25
  Something　undifferentiated　was　born　before　heaven　and　earth；　still　and　silent；　standing　alone　and　unchanging；　going　through　cycles　unending；　able　to　be　mother　to　the　world。
  I　do　not　know　its　name；　I　label　it　the　Way。　Imposing　on　it　a　name；　I　call　it　Great。
  Greatness　means　it　goes；　going　means　reaching　afar；　reaching　afar　means　return。
  Therefore　the　Way　is　great；　heaven　is　great；　earth　is　great；　and　kingship　is　also　great。　Among　domains　are　four　greats；　of　which　kingship　is　one。
  Humanity　emulates　earth；　earth　emulates　heaven；　heaven　emulates　the　Way；　the　Way　emulates　nature。
  26
  Gravity　is　the　root　of　lightness；　calm　is　the　master　of　excitement。
  Thereby　do　exemplary　people　travel　all　day　without　leaving　their　equipment。　Though　they　have　a　look　of　prosperity；　their　resting　place　is　transcendent。
  What　can　be　done　about　heads　of　state　who　take　the　world　lightly　in　their　own　self…interest？
  Lack　of　gravity　loses　servants　of　state；　insanity　loses　heads　of　state。
  27
  Good　works　are　trackless；　good　words　are　flawless；　good　planning　isn't　calculating。
  What　is　well　closed　has　no　bolt　locking　it；　but　cannot　be　opened。　What　is　well　bound　has　no　rope　confining　it；　but　cannot　be　untied。
  Therefore　sages　always　consider　it　good　to　save　people；　so　that　there　are　no　wasted　humans；　they　always　consider　it　good　to　save　beings；　so　that　there　are　no　wasted　beings。
  So　good　people　are　teachers　of　people　who　are　not　good。　People　who　are　not　good　are　students　of　people　who　are　good。
  Those　who　do　not　honor　teachers　or　care　for　students　are　greatly　deluded；　even　in　knowledgeable。　This　is　called　an　essential　subtlety。
  28
  Know　the　male；　keep　to　the　female；　be　humble　toward　the　world。　Be　humble　toward　the　world；　and　eternal　power　never　leaves；　returning　again　to　innocence。
  Knowing　the　white；　keep　the　black；　be　an　exemplar　for　the　world。　Be　an　exemplar　for　the　world；　and　eternal　power　never　goes　awry；　returning　again　to　infinity。
  Knowing　thee　glorious；　keep　the　ignominious；　be　open　to　the　world。　Be　open　to　the　world；　and　eternal　power　suffices；　returning　again　to　simplicity。
  Simplicity　is　lost　to　make　instruments；　which　sages　employ　as　functionaries。　Therefore　the　great　fashioner　does　no　splitting。
  29
  Should　you　want　to　take　the　world；　and　contrive　to　do　so；　I　see　you　won't　manage　to　finish。
  The　most　sublime　instrument　in　the　world　cannot　be　contrived。　Those　who　contrive　spoil　it；　those　who　cling　lose　it。
  So　creatures　sometimes　go　and　sometimes　follow；　sometimes　puff　and　sometimes　blow；　are　sometimes　strong　and　sometimes　weak；　begin　sometime　and　end　sometime；
  Therefore　sages　remove　extremes；　remove　extravagance；　remove　arrogance。
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  Those　who　assist　human　leaders　with　the　Way　do　not　coerce　the　world　with　weapons；　for　these　things　are　apt　to　backfire。
  Brambles　grow　where　an　army　has　been；　there　are　always　bad　years　after　a　war。
  Therefore　the　good　are　effective；　that　is　all；　they　do　not　presume　to　grab　power　thereby：
  they　are　effective　but　not　conceited；　effective　but　not　proud；　effective　but　not　arrogant。　They　are　effective　when　they　have　to　be；　effective　but　not　coercive。
  If　you　peak　in　strength；　you　then　age；　this；　it　is　said；　is　unguided。　The　unguided　soon　come　to　an　end。
  31
  Fine　weapons　are　instruments　of　ill　omen：　people　may　despise　them；　so　those　with　the　Way　do　not　dwell　with　them。
  Therefore　the　place　of　honor　for　the　cultured　is　on　the　left；　while　the　honored　place　for　the　martialist　is　on　the　right。
  Weapon；　being　instruments　of　ill　omen；　are　not　the　tools　of　the　cultures；　who　use　them　only　when　unavoidable。
  They　consider　it　best　to　be　aloof；　they　win　without　beautifying　it。　Those　who　beautify　it　enjoy　killing　people。　Those　who　enjoy　killing　cannot　get　their　will　of　the　world。
  The　left　is　favored　for　auspicious　things；　the　right　for　things　of　ill　omen：　so　the　subordinate　general　is　on　the　left；　the　top　general　on　the　right。　That　means　when　you　are　in　ascendancy　of　power　you　handle　it　as　you　would　a　mourning。
  When　you　have　killed　many　people；　you　weep　for　them　in　sorrow。　When　you　win　a　war；　you　celebrate　by　mourning。
  Start　fashioning；　and　there　are　names；　once　names　also　exist；　you　should　know　when　to　stop。　By　knowing　when　to　stop；　you　are　not　endangered。
  32
  The　Way　is　eternally　nameless；　Though　simplicity　is　small；　the　world　cannot　subordinate　it。
  If　lords　and　monarchs　can　keep　to　it；　all　beings　will　naturally　resort　to　them。
  Heaven　and　earth　combine；　thus　showering　sweet　dew。　No　humans　command　it；　it　is　even　by　nature。
  The　Way　is　to　the　world　as　rivers　and　oceans　to　valley　streams。
  33
  Those　who　know　others　are　wise；　those　who　know　themselves　are　enlightened。
  Those　who　overcome　others　are　powerful；　those　who　overcome　themselves　are　strong。
  Those　who　are　contented　are　rich；　those　who　act　strongly　have　will。
  Those　who　do　not　lose　their　place　endure；　those　who　die　without　perishing　live　long。
  34
  The　Great　Way　is　universal；　it　can　apply　to　the　left　or　the　right。
  All　beings　depend　on　it　for　life；　and　it　does　not　refuse。　Its　accomplishments　fulfilled；　it　does　not　dwell　on　them。　It　lovingly　nurtures　all　beings；　but　does　not　act　as　their　ruler。
  As　it　has　no　desire；　it　can　be　called　small。
  All　beings　take　to　it；　yet　it　does　not　act　as　their　ruler；　it　can　be　called　great。
  Therefore　sages　never　contrive　greatness；　that　is　why　they　can　become　so　great。
  35
  When　holding　the　Great　Image；　the　world　goes　on　and　on　without　harm；　peaceful；　even；　tranquil。
  When　there　is　music　and　dining；　passing　travelers　stop；
  but　the　issue　of　the　Way　is　so　plain　as　to　be　flavorless。　When　you　look　at　it；　it　is　invisible；　when　you　listen　to　it；　it　is　inaudible；　when　you　use　it；　it　cannot　be　exhausted。
  36
  Should　you　want　to　contain　something；　you　must　first　deliberately　let　it　expand。　Should　you　want　to　weaken　something；　you　must　deliberately　let　it　grow　strong。　Should　you　want　to　eliminate　something；　you　must　deliberately　allow　it　to　flourish。
  This　is　called　subtle　illumination。　Flexible　and　yielding　overcome　adamant　coerciveness。
  Fish　shouldn't　be　taken　from　the　depths；　the　effective　tools　of　the　nation　shouldn't　be　shown　to　others。
  37
  The　Way　is　always　uncontrived；　yet　there's　nothing　it　doesn't　do。
  If　lords　and　monarchs　could　keep　to　it；　all　beings　would　evolve　spontaneously。　When　they　have　evolved　and　want　to　act；　I　would　stabilize　them　with　nameless　simplicity。
  Even　nameless　simplicity　would　not　be　wanted。　By　not　wanting；　there　is　calm；　and　the　world　will　straighten　itself。
  38
  Higher　virtue　is　not　ingratiating；　that　is　why　it　ha　virtue。　Lower　virtue　does　not　forget　about　reward；　that　is　why　it　is　virtueless。
  Higher　virtue　is　uncontrived；　and　there　is　no　way　to　contrive　it。　Lower　virtue　is　created；　and　there　is　a　way　to　do　it。
  Higher　humanity　is　created；　but　there　is　no　way　to　contrive　it。　Higher　duty　is　done；　and　there　is　a　way　to　do　it。　Higher　courtesy　is　done；　but　no　one　responds　to　it；　so　there　is　forced　repetition。
  Therefore　virtue　comes　after　the　loss　of　the　Way；　humanity　comes　after　the　loss　of　virtue；　duty　comes　after　the　loss　of　humanity；　courtesy　comes　after　the　loss　of　duty。
  Manners　mean　loyalty　and　trust　are　thin；　and　disarray's　beginning。　Foresight　is　a　flower　of　the　Way；　and　the　beginning　of　ignorance　too。
  Therefore　great　people　dwell　in　the　thick；　not　the　thin。　They　abide　in　the　substance；　not　the　flower。　So　they　leave　the　latter　and　take　the　former。
  39
  When　unity　was　attained　of　old；　heaven　became　clear　by　attaining　unity；　earth　became　steady　by　attaining　unity；　spirit　was　quickened　by　attaining　unity；
  valley　streams　were　filled　by　attaining　unity；　all　beings　were　born　by　attaining　unity；　and　by　attaining　unity　lords　acted　rightly　for　the　sake　of　the　world。　What　brought　this　about　was　unity：
  without　means　of　clarity；　heaven　may　burst；　without　means　of　steadiness；　earth　may　erupt；　without　mens　of　quickening；　spirit　may　be　exhausted；　without　means　of　filling；
  valley　streams　may　dry　up；　without　means　of　birth；　all　beings　may　perish；　without　means　of　acting　rightly；　lords　may　stumble。
  Therefore　nobility　is　rooted　in　humility；　loftiness　is　based　on　lowliness。
  Thais　is　why　noble　people　refer　to　themselves　as　alone；　lacking；　and　unworthy。　Is　this　not　being　rooted　in　humility？　So　there　is　no　praise　in　repeated　praise；　they　don't　want　to　be　like　jewels　or　like　stones。
  So　there　is　no　praise　in　repeated　praise；
  they　don't　want　to　be　like　jewels　or　like　stones。
  40
  Return　is　the　movement　of　the　Way；　yielding　is　the　function　of　the　Way。
  All　things　in　the　world　are　born　of　being；　being　is　born　of　nonbeing。
  41
  When　superior　people　hear　of　the　Way；　they　carry　it　out　with　diligence。　When　middling　people　hear　of　the　way；　it　sometimes　seems　to　be　there；　sometimes　not。
  When　lesser　people　hear　of　the　Way；　they　ridicule　it　greatly。　If　they　didn't　laugh　at　it；　it　wouldn't　be　the　Way。
  So