Then　first　see　it　enshrined。
  Would　you　like　to　drain　it？
  Then　first　see　it　overflow。
  This　is　called　the　subtle　discernment：
  Gently　penetrating　flexibility
  Undermines　the　rigidity　of　power。
  A　fish　can抰　swim
  When　it抯　out　of　its　depth；
  A　nation　can抰　survive
  When　it　shows　off　its　weaponry。
  37
  Unforced　action；　constant　and　eternal：
  Tao　ceaselessly　moves；
  But　appears　to　be　still。
  When　the　hearts　of　the　president
  And　the　power…broker　perceive
  And　accept　this　truth；
  It　will　be　the　dawn　of　an　era
  Of　transformation。
  Throughout　this　evolution；
  If　the　old　impish　projections
  Of　manipulative　action　appear；
  They　could　be　firmly　dispersed
  With　the　aid　of　the　Primal　Presence…
  The　nameless；　formless　One…
  The　teaching　Heart　of　liberation
  From　attachment。
  Could　these　magnates　just　renounce；
  Once　and　for　all；
  Their　old　habitual　attachments；
  Then　like　a　clear　and　cleansing　rain；
  Peace　would　fall　on　man　and　Nature。
  With　this　poem；　Lao　Tzu　comes　to　the　end　of　the　first　half　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching。　This　is　the　part　of　the　book　that　is　called　〃Tao；〃　while　the　second　half　is　called　〃Te。〃　It　is　a　matter　of　emphasis　more　than　content：　Te　is；　of　course；　introduced　in　the　first　half　of　the　book；　and　Tao　is　never　far　from　Lao　Tzu's　mind　throughout　the　work　as　a　whole。　But；　as　will　be　seen；　the　concept　of　Te　is　brought　into　a　detailed　light　in　Part　Two；　whereas　Tao　has　been　the　primary　subject　of　the　poetic　dance　in　Part　One。
  Lao　Tzu　closes　Part　One　with　two　poems；　Chapters　36　and　37；　that　present　an　overview　of　the　same　process；　wherein　the　student　of　the　Sage　approaches　the　journey　of　inner　diminishment梩he　exposure；　unraveling；　and　discarding　of　ego；　in　both　its　personal　and　societal　contexts。　It　is　the　process　of　joining　in　partnership　with　the　〃teaching　heart　of　liberation　from　attachment〃梩he　Sage梐nd　beginning　the　work　of　exposing　and　identifying　what　is　inflated；　powerful；　holy　（〃enshrined〃　in　Chapter　36）；　and　saturated。　Then　the　work　of　dissolving　and　transforming　these　projections；　and　freeing　the　true　self　from　their　influence；　is　undertaken：　this　is　the　〃movement　that　appears　to　be　still〃　of　Chapter　37；　the　〃subtle　discernment〃　of　Chapter　36；　which　〃undermines　the　rigidity　of　power。〃
  38
  Great　Modesty　is　unstudied…
  It　is　not　even　conscious　of　being　modest。
  Thus；　Modesty　is　its　true　nature。
  But　the　modesty　of　the　collective
  Is　self…centered　in　its　self…effacement。
  Thus；　it　abandons　true　Modesty。
  Correct　Modesty　is　unforced　action；
  Which　lacks　intent　or　deliberation。
  Commonplace　modesty　is　the　calculated　art
  Of　the　private　agenda。
  Natural　kindness　acts　for　the　good　of　the　whole
  Without　ever　being　aware　of　it。
  Perfect　justice　lacks　a　plan　but　meets　its　goals
  Without　passing　judgment。
  Conduct　drawn　from　inner　clarity
  Is　free；　exact；　and　appropriate；
  Without　expectation。
  It　just　rolls　up　its　sleeves
  And　does　its　work。
  When　we　separate　from　the　Tao；
  We　resort　to　cultivated　modesty。
  Failing　that；　we　revert　to　philanthropy；
  And　thence　to　self…righteousness。
  And　on　this　we　erect
  The　mandate　of　propriety。
  Propriety　and　ritual　are　built
  On　the　empty　shell　of　faith。
  The　superficial　is　thus　the　seed　of　discord；
  And　separates　from　the　natural　loyalty
  Of　inner　truth。
  Immature　and　cursory　knowledge　of　Tao
  Is　the　origin　and　the　ornament　of　delusion。
  For　this　reason；　the　Sage　abides　in　substance；
  And　withdraws　from　appearances。
  It　dwells　in　the　immanent；
  And　not　in　the　manifest。
  Thus；　it　comes　not　from　without；
  But　receives　you　within。
  Immature　and　cursory　knowledge　of　Tao
  Is　the　origin　and　the　ornament　of　delusion。
  For　this　reason；　the　Sage　abides　in　substance；
  And　withdraws　from　appearances。
  It　dwells　in　the　immanent；
  And　not　in　the　manifest。
  Thus；　it　comes　not　from　without；
  But　receives　you　within。
  Lao　Tzu　begins　Part　Two　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching　with　two　of　his　longest　poems；　Chapters　38　and　39。　Together；　they　comprise　an　extended　meditation　on　Te；　or　the　Cosmic　principle　of　Modesty。　In　brief；　38　talks　about　〃Te　as　Te；〃　while　39　talks　about　〃Te　as　Tao。〃　Together；　they　present　the　core　of　Lao　Tzu's　perspective　on　Modesty　as　a　fundamental　principle　of　action　and　understanding　in　following　the　Tao。　Both　poems　also　warn　of　the　consequences　of　separation　from　the　principle　of　Modesty。　To　this　purpose；　a　picture　is　drawn　of　a　regressive　spiral　of　vain　dogma；　error；　and　delusion。　The　cultivation　of　false　modesty　as　a　self…conscious　promotion　of　one's　〃better　nature〃　leads　to　philanthropy。　This　leads　in　turn　to　complacency　and　self…righteousness　on　the　part　of　those　who　are　the　purveyors　of　this　philanthropy；　and　in　its　wake　come　propriety　and　ritual。　By　this　point；　we　are　so　far　from　our　true　nature　that　we　have　enclosed　ourselves　in　a　garish　and　grotesque　〃ornament　of　delusion。〃　We　have　reached　the　point　where　we　〃exalt　superiority〃　（this　from　Chapter　39）；　and　have　opened　the　door　wide　to　corruption；　we　have　divorced　mind　from　consciousness　and　thereby　created　a　realm　of　〃insanity　and　death。〃
  39
  From　before　Time　as　we　know　it　was　born；
  The　experience　of　Oneness　with　Tao　has　been。
  To　receive　the　gift　of　Oneness
  Is　the　way　of　Nature；
  Manifest　in　all　its　forms：
  The　open　sky　and　stable　earth；
  The　presence　and　energy　of　mind。
  Through　the　One　the　valley　fills
  With　the　life　of　innumerable　beings。
  Sometimes；　kings　and　lords　receive　it；
  And　are　helped　in　their　paths　of　leadership。
  Were　sky　divorced　from　clarity；
  Then　I　fear　it　might　collapse　in　darkness；
  Robbed　of　the　union　with　Nature。
  Should　earth　divorce　its　elastic　firmness；
  It　would　be　crushed　beneath　its　lifeless　weight。
  Were　mind　divorced　from　consciousness；
  It　would　wither　toward　insanity　and　death。
  Should　the　valley　ever　divorce　abundance；
  Then　every　form　of　being　would　perish。
  These；　indeed；　are　my　greatest　fears。
  And　if　dukes　and　diplomats　renounced
  Their　inner　treasure　to　exalt　superiority；
  They　would　fall　amid　their　own　corruption。
  Soft　and　small；　the　deepest　roots
  By　which　the　greatest　tree　is　nourished：
  Humility　within　completes　greatness　without。
  Indeed；　there　is　nothing　between　them。
  Thus　did　kings　of　old　proclaim　themselves
  The　small；　the　solitary；　the　impoverished：
  For　how　can　you　fight　against
  Such　an　outspoken　humility？
  Could　a　carriage　ever　realize　its　design
  If　it　were　loaded　down　with　fame　and　praise？
  Do　not　presume　to　gleam　like　jade
  When　you　live　among　the　humble　stones。
  40
  Tao　in　motion　is　returning。
  Tao　in　action　is　accepting。
  The　vast　array　of　Nature抯　forms
  Evolves　within　the　realm　of　body；
  And　the　bodily　arises　from　the　Formless。
  41
  The　sincere　student　hears　of　Tao；
  Then　sees　if　he　can　steadfastly　follow　it。
  A　casual　student　hears　of　Tao
  And　follows　it　sporadically…
  Trusting　here；　and　skeptical　there。
  When　the　self…centered　hear　of　Tao
  Their　laughter　fills　the　air：
  How　could　it　be　Tao
  If　it　didn抰　make　them　laugh？
  Therefore　is　it　said：
  The　one　with　the　lantern　shines　the　least。
  The　one　making　progress　seems　behind。
  The　easiest　path　seems　tortuous。
  Natural　strength　appears　weak　and　hollow。
  And　the　greatest　virtue　seems　too　small。
  Beneficence　seems　to　lack　foundation。
  The　most　enduring　truths　are　mutable。
  Perfect　squares　have　no　sharp　corners。
  The　most　useful　tool　seems　inefficient。
  The　loveliest　music　is　hardly　heard。
  The　Subliminal　Form　cannot　be　touched。
  The　One　is　silent　and　concealed…
  This　indeed　is　its　practical　virtue：
  Thus　it　freely　gives　its　help
  To　all　who　would　experience
  Their　original　perfection。
  This　is　a　wonderful　and　playful　meditation　on　seeing　beyond　the　realm　of　appearances。　We　can　approach　the　Tao　and　its　teaching　function；　the　Sage；　from　many　different　perspectives；　three　of　which　Lao　Tzu　mentions　in　this　poem。　The　〃sincere　student；〃　it　must　be　noted；　is　not　said　to　be　devout；　reverent；　or　even　especially　serious　（to　judge　by　the　poem's　overall　tone）。　He　sees　whether　he　can　〃steadfastly　follow　it；〃　without　any　mention　of　devotion　or　sacrifice　to　an　ideal：　he　just　puts　in　his　effort　and　asks　for　help；　thus　dispersing　fear　and　awe　in　his　approach。
  Many　of　us　have　been　through　a　similar　experience　to　that　of　the　〃casual　student；〃　in　which　old　belief　systems　（or　certain　precious　shards　thereof）　are　inwardly　hoarded　even　as　we　begin　to　perceive　how　insanely　they　obstruct　growth。　Thus；　we　experience　both　trust　and　skepticism　in　our　learning梥ometimes　simultaneously。
  Finally；　there　are　those　who　encounter　the　Tao　and　its　teachings　with　ego　mechanisms　firmly　in　place；　whose　derisive　laughter　fills　the　air。　Perhaps　you　have　found　yourself　（either　directly　or　impl