A　sane　man　is　sane　in　knowing　what　things　he　can　spare；　In　not　wishing　what　most　people　wish；　In　not　reaching　for　things　that　seem　rare。
  Therefore　the　sage　desires　to　have　no　desire；　He　does　not　value　rare　treasures。　He　learns　to　be　unlearned；　and　returns　to　what　the　multitude　has　missed　（Tao）。　Thus　he　supports　all　things　in　their　natural　state　but　does　not　take　any　action。
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  In　ancient　times　those　who　practiced　Tao　well　Did　not　seek　to　enlighten　people；　but　to　make　them　ignorant。
  People　are　difficult　to　govern　because　they　have　too　much　knowledge。　Therefore　he　who　rules　the　state　through　knowledge　is　a　robber　of　the　state；　He　who　rules　a　state　not　through　knowledge　is　a　blessing　to　the　state。
  One　who　knows　these　two　things　also　（knows）　the　standard。　Always　to　know　the　standard　is　called　profound　and　secret　virtue。
  Virtue　becomes　deep　and　far…reaching；　And　with　it　all　things　return　to　their　original　state。　Then　complete　harmony　will　be　reached。
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  The　great　rivers　and　seas　are　kings　of　all　mountains　streams　Because　they　skillfully　stay　below　them。　That　is　why　they　can　be　their　kings。
  Therefore；　in　order　to　be　the　superior　of　the　people；　One　must；　in　the　use　of　words；　place　himself　below　them。　And　in　order　to　be　ahead　of　the　people；　One　must；　in　one's　own　person；　follow　them。
  Therefore　the　sage　rejoices　in　praising　him　without　getting　tired　of　it。
  It　is　precisely　because　he　does　not　compete　that　the　world　cannot　compete　with　him。
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  All　the　world　says　that　my　Tao　is　great　and　does　not　seem　to　resemble　（the　ordinary）。　It　is　precisely　because　it　is　great　that　it　does　not　resemble　（the　ordinary）。　If　it　did　resemble；　it　would　have　been　small　for　a　long　time。
  I　have　three　treasures。　Guard　and　keep　them：　The　first　is　deep　love；　The　second　is　frugality；　And　the　third　is　not　to　dare　to　be　ahead　of　the　world。
  Because　of　deep　love；　one　is　courageous。　Because　of　frugality；　one　is　generous。　Because　of　not　daring　to　be　ahead　of　the　world；　one　becomes　the　leader　of　the　world。
  Now；　to　be　courageous　by　forsaking　deep　love；　To　be　generous　by　forsaking　frugality；　And　to　be　ahead　of　the　world　by　forsaking　following　behind　…　This　is　fatal。
  For　deep　love　helps　one　to　win　in　the　case　of　attack；　And　to　be　firm　in　the　case　of　defense。　When　Heaven　is　to　save　a　person；　Heaven　will　protect　him　through　deep　love。
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  A　skillful　leader　of　troops　is　not　oppressive　with　his　military　strength。　A　skilful　fighter　does　not　become　angry。
  A　skilful　conqueror　does　not　compete　with　people。　One　who　is　skilful　in　using　men　puts　himself　below　them。
  This　is　called　the　virtue　of　non…competing。　This　is　called　the　strength　to　use　men。　This　is　called　matching　Heaven；　the　highest　principle　of　old。
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  The　strategists　say：　〃I　dare　not　take　the　offensive　but　I　take　the　defensive；　I　dare　not　advance　an　inch　but　I　retreat　a　foot。〃
  This　means：　To　march　without　formation；　To　stretch　one's　arm　without　showing　it；　To　confront　enemies　without　seeming　to　meet　them；　To　hold　weapons　without　seeming　to　have　them。
  There　is　no　greater　disaster　than　to　make　light　the　enemy。
  Therefore　when　armies　are　mobilized　and　issues　joined；　The　man　who　is　sorry　over　the　fact　will　win。
  70
  My　doctrines　are　easy　to　understand　and　very　easy　to　practice；　But　none　in　the　world　can　understand　or　practice　them。
  My　doctrines　have　a　source　（Nature）；　my　deeds　have　a　master　（Tao）。　It　is　because　people　do　not　understand　this　that　they　do　not　understand　me。　Few　people　know　me；　and　therefore　I　am　highly　valued。
  Therefore　the　sage　wears　a　coarse　cloth　on　top　and　carries　jade　within　his　bosom。
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  To　know　that　you　do　not　know　is　the　best。　To　pretend　to　know　when　you　do　not　know　is　a　disease。　Only　when　one　recognizes　this　disease　as　a　disease　can　one　be　free　from　the　disease。
  The　sage　is　free　from　the　disease。　Because　he　recognizes　this　disease　to　be　disease；　he　is　free　from　it。
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  When　the　people　do　not　fear　what　is　dreadful；　Then　what　is　greatly　dreadful　will　fall　upon　them。
  Do　not　reduce　the　living　space　of　their　dwellings。　Do　no　oppress　their　lives。　It　is　because　you　do　not　oppress　them　that　they　are　not　oppressed。
  Therefore　the　sage　knows　himself　but　does　not　show　himself。　He　loves　himself　but　does　not　exalt　himself。　Therefore　he　rejects　the　one　but　accepts　the　other。
  73
  He　who　is　brave　in　daring　will　be　killed。　He　who　is　brave　in　not　daring　will　live。
  Of　these　two；　one　is　advantageous　and　one　is　harmful。　Who　knows　why　Heaven　dislikes　what　it　dislikes？　Even　the　sage　considers　it　a　difficult　question。
  The　Way　of　Heaven　does　not　compete；　and　yet　is　skillfully　achieves　victory。　It　does　not　speak；　and　yet　it　skillfully　responds　to　things。　It　comes　to　you　without　your　invitation。　It　is　not　anxious　about　things　and　yet　it　plans　well。
  Heaven's　net　is　indeed　vast。　Though　its　meshes　are　wide；　it　misses　nothing。
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  The　people　are　not　afraid　of　death。　Why；　then；　threaten　them　with　death？
  Suppose　the　people　are　always　afraid　of　death　and　we　can　seize　those　who　are　vicious　and　kill　them；　Who　would　dare　to　do　so？
  There　is　always　the　master　executioner　（Heaven）　who　kills。　To　undertake　executions　for　the　master　executioner　is　like　hewing　wood　for　the　master　carpenter。　Whoever　undertakes　hewing　wood　for　the　master　carpenter　rarely　escapes　injuring　his　own　hands。
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  The　people　starve　because　the　ruler　eats　too　much　tax…grain。　Therefore　they　starve。
  They　are　difficult　to　rule　because　their　ruler　does　too　many　things。　Therefore　they　are　difficult　to　rule。
  The　people　take　death　lightly　because　their　ruler　strives　for　life　too　vigorously。　Therefore　they　take　death　lightly。　It　is　only　those　who　do　not　seek　after　life　that　excel　in　making　life　valuable。
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  When　man　is　born；　he　is　tender　and　weak。　At　death　he　is　stiff　and　hard。
  All　things；　the　grass　as　well　as　the　trees；　are　tender　and　supple　while　alive。　When　dead；　they　are　withered　and　dried。
  Therefore　the　stiff　and　the　hard　are　companions　of　death。　The　tender　and　the　weak　are　companions　of　life。
  Therefore；　if　the　army　is　strong；　it　will　not　win。　If　a　tree　is　stiff；　it　will　break。
  The　strong　and　the　great　are　inferior；　while　the　tender　and　the　weak　are　superior。
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  Heaven's　Way　is　indeed　like　the　bending　of　a　bow。　When　（the　string）　is　high；　bring　it　down。　When　it　is　low；　raise　it　up。　When　it　is　excessive；　reduce　it。　When　it　is　insufficient；　supplement　it。
  The　Way　of　Heaven　reduces　whatever　is　excessive　and　supplements　whatever　in　insufficient。　The　way　of　man　is　different。　It　reduces　the　insufficient　to　offer　to　the　excessive。
  Who　is　able　to　have　excess　to　offer　to　the　world？　Only　the　man　of　Tao。
  Therefore　the　sage　acts；　but　does　not　rely　on　his　own　ability。　He　accomplishes　his　task；　but　does　not　claim　credit　for　it。　He　has　no　desire　to　display　his　excellence。
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  There　is　nothing　softer　and　weaker　than　water；　And　yet　there　is　nothing　better　for　attacking　hard　and　strong　things。　For　this　reason　there　is　no　substitute　for　it。
  All　the　world　knows　that　the　weak　overcomes　the　strong　and　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard。　But　none　can　practice　it。
  Therefore　the　sage　says：　He　who　suffers　disgrace　for　his　country　Is　called　the　lord　of　the　land。　He　who　takes　upon　himself　the　country's　misfortunes　Becomes　the　king　of　the　empire。　Straight　words　seem　to　be　their　opposite。
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  To　patch　up　great　hatred　is　surely　to　leave　some　hatred　behind。　How　can　this　be　regarded　as　good？
  Therefore　the　sage　keeps　the　left…hand　portion　（obligation）　of　a　contract　And　does　not　blame　the　other　party。
  Virtuous　people　attend　to　their　left…hand　portions；　While　those　without　virtue　attend　to　other　people's　mistakes。
  〃The　Way　of　Heaven　has　not　favourites。　It　is　always　with　the　good　man。〃
  80
  Let　there　be　a　small　country　with　few　people。　Let　there　be　ten　times　and　a　hundred　times　as　many　utensils。　But　let　them　not　be　used。　Let　the　people　value　their　lives　highly　and　not　migrate　far。
  Even　if　there　are　ships　and　carriages；　none　will　ride　in　them。　Even　if　there　are　arrows　and　weapons；　none　will　display　them。
  Let　the　people　again　knot　cords　and　use　them　（in　place　of　writing）。　Let　them　relish　their　food；　beautify　their　clothing；　be　content　with　their　homes；　and　delight　in　their　customs。
  Though　neighbouring　communities　overlook　one　another　and　the　crowing　of　cocks　and　the　barking　of　dogs　can　be　heard；　Yet　the　people　there　may　grow　old　and　die　without　ever　visiting　one　another。
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  True　words　are　not　beautiful；　Beautiful　words　are　not　true。
  A　good　man　does　not　argue；　He　who　argues　is　not　a　good　man。
  A　wise　man　has　no　extensive　knowledge；　He　who　has　extensive　knowledge　is　not　a　wise　man。
  The　sage　does　not　accumulate　for　himself。　The　more　he　uses　for　others；　the　more　he　possesses　of　his　own。
  The　Way　of　Heaven　is　to　benefit　others　and　not　to　injure。　The　Way　of　the　sage　is　to　act　but　not　to　compete。
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  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
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