Your　true　self　gives；　and　claims　no　credit。
  Its　work　furthers　all；　without　attaching　to　the　results。
  It　conceals　its　worth；
  Which　is　therefore　felt　by　all。
  This　is　the　way　of　complementarity。
  The　Tao　Te　Ching　as　a　work　of　significant　environmental　awareness　is　again　highlighted　in　this　verse。　Lao　Tzu　uses　the　image　of　a　bow　that　draws　itself；　without　the　need　of　arrows；　to　describe　the　operations　of　Nature：　it　continually　adjusts　and　maintains　its　balance　when　it　〃draws　off　excess〃　to　〃provide　for　what　is　depleted。〃　This　metaphor　was　copied；　probably　by　a　Confucian　writer；　into　the　Image　of　Hexagram　15；　Modesty；　of　the　I　Ching：
  Thus　the　superior　man　reduces　that　which　is　too　much；
  And　augments　that　which　is　too　little。　（Wilhelm/Baynes；　p。　64）。
  However；　Lao　Tzu　points　out　that　there　is　no　need　for　a　〃superior〃　or　〃cultivated〃　man　to　achieve　this　balance。　Indeed；　fixed　notions　of　superiority　and　inferiority；　higher　and　lower；　are　certain　to　disrupt　and　distort　the　way　of　Nature。　All　that　is　needed　is　the　presence　of　the　true　self；　unencumbered　by　false　notions　of　superiority　or　acculturation。　Our　natural　being　knows　exactly　how　to　accord　with　the　cosmic　principle　of　inner　balance：　simply　allow　the　long　and　the　short　to　complement　and　support　one　another；　because　they　are　truly　equal。　For　the　bow　is　drawn；　after　all；　with　but　one　string。
  78
  Is　there　anything　in　all　of　Nature
  As　adaptable　and　as　shapeless　as　water？
  But　for　wearing　down　what抯　fixed　and　rigid；
  No　power　on　earth　can　match　it。
  Thus；　it　is　unique。
  When　an　amorphous　presence
  Meets　adamantine　resistance；
  The　amorphous　prevails。
  When　the　supple　meets　the　obdurate；
  Suppleness　prevails。
  There　are　none　who　can　deny　this；
  But　no　one　seems　able　to　live　by　it。
  Thus　the　Sage　teaches　that
  The　humiliation　of　one抯　country
  Is　not　to　be　taken　upon　one抯　self；
  Nor　are　environmental　disasters
  To　be　conquered　as　enemies。
  But　we　can；　with　subtle　understanding；
  Communicate　with　them。
  79
  A　great　conflict；　even　when　resolved；
  Leaves　behind　a　bitter　taste。
  How　can　the　residue　of　enmity　be　cleansed？
  The　teaching　of　the　Sage　is　this：
  Hold　not　to　your　claim；　but　to　your　contract。
  Abandon　entitlement　and　accept　obligation。
  Trust　in　the　virtues　of　the　Cosmic　Way：
  Disperse　guilt　and　depart　from　blame。
  The　Tao　plays　no　favorites；
  But　calls　upon　the　inner　truth　of　all。
  80
  Diminish　the　size　of　your　inner　nation；
  Let　it　become　as　small　as　is　needed。
  Let　its　talents　be　manifold　and　diverse；
  But　never　used　or　displayed。
  Naturally　treasure　the　life　of　your　humanity；
  But　do　not　let　death　pursue　you。
  You　have　boats　for　sailing；
  Wagons　for　loading；
  But　no　need　to　guide　them。
  You　have　weapons　to　attack　and　defend；
  Yet　no　need　to　bear　them　before　others。
  In　communicating　with　people；
  Return　to　the　simplest　means。
  Eat　well；　and　enjoy　it；
  Dress　both　for　comfort　and　beauty。
  Nurture　harmony　in　your　dwelling　space。
  Know　the　daily　joy　of　simplicity。
  You　will　see　and　be　seen　by　others：
  There　may　be　crowing　and　barking　among　you；
  As　between　roosters　and　dogs。
  But　you　need　not　be　trapped　in　this　commerce；
  For　to　the　end　of　your　days；
  You　will　be　completely　sufficient　unto　yourself。
  Discovering　the　essence　through　discarding　the　excessive　is　a　recurring　theme　in　the　Tao　Te　Ching；　and　it　applies　to　both　inner　and　outer　government。　Chapter　48　pictured　the　growth　of　the　natural　personality　as　a　process　of　diminishment　and　disburdening；　which　is　contrasted　with　the　commerce　of　ego…activity。　Here；　in　Chapter　80；　a　different　set　of　metaphors　for　this　process　is　presented。　Lao　Tzu　wants　us　to　know　not　merely　what　Te　is　not；　but　what　it　is：　what　it　feels　like；　how　it　manifests　itself　in　society；　and　how　entirely　sufficient　it　is　to　the　management　of　a　natural　life。
  The　expression；　Po　chi抙　chi；　here　rendered　as　〃Let　your　talents　be　manifold　and　diverse；〃　is　often　translated　as　〃labor　saving　devices。〃　I　was　led　to　understand　this　expression　as　a　metaphor　for　cleverness；　or　the　agile　use　of　the　intellect。　Lao　Tzu　is　saying　that　cleverness　is　not　a　quality　to　be　demonized　or　despised；　but　rather　to　be　transformed　by　placing　it　at　the　service　of　one's　feeling　nature；　it　is　not　to　be　put　on　display　or　used　to　humiliate　or　debase　others。
  〃Wagons　for　loading〃　is　another　I　Ching　metaphor　that　Lao　Tzu　draws　upon；　it　comes　from　Hexagram　14；　line　2。　In　The　Oracle　of　the　Cosmic　Way　text；　this　is　found　to　be　a　metaphor　for　the　Helper　of　Transformation。　（p。　206）梩hat　is；　a　transformative　energy　that　creates　enduring　change　within　a　person　or　situation。
  〃There　may　be　crowing　and　barking　among　you〃　refers　to　the　activity　of　ego；　both　in　conflict；　self…display；　and　the　egotistical　commerce　referred　to　in　Chapter　48。　However；　in　this　poem；　Lao　Tzu　assures　us　that　we　have　the　inner　wherewithal　to　recognize　such　error　and　go　on　without　becoming　trapped　in　its　contentious　snares。
  81
  Words　that　resonate　may　not　be　eloquent；
  But　eloquence　may　never　resonate。
  Pure　being　does　not　argue；
  Those　who　argue　pervert　pure　being。
  Understanding　is　not　scholarly；
  A　scholar抯　way　lacks　understanding。
  The　Sage　does　not　hoard　its　teaching：
  The　more　it　gives　us；
  The　more　it　is　fulfilled。
  For　giving　is　the　way　of　true　increase。
  The　way　of　Tao　is　benevolent：
  It　does　not　harm　or　punish。
  The　Tao　brings　all　things　to　completion；
  In　the　endless　dance　of　its　Harmony。
  English_Duyvendak_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  Chinese　…　Dutch　by
  Jan　Julius　Lodewijk　Duyvendak
  Dutch　…　English　by
  Unknown；　1954
  1
  The　Way　that　may　truly　be　regarded　as　the　Way　is　other　than　a　permanent　way。
  The　terms　that　may　truly　be　regarded　as　terms　are　other　than　permanent　terms。
  The　term　Non…being　indicates　the　beginning　of　heaven　and　earth；　the　term　Being　indicates　the　mother　of　the　ten　thousand　things。
  For；　indeed；　it　is　through　the　constant　alteration　between　Non…being　and　Being　that　the　wonder　of　the　one　and　the　limitation　of　the　other　will　be　seen。
  These　two；　having　a　common　origin；　are　named　with　different　terms。
  What　they　have　in　common　is　called　the　Mystery；　The　Mystery　of　Mysteries；　the　Gate　of　all　Wonders。
  2
  Everybody　in　the　world　recognizes　beauty　as　beauty；　and　thus　ugliness　（is　known）。
  Everybody　recognizes　the　good　as　good；　and　thus　what　is　not　good　（is　known）。
  For　indeed：。
  Being　and　Non…being　produce　one　another；。
  Hard　and　easy　complete　one　another；。
  Long　and　short　are　relative　to　one　another；。
  High　and　low　depend　on　one　another；。
  Tone　and　voice　harmonize　with　one　another；。
  First　and　last　succeed　one　another。
  3
  Not　exalting　ability　ensures　that　the　people　do　not　strive。
  Not　prizing　goods　that　are　difficult　to　obtain　ensures　that　the　people　do　not　become　robbers。
  Not　showing　them　what　they　might　desire　ensures　that　the　people　do　not　feel　disturbed　in　their　hearts。
  Therefore　the　Saint；　in　the　exercise　of　government；　empties　their　hearts　and　fills　their　bellies；　weakens　their　wills　and　strengthens　their　bones；　thus　constantly　ensuring　that　the　people　are　without　knowledge　and　without　desires　and　that　those　who　have　knowledge　dare　not　act。　He　practices　Non…action　and　consequently　there　is　nothing　that　is　not　well　governed。
  4
  The　Way　is　like　an　empty　vessel　which；　in　spite　of　being　used；　is　never　filled。　How　bottomless　it　is；　like　the　progenitor　of　the　ten　thousand　things！　How　deep　it　is；　as　if　it　will　last　forever！
  Generated　by　I　know　not　what；　it　is　the　Image　of　what　was　before　the　〃Emperors〃。
  5
  Heaven　and　earth　are　not　humane：　they　treat　the　ten　thousand　things　like　（sacrificial）　straw　dogs。
  The　Saints　are　not　humane：　they　treat　the　people　like　（sacrificial）　straw　dogs。
  The　space　between　heaven　and　earth；　…　how　like　a　bellows　it　is！　It　is　emptied　without　being　exhausted。　It　is　put　in　motion　and　it　brings　forth　more　and　more。
  A　multiplicity　of　words　is　soon　exhausted；　better　it　is　to　preserve　a　middle　course。
  6
  〃The　valley　spirit　never　dies〃；　this　refers　to　the　dark　female。
  〃The　gate　of　the　dark　female〃；　this　refers　to　the　root　of　heaven　and　earth。
  In　fibrous　ramifications　it　is　ever　present；　its　activity　never　ceases。
  7
  Heaven　is　longeval　and　earth　is　long　lasting。　The　reason　why　heaven　and　earth　and　longeval　and　long　lasting　is　because　they　do　not　reproduce　themselves；　therefore　they　are　able　to　be　longeval　and　long　lasting。
  That　is　why　the　Saint　puts　himself　behind　and　yet　he　comes　to　the　fore。　He　puts　himself　outside　and　yet　he　is　preserved。　Is　it　not　because　he　is　without　personal　preference　that　his　personal　preference　is　fulfilled？
  8
  The　highest　goodness　is　like　water。　The　goodness　of　water　consists　in　benefiting　the　ten　thousand　things　without　ever　str