earth。　Now　if　even　heaven　and　earth　cannot　make　（such　exuberance）　lasting；　how　much　less　man！
  Therefore　he　who　follows　the　Way　in　his　actions；　identifies　himself　with　the　Way。　If　he　succeeds；　he　identifies　himself　with　success；　if　he　fails；　he　identifies　himself　with　failure。
  If　he　identifies　himself　with　the　Way；　he　rejoices　on　obtaining　the　Way。　IF　he　identifies　himself　with　success；　he　likewise　rejoices　on　obtaining　success。　If　he　identifies　himself　with　failure；　he　also　rejoices　on　obtaining　failure。
  24
  On　tiptoe　one　does　not　stand。
  Straddle…legged　one　does　not　go　forward。
  He　who　displays　himself；　shines　not。
  He　who　asserts　himself；　is　not　manifest。
  He　who　boasts；　succeeds　not。
  He　who　is　conceited；　does　not　become　chief。
  （Of　such　an　attitude）　in　regard　to　the　Way　it　may　be　said：　〃Superfluous　food　and　redundant　actions　are　loathed　by　all。　Therefore；　he　who　has　the　Way；　does　not　concern　himself　with　them。〃
  25
  There　was　something　in　a　state　of　fusion　before　heaven　and　earth　were　formed。　How　tranquil；　how　void　it　is；　it　stands　alone　and　changes　not；　it　permeates　universally　and　never　tires。　It　may　be　regarded　as　the　mother　of　All…under…heaven。
  Its　proper　name　I　know　not；　but　I　call　it　by　the　by…name　〃Way〃；　and；　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　inventing　a　term　for　it；　I　should　call　it　〃great〃。　〃Great〃　means　〃to　pass　on〃；　〃to　pass　on〃　means　〃to　go　far〃；　〃to　go　far〃　means　〃to　revert〃　（t　the　contrary）。
  Thus：　the　Way　is　great；　heaven　is　great；　earth　is　great　and　the　king　is　great。　There　are　in　the　world　four　great　ones　and　the　king　is　one　thereof。　The　king　patterns　himself　on　earth；　earth　patterns　itself　on　heaven；　heaven　patterns　itself　on　the　Way；　and　the　Way　patterns　itself　on　the　Natural。
  26
  Gravity　is　the　root　of　lightness；　stillness　the　master　of　agitation。
  Thus　a　nobleman　travels　all　day　without　leaving　his　baggage…wagon。　Though　he　may　have　a　camp　and　watch…towers　（around　him）；　he　sits　quietly　and　undisturbed。
  How　should　then　a　lord　of　ten　thousand　chariots　conduct　himself　lightly　in　regard　to　All…under…heaven？
  If　he　conducts　himself　lightly；　he　will　lose　the　mastery。
  27
  For　a　skilful　traveller　there　are　neither　tracks　nor　traces。
  For　a　skilful　speaker　there　is　neither　blame　nor　praise。
  A　skilful　reckoner　used　no　counting…tallies。
  A　skilful　'closer'　does　not　bar　or　bolt；　yet　to　open　（what　he　has　shut）　would　be　impossible。
  A　skilful　binder　does　not　twine　or　know；　yet　to　loosen　（what　he　has　bound）　would　be　impossible。
  Thus　the　Saint　is　constantly　good　at　saving　men。　Even　of　the　not…good；　who　will　be　rejected？
  He　is　constantly　good　at　saving　things：　for　he　acts　without　rejecting　things。　This　is　called　a　twofold　understanding。　For　a　good　man　is　the　master　of　the　not…good；　and　the　not…good　are　the　material　for　the　good。　However　wise　one　may　be；　not　to　value　ones　master；　or　not　to　be　sparing　of　one's　material；　is　a　great　error。　This　is　called　the　chief　wonder。
  28
  Conscious　of　what　is　virile；　yet　keeping　to　what　is　feminine；　that　is　being　a　ravine　for　All…under…heaven。　Because　he　is　a　ravine　for　All…under…heaven；　the　permanent　Virtue　（〃Power〃；　Te）　will　not　seep　out。　He　returns　to　the　state　of　infancy。
  Conscious　of　what　is　white；　yet　keeping　to　what　is　black；　that　is　being　a　measure　for　All…under…heaven。　Because　he　is　a　measure　for　All…under…heaven；　the　permanent　Virtue　（〃Power〃；　Te）　will　not　fail　him。　He　returns　to　that　state　where　there　are　no　poles。
  Conscious　of　what　is　glorious；　yet　keeping　to　ignominy；　that　is　being　a　valley　for　All…under…heaven。　Because　he　is　a　valley　for　All…under…heaven；　the　permanent　Virtue　（〃Power〃；　Te）　will　be　sufficient。　He　returns　to　the　state　of　uncarved　wood。
  Uncarved　wood　（cut　and）　dispersed　forms　（various）　vessels；　but　the　Saint；　by　using　it；　becomes　the　chief　minister。
  For　great　carving　is　not　done　by　hacking。
  29
  Those　who　would　seize　All…under…heaven　by　means　of　action；　…　I　have　seen　to　what　plight　they　come！
  The　spiritual　vessel　of　All…under…heaven　cannot　me　made。　He　who　makes　it；　spoils　it；　he　who　holds　it；　loses　it。
  Therefore　the　Saint　does　nothing　and　so　spoils　nothing；　he　holds　nothing　and　so　loses　nothing。
  For　things　sometimes　go　forward；　sometimes　they　lag　behind；　sometimes　they　breathe　gently；　sometimes　they　pant　violently；　sometimes　they　are　strong；　sometimes　they　are　feeble；　sometimes　they　start　afresh；　sometimes　they　decay。
  Therefore　the　Saint　avoids　too　much　emphasis；　he　avoids　extravagance；　he　avoids　excess。
  30
  He　who；　in　harmony　with　the　Way；　would　assist　a　lord　of　men；　will　not　coerce　All…under…heaven　by　force　of　arms。　Such　things　are　apt　to　recoil。
  Wherever　great　armies　are　stationed；　briars　and　thorns　grow。
  In　the　wake　of　great　campaigns　bad　years　are　sure　to　follow。
  A　skilful　（general）　is　resolute；　that　is　all。　He　dares　not　use　violence　in　seizing　（the　empire）。　Let　him　be　resolute　but　not　boastful；　let　him　be　resolute　but　not　vainglorious；　let　him　be　resolute　but　not　haughty。　Let　him　be　resolute　because　he　has　no　choice。　Let　him　be　resolute　but　no　use　violence。
  31
  Truly；　it　is　because　arms　are　instruments　of　evil；　which　for　ever　are　loathed　by　all　beings；　that　one　who　has　the　Way　has　no　concern　with　them。
  At　home　a　nobleman　values　the　left　as　the　place　of　honour；　but　when　he　bears　arms；　he　values　the　right　as　the　place　of　honour。
  Arms　are　instruments　of　evil　and　not　the　instruments　proper　to　a　nobleman。　Only　when　forced　to　do　so　he　bears　them；　and　peace　and　quiet　he　sets　above　all。　Even　when　he　conquers；　he　finds　no　beauty　in　it。　Should　he　find　beauty　in　it；　he　would　take　pleasure　in　the　slaughter　of　men。　He　who　takes　pleasure　in　the　slaughter　of　men；　will　never　get　his　will　in　All…under…heaven。
  On　joyful　occasions　the　left　is　valued　as　the　place　of　honour；　on　sad　occasions　the　right　is　valued。　The　second…in…command　is　posted　on　the　left；　the　commander…in…chief　is　posted　on　the　right；　which　means　that　they　are　placed　in　accordance　with　the　mourning　rites。　The　slaughter　of　multitude　of　men　is　bewailed　with　sorrow　and　lamentation。　Therefore；　upon　a　victory　in　war；　they　are　placed　in　accordance　with　the　mourning　rites。
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  The　Way　has　the　simplicity　of　the　nameless。　As　soon　as　it　is　carved；　there　are　names。
  Since　the　names　also　exist；　the　Saint　will　now　where　to　abide。　He　who　knows　where　to　abide；　may　be　without　peril。
  The　relation　of　the　Way　to　All…under…heaven　may　be　compared　to　that　of　torrents　and　valleys　to　the　River　and　the　sea。
  33
  He　who　knows　others；　is　knowing；　he　who　knows　himself；　is　enlightened。
  He　who　vanquishes　others；　has　power；　he　who　vanquishes　himself；　is　strong。
  He　who　acts　forcefully；　has　determination；　he　who　knows　contentment；　is　rich。
  He　who　departs　not　from　his　allotted　place；　will　last；　he　who　dies　without　perishing；　will　have　long　life。
  34
  How　ambiguous　is　the　great　Way！　It　may　go　left　or　it　may　go　right。
  The　ten　thousand　things　depend　on　it　for　their　existence；　and　it　denies　them　not。
  When　a　work　has　been　completed；　it　does　not　appropriate　it。
  It　clothes　and　nourishes　the　ten　thousand　things；　but　it　does　not　act　as　their　master。
  It　may　be　named　with　the　smallest　things。
  The　ten　thousand　things　revert　to　it；　but　it　does　not　act　as　their　master。
  It　may　be　named　with　the　greatest　things。
  Because　it　never　asserts　its　own　greatness；　therefore　it　is　able　to　achieve　its　proper　greatness。
  35
  To　him　who　holds　the　great　Image；　All…under…heaven　will　resort。
  Those　who　resort　to　him；　will　suffer　no　harm；　but　will　dwell　in　peace　and　union　（with　heaven　and　earth）。
  Music　and　dainties　will　make　a　passing　stranger　halt　his　steps。
  But　the　words　which　are　uttered　about　the　Way；　…　how　insipid　and　without　flavour　are　they！
  Looked　at；　it　is　not　worth　seeing。
  Listened　to；　it　is　not　worth　hearing。
  But　used；　it　cannot　be　exhausted！
  36
  If　you　wish　to　contract；　you　should　first　expand。
  If　you　wish　to　weaken；　you　should　first　strengthen。
  If　you　wish　to　destroy；　you　should　first　rouse。
  If　you　wish　to　seize；　you　should　first　give。
  This　is　called　'subtile　vision'：　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard　and　the　feeble　overcomes　the　strong。
  Fish　should　not　be　taken　from　the　deep；　the　useful　implements　of　the　state　should　not　be　shown　to　men。
  37
  The　Way　is　constantly　inactive　and　yet　there　is　nothing　that　remains　undone。
  If　the　vassal　kings　could　abide　by　this；　the　ten　thousand　things　would　develop　of　themselves。　If　in　this　development　desire　should　stir；　I　would　suppress　it　by　the　（natural）　simplicity　of　the　nameless。
  Insignificant　though　the　（natural）　simplicity　may　be；　none　in　All…under…heaven　can　enslave　it。
  If　the　vassal　kings　could　abide　by　this；　the　ten　thousand　things　would　flock　to　them　of　themselves。　Heaven　and　earth　would　unite　to　send　down　sweet　dew　and　the　people；　at　no　one's　command；　would　spontaneously　share　alike。
  Truly；　they　would　become　without　desire。　Being　without　desire　they　would　be　quiet；　and　All…under…heave