　his　lifetime。
  17
  The　best　（rulers）　are　those　whose　existence　is　（merely）　known　by　the　people。　The　next　best　are　those　who　are　loved　and　praised。　The　next　are　those　who　are　feared。　And　the　next　are　those　who　are　despised。
  It　is　only　when　one　does　not　have　enough　faith　in　others　that　others　will　have　no　faith　in　him。
  （The　great　rulers）　value　their　words　highly。　They　accomplish　their　task；　they　complete　their　work。　Nevertheless　their　people　say　that　they　simply　follow　Nature。
  18
  When　the　great　Tao　declined；　The　doctrine　of　humanity　and　righteousness　arose。
  When　knowledge　and　wisdom　appeared；　There　emerged　great　hypocrisy。
  When　the　six　family　relationships　are　not　in　harmony；　There　will　be　the　advocacy　of　filial　piety　and　deep　love　to　children。
  When　a　country　is　in　disorder；　There　will　be　the　praise　of　loyal　ministers。
  19
  Abandon　sageliness　and　discard　wisdom；　Then　the　people　will　benefit　a　hundredfold。
  Abandon　humanity　and　discard　righteousness；　Then　the　people　will　return　to　filial　piety　and　deep　love。
  Abandon　skill　and　discard　profit；　Then　there　will　be　no　thieves　or　robbers。
  However；　these　three　things　are　ornaments　（wen）　and　are　not　adequate。
  Therefore　let　people　hold　on　to　these：　Manifest　plainness；　Embrace　simplicity；　Reduce　selfishness；　Have　few　desires。
  20
  Abandon　learning　and　there　will　be　no　sorrow。　How　much　difference　is　there　between　〃Yes；　sir；〃　and　〃Of　course　not〃？　How　much　difference　is　there　between　〃good〃　and　〃evil〃？
  What　people　dread；　do　not　fail　to　dread。　But；　alas；　how　confused；　and　the　end　is　not　yet。
  The　multitude　are　merry；　as　though　feasting　on　a　day　of　sacrifice。　Or　like　ascending　a　tower　in　the　springtime。　I　alone　am　inert；　showing　no　sign　（of　desires）；　Like　an　infant　that　has　not　yet　smiled。　Wearied；　indeed；　I　seem　to　be　without　a　home。
  The　multitude　all　possess　more　than　enough。　I　alone　seem　to　have　lost　all。　Mine　is　indeed　the　mind　of　an　ignorant　man；　Indiscriminate　and　dull！
  Common　folks　are　indeed　brilliant；　I　alone　seem　to　be　in　the　dark。　Common　folks　see　differences　and　are　clear…cut；　I　alone　make　no　distinctions。　I　seem　drifting　as　the　sea；　Like　the　wind　blowing　about；　seemingly　without　destination。
  The　multitude　all　have　a　purpose；　I　alone　seem　to　be　stubborn　and　rustic。　I　alone　differ　from　others；　And　value　drawing　sustenance　from　Mother　（Tao）。
  21
  The　all…embracing　quality　of　the　great　virtue　follow