Loosening　their　tangles
  Harmonizing　their　lights
  Equating　their　dust
  Deep？　it　seems　as　though　possibly　alive。
  The　child　of　I…don抰…know…who。
  It　shaped　the　foremost　among　the　gods。
  5
  Heaven　and　Earth　are　not　humane
  For　the　ten…thousand　things　are　taken　to　be　straw　dogs。
  Sages　are　not　humane
  For　the　hundred　clans　are　taken　to　be　straw　dogs。
  The　space　between　Heaven　and　Earth？br》　Its　similarity　to　bellows　and　flutes？
  Empty　but　not　exhausted。
  Use　it　and　more　and　more　is　produced。
  With　too　many　words　and　ideas　is　distress。
  This　is　not　as　good　as　staying　in　the　middle。
  6
  The　valley　spirit　un…dying
  Is　called　the　mystic　female。
  The　opening　of　the　mystic　female
  Is　called　the　root　of　Heaven　and　Earth。
  It　endlessly；　ceaselessly　seems　to　exist。
  Use　it　inattentively。
  7
  Heaven　is　long…lasting；　the　Earth　is　old。
  Heaven　and　Earth　are　placed
  By　that　which　can　last　long　and　be　old。
  Because　they　do　not　live　for　themselves
  Is　the　reason　they　can　live　long。
  Therefore；　the　sages
  Put　their　bodies　behind
  And　yet　their　bodies　go　forward。
  Are　outside　their　bodies
  And　yet　their　bodies　exist。
  Do　not　consider　this　selflessness　to　be　wrong
  For　it　is　the　reason　they　can　complete　their　搒elves。？br》
  8
  The　highest　good　is　like　unto　water。
  Water　is　good　at　benefiting　the　ten…thousand　things
  And　does　not　contend。
  It　dwells　in　the　places　the　masses　of　people　detest？br》　For　which　reason　a　few　compare　＇it＇　with　the　Tao。
  Dwellings　are　perfected　by　the　earth。
  The　heart　is　perfected　by　depth。
  Giving　is　perfected　by　benevolence。
  Speaking　is　perfected　by　sincerity。
  Uprightness　is　perfected　by　governance。
  Function　is　perfected　by　ability。
  Change　is　perfected　by　time。
  Only　because　one　does　not　contend
  Is　the　reason　one　is　without　reproach。
  9
  Grasping　and　filling梩hese　are　not　as　good　as　one抯　own　self。
  Calculations　and　vigorousness梩hese　cannot　defend　for　long。
  Gold　and　jewels　that　fill　a　hall梟one　can　guard　them。
  The　wealthy　are　high…ranking　but　arrogant。
  Abandoning　themselves　is　their　downfall。
  Achievement：　Escape　the　body；　withdraw　＇to＇
  The　Way　of　Heaven。
  10
  Filling　and　operating　Life；　embracing　the　One
  Can　one　be　without　departing　＇from　it＇？
  Focusing　ch抜；　bringing　about　softness
  Can　one　be　like　a　newborn　child？
  Washing　away　divisions；　mystically　perceiving
  Can　one　be　flawless？
  Loving　the　kingdom；　governing　the　people
  Can　one　do　it　without　揹oing？it？
  The　Heavenly　Door　opens；　closes
  Can　one　be　receptive？
  Brightening；　purifying　the　four　intelligences
  Can　one　be　without　knowing？
  Give　birth　to　them。　Rear　them。
  Giving　birth　＇to　them＇　but　not　possessing　＇them＇
  Acting　＇with　them＇　but　not　presuming　＇them＇
  Excelling　＇with　them＇　but　not　dominating　＇with　them＇？br》
  This　is　called　Mystic　Virtue。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　joining　together　at　one　hub　of　a　wheel：
  Accepting　its　emptiness
  There　is　the　use　of　the　cart。
  Shaping　clay　in　order　to　make　a　vessel：
  Accepting　its　emptiness
  There　is　the　use　of　the　vessel。
  Chiseling　doors　and　windows　in　order　to　make　a　room：
  Accepting　its　emptiness
  There　is　the　use　of　the　room。
  Therefore；　having　them　is　considered　as　being　beneficial。
  Lacking　them　is　considered　as　being　useful。
  12
  The　five　colors　make　people抯　eyes　blind。
  The　five　tones　make　people抯　ears　deaf。
  The　five　flavors　make　people抯　mouths　lose　＇their　tasting　ability＇。
  Hurrying；　rushing；　hunting；　and　chasing
  Make　people抯　minds　issue　forth　insanity。
  Goods　that　are　hard　to　get　cause　people抯　doings　to　harm。
  Therefore；　the　sages
  Act　by　the　insides；　not　by　the　eyes。
  Therefore；　let　go　of　that
  And　take　up　this。
  13
  Favor　and　disgrace　seem　like　a　surprise。
  Value　great　suffering　as　you　would　＇keeping＇　your　own　body。
  What　is　the　meaning　of　揊avor　and　disgrace　seem　like　a　surprise？
  Favor　＇eventually＇　declines。
  Getting　it　is　like　a　surprise。
  Losing　it　is　like　a　surprise。
  This　is　the　meaning　of　揊avor　and　disgrace　seem　like　a　surprise。？br》
  What　is　the　meaning　of
  揤alue　great　suffering　as　you　would　＇keeping＇　you　own　body？
  Our　place；　according　to　those　who　have　great　suffering；
  Is　our　having　a　body。
  When　we　lack　bodies
  What　suffering　do　we　have？
  Therefore；　value　the　搒elf？that抯　considered　as　being　the　world
  As　though　you　are　able　to　be　entrusted　with　the　world。
  Love　the　搒elf？that抯　considered　as　being　the　world
  As　though　you　are　able　to　rely　on　the　world。
  14
  Inspect　it　and　you　will　not　see　it。
  Its　name　is　said　to　be　揟he　Obscure。？br》　Listen　for　it　and　you　will　not　hear　it。
  Its　name　is　said　to　be　揃ecoming　Silent。？br》　Roll　it　around　in　your　hands　and　you　will　not　obtain　it。
  Its　name　is　said　to　be　揟he　Subtle。？br》
  Those　who　are　not　able　to　achieve　these　three　ask？br》　This　is　the　reason　they　are　blended　and　handled　as　one：
  At　its　ascending；　not　bright。
  At　its　descending；　not　dark。
  The　measure　of　measure；　it　cannot　be　named。
  Repeatedly　returning　to　搉o…thing…ness？br》　It　is　called　揟he　Form　of　No…Form？br》　揟he　Shape　of　No…thing…ness。？br》
  It　is　called
  揟he　Indistinct？br》　揟he　Unclear？br》
  Greet　it　and　you　will　not　see　its　face。
  Follow　it　and　you　will　not　see　its　back。
  Hold　to　the　Tao　of　the　Ancients
  In　order　to　tame　the　existence　of　present　times。
  One　can　know　the　ancient　beginning。
  It　is　called　the　揟ao　Epoch。？br》
  15
  Those　of　old　who　were　good　at　being　warriors
  Were　subtly；　wonderfully；　mystically　in　communication
  With　profundities　that　can抰　be　fathomed。
  Precisely　because　＇the　ancient　warriors＇　can抰　be　fathomed
  Is　the　reason　one　is　forced　to　take　them　by　appearances：
  Cautious？as　if　in　winter；　crossing　a　stream
  Strategizing？as　if　they　feared　their　own　four　neighbors。
  Dignified？they　seemed　forgiving。
  Scattered？like　ice　floes　about　to　break　apart。
  Honest？they　seemed　plain　and　simple。
  Free　from　worries　and　petty　ideas？they　seemed　＇as　open＇　as　a　valley。
  ＇Apparently＇　acting　without　a　plan？they　seemed　muddled。
  Calm？they　seemed　like　the　ocean。
  Like　wind　in　the　mountains？they　seemed　to　be　without　stagnation。
  Who　can；　in　muddiness；　use　the　gradual　purification　of　stillness？
  Who　can；　in　serenity；　use　the　gradual　arising　of　movement？
  They　who　hold　to　this　Tao　do　not　desire　to　overflow。
  It抯　only　by　not　overflowing
  That　one　can　therefore　be　shielded
  And　newly　made。
  16
  Bring　about　emptiness　to　the　extreme。
  Guard　true　stillness。
  The　ten…thousand　things　rise　together。
  I　therefore　observe　their　return：
  Those　ten…thousand　plants梕ach　plant梤eturns
  Going　back　to　its　root。
  Going　back　to　the　root　is　said　to　be　stillness。
  This　is　called　returning　to　life。
  Returning　to　life　is　called　the　Constant。
  Understanding　the　Constant　is　called　clarity。
  Not　understanding　the　Constant：
  Reckless　actions梞isfortune。
  Understanding　the　Constant；　forgive。
  Forgive；　then　be　unbiased。
  Be　unbiased；　then　be　whole。
  Be　whole；　then　be　Heaven。
  Be　Heaven；　then　be　Tao。
  Be　Tao；　then　be　eternal。
  Not　having　a　body；　there　is　no　danger。
  17
  The　highest　superiors？br》　People　below　them　＇merely＇　know　they　have　them。
  The　next　highest梡eople　below　them　love　and　praise　them。
  The　next　highest梡eople　below　them　fear　them。
  The　next　highest梡eople　below　them　insult　them。
  Where　trust　is　insufficient
  There　is　distrust。
  So　gentle；　＇the　sage＇　values　their　words。
  ＇And　so　when＇　their　achievements　are　completed
  And　their　work　is　successful
  The　hundred　clans　all　proclaim
  揥e　are　naturally　like　this！？br》
  18
  When　the　great　Tao　is　abandoned
  There　exists　humaneness　and　righteousness。
  When　intelligence　and　wit　go　forth
  There　exists　greatness　and　deception。
  When　the　six　familial　relationships　are　not　in　harmony
  There　exists　obedience　and　charity。
  When　kingdoms　and　households　are　in　darkness　and　chaos
  There　exists　loyalty　and　subjugation。
  19
  Get　rid　of　sagacity；　abandon　wisdom：
  The　people　benefit　a　hundred…fold。
  Get　rid　of　humanitarianism；　abandon　righteousness：
  The　people　recover　filial　piety　and　motherly　love。
  Get　rid　of　cleverness；　abandon　profit：
  Robbers　and　thieves　do　not　exist。
  Those　who　＇understand＇　these　three　things
  Therefore　take　＇mere＇　civility　to　be　insufficient。
  Therefore；　this　directive　has　a　place　it　belongs　to：
  See　the　plain。
  Embrace　simplicity。
  Diminish　selfishness。
  Desire　little。
  20
  Get　rid　of　erudition；　do　not　fret。
  The　saying　of　搚es？or　搃ndubitably敆
  They　are　removed　from　each　other　by　how　mu