Are　kind　to　themselves　but　do　not　prize　themselves。
  Thus；　leave　that　and　take　up　this。
  73
  The　fearless　in　daring　are　necessarily　killed。
  The　fearless　in　not…daring　necessarily　survive。
  Those　who　are　of　these　two　＇types＇：
  Some　are　benefited。
  Some　are　harmed。
  That　which　is　detested　by　Heaven梬ho　knows　the　reason？
  The　Tao　of　Heaven　does　not　struggle　but　is　good　at　winning。
  Does　not　speak　but　is　good　at　responding。
  Is　not　summoned　but　returns　of　itself。
  Is　simple　like　this　but　is　good　at　planning。
  Heaven抯　net　is　immensely　vast。
  Lax。
  But　nothing　slips　through。
  74
  People　do　not　fear　death
  ＇But＇　how　can　＇one　possibly＇　endure
  ＇If　one＇　uses　death　to　frighten　them？
  Suppose　the　people　are　made　ever　to　fear　death
  And　that　those　who　act　out　of　the　ordinary
  I　seize；　detain；　and　kill。
  Who　would　dare　＇to　do　this＇？
  Frequently；　there　those　chief　executioners　who　are　killed。
  Those　who　take　the　place　of　the　chief　executioners　are　＇also＇　killed。
  This　is　called　usurping　the　Master　Carpenter。
  ＇Among＇　those　who　usurp　the　Master　Carpenter
  There　are　few　who　do　not　cut　their　hands。
  75
  The　people抯　starving
  Is　because　of　their　superior抯　consumption　of　too　many　taxes。
  Thus　the　starvation。
  The　people抯　difficulty　to　govern
  Is　because　of　their　superior抯　possessive　governing。
  Thus　the　difficulty　to　govern。
  The　people抯　reckless　deaths
  Are　because　of　their　seeking　the　thickness　of　life。
  Thus　the　reckless　deaths。
  Only　those　who　do　not　use　life　to　contrive
  Are　indeed　skilled　at　valuing　life。
  76
  ＇At＇　a　man抯　birth；　he　is　flexible　and　weak。
  ＇At＇　his　death；　he　is　firm　and　strong。
  ＇At＇　the　birth　of　trees　and　grasses；　they　are　flexible　and　light。
  ＇At＇　their　death；　they　are　dried　out　and　withered。
  Therefore；　those　who　are　firm　and　strong　are　followers　of　death。
  Those　who　are　flexible　and　weak　are　disciples　of　life。
  Therefore
  The　strong　army　is　necessarily　destroyed。
  The　strong　tree　necessarily　snaps。
  The　strong　and　large　occupy　the　inferior　position。
  The　flexible　and　weak　occupy　the　superior　position。
  77
  The　Way　of　Heaven梚ts　similarity　to　stretching　a　bow？
  That　which　is　high棧t＇　pulls　it　down。
  That　which　is　low棧t＇　lifts　it　up。
  That　which　has　excess棧t＇　reduces　it。
  That　which　is　lacking棧t＇　adds　to　it。
  The　Way　of　Heaven
  Takes　away　＇where＇　there　is　excess
  And　adds　to　＇where　there　is＇　lack。
  The　way　of　people
  Necessarily　different
  Takes　away　＇where　there　is＇　lack
  In　order　to　offer　to　＇that　which＇　has　excess。
  Who　can　have　surplus　by　means　of　offering　＇it＇　to　the　world？
  Only　those　who　have　the　Tao。
  Therefore；　the　sages
  Act　but　do　not　presume
  Achieve　goals　but　do　not　dwell　＇on　them＇。
  They　do　not　desire　to　be　seen　as　praiseworthy　or　despicable。
  78
  There　is　nothing　in　the　world　as　flexible　and　weak　as　water。
  And　＇among＇　those　things　that　work　at　the　firm　and　the　strong
  There　is　nothing　that　can　surpass　it　＇in　this＇
  For　it　is　without　means　＇for　the　hard　and　strong＇　to　alter　it。
  The　victory　of　the　weak　over　the　strong
  The　victory　of　the　flexible　over　the　firm
  There　are　none　in　the　world　who　do　not　know　＇of　these＇。
  None　who　cannot　practice　＇them＇。
  Therefore　do　the　sages　say：
  揂ccepting　the　filth　of　the　kingdom？br》　This　is　called　taking　charge　of　the　gods　of　soil　and　the　gods　of　grain。
  To　accept　the　banes　of　the　kingdom？br》　This　is　to　become　the　ruler　of　the　world。？br》
  Correct　sayings　seem　contradictory。
  79
  ＇After＇　pacifying　great　hatred
  Surely　there　exists　remaining　resentment。
  How　can　＇this＇　be　considered　good？
  Therefore；　the　sages　keep　the　left　side　＇of　an＇　agreement
  And　do　not　demand　＇the　right　side＇　from　people。
  Having　virtue；　＇one＇　manages　an　agreement。
  Lacking　virtue；　＇one＇　manages　to　deprive。
  The　Heavenly　Tao　is　not　personal。
  ＇It＇　always　give＇s＇　kindly　to　people。
  80
  The　small　kingdom　＇with＇　few　people：
  Causes　them　to　have　the　equipment　of　ten　noblemen　but　not　to　use　it。
  Causes　the　people　to　give　weight　to　death　and　not　to　move　far　away。
  Though　having　boats　and　carriages；　they抳e　no　place　to　ride　them。
  Though　having　armor　and　weapons；　they抳e　no　place　to　exhibit　them。
  Causes　the　people　to　return　to　knotting　rope　and　using　it。
  Sweetens　their　meals
  Beautifies　their　clothes
  Pacifies　their　abodes
  Gladdens　＇them　in＇　their　customs。
  The　neighboring　kingdoms　see　each　other　in　the　distance
  Hearing　the　sounds　of　each　other抯　chickens　and　dogs。
  The　people　arrive　at　old　age　＇and　eventually＇　die
  Without　going　to　or　coming　from　each　other。
  81
  Sincere　speech　is　not　pleasing。
  Pleasing　speech　is　not　sincere。
  Those　who　are　good　do　not　argue。
  Those　who　argue　are　not　good。
  Those　who　understand　are　not　broadly　learned。
  Those　who　are　broadly　learned　do　not　understand。
  The　sages　do　not　accumulate。
  Already；　by　means　of　doing　for　people
  They　have　more　and　more　for　themselves。
  Already；　by　means　of　giving　to　people
  They　have　more　and　more梩oo　much梖or　themselves。
  The　Way　of　Heaven　is　to　benefit　and　not　to　harm。
  The　Way　of　sages　is　to　do　but　not　to　struggle。
  This　translation　or　excerpts　from　it　may　be　freely　reproduced　for　non…commercial　purposes。
  ？Aalar　Fex；　2006
  English_Gauthier_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  Chinese　…　English　by
  Andre　Gauthier
  1
  The　spirit　one　can　talk　about　is　not　the　eternal　spirit；　and　what　youcan　name　is　not　the　eternal　name。　Nameless…Tao　is　the　beginning　of　theheavens　and　the　Earth。　If　you　name　it…it　is　no　more　than　Matter。
  Therefore：　he　who　conceives　of　nature　freely　grasps　this　Spirit　andhe　who　strives　for　material　things　is　left　with　only　the　shell。　Spiritand　matter　are　both　one　in　their　origin；　yet　different　in　appearance。　Thisunity　is　a　mystery…truly　the　mystery　of　all　mysteries；　the　gate　to　allspirituality。
  2
  Only　when　man　recognizes　beauty　as　such　does　ugliness　become　reality。Only　when　man　recognizes　goodness　as　such　does　evil　become　reality。　Because：being　and　nothingness　began　as　one。　Weight　and　weightlessness　cannot　existalone。　Distance　and　brevity　prove　each　other　and　so　do　height　and　depth。Tune　and　voice　abound　together　and　past　and　present　flow　into　one。　Thereforethe　Sage　remains　in　serenity　whatever　happens　and　silently　does　his　teaching。As　matters　proceed；　the　Sage　is　not　irritated。　He　works　but　wants　no　possessions。He　acts　but　does　not　linger　at　single　things。　He　creates　but　does　not　hangon　a　single　word　and　because　he　is　not　tied　to　It；　he　will　never　miss　It。
  3
  Not　to　give　preference　to　the　high　and　mighty　will　deter　the　envy　ofthe　people　in　order。　To　demonstrate　no　desire　will　give　them　peace　in　theirhearts。　Therefore；　when　the　Sage　governs；　he　frees　his　people　of　passionatewishes　and　offers　serenity　to　their　souls。　The　Sage　weakens　greedy　curiosityand　strengthens　the　backbone　of　the　upright。　So　does　he　master　true　serenityin　good　government。
  4
  The　Spirit　is　free　of　things　yet　inexhaustible　in　its　impact。　The　Spiritis　like　the　creator　of　all　being。　He　dulls　the　sharp　meanness　that　clarifiesall　confusion。　He　unifies　in　kindness。　He　knows　the　oneness　of　man　withall　dust。　The　Spirit　is　eternal。　I　know　not　when　it　began。　It　almost　seemedto　have　preceded　the　Lord　Itself。
  5
  Heaven　and　earth　know　no　preference。　They　look　upon　all　beings　as　uponwooden　animals。　The　sage　knows　no　preference。　He　looks　upon　people　as　ifthey　were　made　of　wood。　The　space　between　heaven　and　earth　is　like　an　oceanof　wind　and　the　emptiness　of　which　creation　follows　creation。　Words　cannotdescribe　it。　It　must　be　perceived　by　one's　inmost　self。？br》
  6
  The　Spirit　of　the　deep　never　dies。　It　is　the　eternal　mother：　The　gatewaythrough　which　wind　The　ever…protecting　roots　of　heaven　and　earth。　It　iseternal　becoming；　effortless　creation。？br》
  7
  Heaven　and　earth　endure　forever。　Why　do　Heaven　and　earth　endure　eternally？Because　they　live　not　for　themselves　But　for　eternity。　So　does　the　Sagewithdraw　In　order　that　his　inner　Self　may　advance。　He　loses　his　Self　topreserve　his　self。　Is　it　not　that　he　fulfills　his　Being　by　giving　up　hisbeing？
  8
  Generosity　is　like　the　Waters。　It　is　a　balm　to　all　beings　and　rejectsnone。　It　dwells　in　places　shunned　by　the　masses；　and　therefore　close　tothe　Spirit。　Generosity　seeks　out　in　dwellings　the　humble；　in　thinking　depth；in　giving　love；　in　speaking　truth；　in　ruling　justice；　in　work　knowledgein　all　our　deeds　the　proper　time。　Generosity　does　not　reject　and　thereforewill　not　be　rejected。？br》
  9
  The　full　decanter　if　carried　will　spill　over；　The　knife　in　use　willlose　its　edge。　Treasures　of　gold　and　gems　are　difficult　to　protect。　Wealthand　rank　when　joined　by　arrogance　will　now　perish。　To　fulfill　one's　ta