For　this　reason　sages　put　themselves　last；　and　they　were　first；
  they　excluded　themselves；　and　they　survived。
  Was　it　not　by　their　very　selflessness　that　they　managed　to　fulfill　themselves？
  8
  Higher　good　is　like　water：　the　good　in　water　benefits　all；　and　does　so　without　contention。　It　rests　where　people　dislike　to　be；　so　it　is　close　to　the　Way。
  Where　it　dwells　becomes　good　ground；　profound　is　the　good　in　its　heart；　benevolent　the　good　it　bestows。　Goodness　in　words　is　trustworthiness；
  goodness　in　government　is　order；　goodness　in　work　is　ability；　goodness　in　action　is　timeliness。
  But　only　by　non…contention　is　there　nothing　extreme。
  9
  To　keep　on　filling　is　not　as　good　as　stopping。
  Calculated　sharpness　cannot　be　kept　for　long。
  Though　gold　and　jewels　fill　their　house；　no　one　can　keep　them。
  When　the　rich　upper　classes　are　haughty；　their　legacy　indicts　them。
  When　one'　work　is　accomplished　honorably；　to　retire　is　the　Way　of　heaven。
  10
  Carrying　vitality　and　consciousness；　embracing　them　as　one；　can　you　keep　from　parting？
  Concentrating　energy；　making　it　supple；　can　you　be　like　an　infant？
  Purifying　hidden　perception；　can　you　make　it　flawless？
  Loving　the　people；　governing　the　nation；　can　you　be　uncontrived？
  As　the　gate　of　heaven　opens　and　closes；　can　you　be　impassive？
  As　understanding　reaches　everywhere；　can　you　be　innocent？
  Producing　and　developing；　producing　without　possessing；　growing　without　domineering：　this　is　called　mysterious　power。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　join　at　a　hub：　their　use　for　the　cart　is　where　they　are　not。
  When　the　potter's　wheel　makes　a　pot；　the　use　of　the　pot　is　precisely　where　there　is　nothing。
  When　you　open　the　doors　and　windows　for　a　room；　it　is　where　there　is　nothing　that　they　are　useful　to　the　room。
  Therefore　being　is　for　benefit；　nonbeing　is　for　usefulness。
  12
  Colors　blind　people's　eyes；　sounds　deafen　their　ears；　flavors　spoil　people's　palates；
  the　chase　and　the　hunt　craze　people's　minds；　goods　hard　to　obtain　make　people's　actions　harmful。
  Therefore　sages　work　for　the　middle　and　not　the　eyes；　leaving　the　latter　and　taking　the　former。
  13
  Favor　and　disgrace　seem　alarming；　high　status　greatly　afflicts　your　person。
  What　are　favor　and　disgrace？　Favor　is　the　lower：　get　it　and　you're　surprised；　lose　it　and　you're　startled。　This　means　favor　and　disgrace　are　alarming。
  Why　does　high　status　greatly　afflict　your　person？　The　reason　we　have　a　lot　of　trouble　is　that　we　have　selves。　If　we　had　no　selves　what　troubles　would　we　have？
  Therefore　those　who　embody　nobility　to　act　for　the　sake　of　the　world　seem　to　be　able　to　draw　the　world　to　them；　while　those　who　embody　love　to　act　for　the　sake　of　the　world　seem　to　be　worthy　of　the　trust　of　the　world。
  14
  What　you　don't　see　when　you　look　is　called　the　unobtrusive。　What　you　don't　hear　when　you　listen　is　called　the　rarefied。　What　you　don't　get　when　you　grasp　is　called　the　subtle。
  These　three　cannot　be　completely　fathomed；　so　they　merge　into　one；
  above　is　not　bright；　below　is　not　dark。　Continuous；　unnameable；　it　returns　again　to　nothing。
  This　is　called　the　stateless　state；　the　image　of　no　thing；　this　is　called　mental　abstraction。　When　you　face　it　you　do　not　see　its　head；　and　when　you　follow　it　you　do　not　see　its　back。
  Hold　to　the　ancient　Way　so　as　to　direct　present　existence：　only　when　you　know　the　ancient　can　this　be　called　the　basic　cycle　of　the　Way。
  15
  Skilled　warriors　of　old　were　subtle；　mysteriously　powerful；　so　deep　they　were　unknowable。
  Just　because　they　are　unknowable；　I　will　try　to　describe　them。　Their　wariness　was　as　that　of　one　crossing　a　river　in　winter；　their　caution　was　as　that　of　one　in　fear　of　all　around；　their　gravity　was　as　that　of　a　guest；
  their　relaxation　was　as　that　of　ice　at　the　melting　point。　Simple　as　uncarved　wood；　open　as　valleys；　they　were　as　inscrutable　as　murky　water。
  Who　can；　in　turbidity；　use　the　gradual　clarification　of　stillness？　Who　can；　long　at　rest；　use　the　gradual　enlivening　of　movement？
  Those　who　preserve　this　Way　do　not　want　fullness。　Just　because　of　not　wanting　fullness；　it　is　possible　to　use　to　the　full　and　not　make　anew。
  16
  Attain　the　climax　of　emptiness；　preserve　the　utmost　quiet：
  as　myriad　things　act　in　concert；　I　thereby　observe　the　return。　Things　flourish；　then　each　returns　to　its　root。
  Returning　to　the　root　is　called　stillness；　stillness　is　called　return　to　Life；　return　to　Life　is　called　the　constant；　knowing　the　constant　is　called　enlightenment。　Acts　at　random；　in　ignorance　of　the　constant；　bode　ill。
  Knowing　the　constant　gives　perspective；　this　perspective　is　impartial。　Impartiality　is　the　highest　nobility；　the　highest　nobility　is　divine；　and　the　divine　is　the　Way。
  This　Way　is　everlasting；　not　endangered　by　physical　death。
  17
  Very　great　leaders　in　their　domains　are　only　known　to　exist。　Those　next　best　are　loved　and　praised。　The　lesser　are　feared　and　despised。
  Therefore　when　faith　is　insufficient　and　there　is　disbelief；
  it　is　from　the　high　value　placed　on　words。　Works　are　accomplished；　tasks　are　completed；　and　ordinary　folk　all　say　they　are　acting　spontaneously。
  18
  When　the　Great　Way　is　deserted；　then　there　is　humanitarian　duty。
  When　intelligence　comes　forth；　there　is　great　fabrication。
  When　relations　are　discordant；　there　is　family　love。
  When　the　national　polity　is　benighted　and　confused；　then　there　are　loyal　ministers。
  19
  Eliminate　sagacity；　abandon　knowledge；　and　the　people　will　benefit　a　hundredfold。
  Eliminate　humanitarianism；　abandon　duty；　and　the　people　return　to　familial　love。
  Eliminate　craft；　abandon　profit；　and　theft　will　no　longer　exist。
  These　three　become　insufficient　when　used　for　embellishment　causing　there　to　be　attachments。
  See　the　basic；　embrace　the　unspoiled；　lessen　selfishness；　diminish　desire。
  20
  Detach　from　learning　and　you　have　no　worries。　How　far　apart　are　yes　and　yeah？　How　far　apart　are　good　and　bad？
  The　things　people　fear　cannot　but　be　feared。　Wild　indeed　the　uncentered！
  Most　people　celebrate　as　if　they　were　barbecuing　a　slaughtered　cow；　or　taking　in　the　springtime　vistas；　I　alone　am　aloof；　showing　no　sign；　like　an　infant　that　doesn't　yet　smile；　riding　buoyantly　as　if　with　nowhere　to　go。
  Most　people　have　too　much；　I　alone　seem　to　be　missing　something。　Mine　is　indeed　the　mind　of　an　ignoramus　in　its　unadulterated　simplicity。
  Ordinary　people　try　to　shine；　I　alone　seem　to　be　dark。　Ordinary　people　try　to　be　on　the　alert；　I　alone　am　unobtrusive；　calm　as　the　ocean　depths；　buoyant　as　if　anchored　nowhere。
  Most　people　have　ways　and　means；　I　alone　am　unsophisticated　and　simple。　I　alone　am　different　from　people　in　that　I　value　seeking　food　from　the　mother。
  21
  For　the　countenance　of　great　virtue；　only　the　Way　is　to　be　followed。
  As　a　thing；　the　Way　is　abstract　and　elusive；　elusive　and　abstract；　there　are　images　in　it；　abstract　and　elusive；　there　is　something　there。　Recondite；　hidden；　it　has　vitality　therein：　that　vitality　is　very　real；　it　has　truth　therein。
  From　ancient　times　to　now；　its　name　is　the　undeparting；　thereby　are　seen　all　beauties。
  How　do　I　know　all　beauties　are　thus？　By　this。
  22
  Be　tactful　and　you　remain　whole；　bend　and　you　remain　straight。　The　hollow　is　filled；　the　old　is　renewed。　Economy　is　gain；　excess　is　confusion。。
  Therefore　sages　embrace　unity　as　model　for　the　world。
  Not　seeing　themselves；　they　are　therefore　clear。　Not　asserting　themselves；　they　are　therefore　outstanding。　Not　congratulating　themselves；　they　are　therefore　meritorious。　Not　taking　pride　in　themselves；　they　last　long。
  It　is　just　because　they　do　not　contend　that　no　one　in　the　world　can　contend　with　them。
  Is　it　empty　talk；　the　old　saying　that　tact　keeps　you　whole？　When　truthfulness　is　complete；　it　still　resorts　to　this。
  23
  To　speak　rarely　is　natural。　That　is　why　a　gusty　wind　doesn't　last　the　morning；　a　downpour　of　rain　doesn't　last　the　day。
  Who　does　this？　Heaven　and　earth。　If　heaven　and　earth　cannot　go　on　forever；　how　much　less　can　human　beings！
  Therefore　those　who　follow　the　Way　assimilate　to　the　Way；　the　virtuous　assimilate　to　virtue；　those　who　have　lost　assimilate　to　loss。
  Those　who　assimilate　to　the　Way　are　happy　to　gain　it；　those　who　assimilate　to　virtue　too　are　happy　to　gain　it；　and　those　who　assimilate　to　loss　are　also　happy　to　gain　it。
  When　trust　is　insufficient；　there　is　distrust。
  24
  Those　on　tiptoe　don't　stand　up；　those　who　take　long　strides　don't　walk；
  those　who　see　themselves　are　not　perceptive；　those　who　assert　themselves　are　not　illustrious；
  those　who　glorify　themselves　have　no　merit；　those　who　are　proud　of　themselves　do　not　last。
  On　the　Way；　these　are　called　overconsumption　and　excess　activity。　Some　people　disdain　them；　so　those　with　the　Way　abstain。
  25
  Something　undifferentiated　was　born　before　heaven　and　earth；　still　and　silent；　standing　alone　and　unchanging；　going　through　cycles　unending；　able　to　b