is　their　skill　in　being　lower　than　they；…itis　thus　that　they　are　the　kings　of　them　all。　So　it　is　that　the　sage；　wishingto　be　above　men；　puts　himself　by　his　words　below　them；　and　wishing　to　bebefore　them；　places　his　person　behind　them。　In　this　way　though　he　has　hisplace　above　them；　men　do　not　feel　his　weight；　nor　though　he　has　his　placebefore　them；　do　they　feel　it　an　injury　to　them。　Therefore　all　in　the　worlddelight　to　exalt　him　and　do　not　weary　of　him。　Because　he　does　not　strive；no　one　finds　it　possible　to　strive　with　him。？br》
  67
  All　the　world　says　that；　while　my　Tao　is　great；　it　yet　appears　to　beinferior　（to　other　systems　of　teaching）。　Now　it　is　just　its　greatness　thatmakes　it　seem　to　be　inferior。　If　it　were　like　any　other　（system）；　for　longwould　its　smallness　have　been　known！　But　I　have　three　precious　things　whichI　prize　and　hold　fast。　The　first　is　gentleness；　the　second　is　economy；and　the　third　is　shrinking　from　taking　precedence　of　others。　With　thatgentleness　I　can　be　bold；　with　that　economy　I　can　be　liberal；　shrinkingfrom　taking　precedence　of　others；　I　can　become　a　vessel　of　the　highesthonour。　Now…a…days　they　give　up　gentleness　and　are　all　for　being　bold；economy；　and　are　all　for　being　liberal；　the　hindmost　place；　and　seek　onlyto　be　foremost；…（of　all　which　the　end　is）　death。　Gentleness　is　sure　tobe　victorious　even　in　battle；　and　firmly　to　maintain　its　ground。　Heavenwill　save　its　possessor；　by　his　（very）　gentleness　protecting　him。？br》
  68
  He　who　in　（Tao's）　wars　has　skill　Assumes　no　martial　port；　He　who　fightswith　most　good　will　To　rage　makes　no　resort。　He　who　vanquishes　yet　stillKeeps　from　his　foes　apart；　He　whose　hests　men　most　fulfil　Yet　humbly　plieshis　art。　Thus　we　say；　'He　ne'er　contends；　And　therein　is　his　might。'　Thuswe　say；　'Men's　wills　he　bends；　That　they　with　him　unite。'　Thus　we　say；'Like　Heaven's　his　ends；　No　sage　of　old　more　bright。'
  ＇Note：　hests　are　commands；　orders。＇？br》
  69
  A　master　of　the　art　of　war　has　said；　'I　do　not　dare　to　be　the　host（to　commence　the　war）；　I　prefer　to　be　the　guest　（to　act　on　the　defensive）。I　do　not　dare　to　advance　an　inch；　I　prefer　to　retire　a　foot。'　This　is　calledmarshalling　the　ranks　where　there　are　no　ranks；　baring　the　arms　（to　fight）where　there　are　no　arms　to　bare；　grasping　the　weapon　where　there　is　noweapon　to　grasp：　advancing　against　the　enemy　where　there　is　no　enemy。　Thereis　no　calamity　greater　than　lightly　engaging　in　war。　To　do　that　is　nearlosing　（the　gentleness）　which　is　so　precious。　Thus　it　is　that　when　opposingweapons　are　（actually）　crossed；　he　who　deplores　（the　situation）　conquers。？br》
  70
  My　words　are　very　easy　to　know；　and　very　easy　to　practise；　but　thereis　no　one　in　the　world　who　is　able　to　know　and　able　to　practise　them。　Thereis　an　originating　and　all…　comprehending　（principle）　in　my　words；　and　anauthoritative　law　for　the　things　（which　I　enforce）。　It　is　because　theydo　not　know　these；　that　men　do　not　know　me。　They　who　know　me　are　few；　andI　am　on　that　account…（the　more）　to　be　prized。　It　is　thus　that　the　sagewears　（a　poor　garb　of）　hair　cloth；　while　he　carries　his　（signet　of）　jadein　his　bosom。？br》
  71
  To　know　and　yet　（think）　we　do　not　know　is　the　highest　（attainment）；not　to　know　（and　yet　think）　we　do　know　is　a　disease。　It　is　simply　by　beingpained　at　（the　thought　of）　having　this　disease　that　we　are　preserved　fromit。　The　sage　has　not　the　disease。　He　knows　the　pain　that　would　be　inseparablefrom　it；　and　therefore　he　does　not　have　it。？br》
  72
  When　the　people　do　not　fear　what　they　ought　to　fear；　that　which　istheir　great　dread　will　come　on　them。　Let　them　not　thoughtlessly　indulgethemselves　in　their　ordinary　life；　let　them　not　act　as　if　weary　of　whatthat　life　depends　on。　It　is　by　avoiding　such　indulgence　that　such　wearinessdoes　not　arise。　Therefore　the　sage　knows　（these　things）　of　himself；　butdoes　not　parade　（his　knowledge）；　loves；　but　does　not　（appear　to　set　a）value　on；　himself。　And　thus　he　puts　the　latter　alternative　away　and　makeschoice　of　the　former。？br》
  73
  He　whose　boldness　appears　in　his　daring　（to　do　wrong；　in　defiance　ofthe　laws）　is　put　to　death；　he　whose　boldness　appears　in　this　not　daring（to　do　so）　lives　on。　Of　these　two　cases　the　one　appears　to　be　advantageous；and　the　other　to　be　injurious。　but
  When　Heaven's　anger　smites　a　man；　Who　the　cause　shall　truly　scan？
  On　this　account　the　sage　feels　a　difficulty　（as　to　what　to　do　in　theformer　case）。　It　is　the　way　of　Heaven　not　to　strive；　and　yet　it　skillfullyovercomes；　not　to　speak；　and　yet　it　is　skilful　in　（obtaining）　a　reply；does　not　call；　and　yet　men　come　to　it　of　themselves。　Its　demonstrationsare　quiet；　and　yet　its　plans　are　skilful　and　effective。　The　meshes　of　thenet　of　Heaven　are　large；　far　apart；　but　letting　nothing　escape。？br》
  74
  The　people　do　not　fear　death；　to　what　purpose　is　it　to　（try　to）　frightenthem　with　death？　If　the　people　were　always　in　awe　of　death；　and　I　couldalways　seize　those　who　do　wrong；　and　put　them　to　death；　who　would　dareto　do　wrong？　There　is　always　One　who　presides　over　the　infliction　of　death。He　who　would　inflict　death　in　the　room　of　him　who　so　presides　over　it　maybe　described　as　hewing　wood　instead　of　a　great　carpenter。　Seldom　is　itthat　who　undertakes　the　hewing；　instead　of　the　great　carpenter；　does　notcut　his　own　hands！？br》
  75
  The　people　suffer　from　famine　because　of　the　multitude　of　taxes　consumedby　their　superiors。　It　is　through　this　that　they　suffer　famine。　The　peopleare　difficult　to　govern　because　of　the　（excessive）　agency　of　their　superiors（in　governing　them）。　It　is　through　this　that　they　are　difficult　to　govern。The　people　make　light　of　dying　because　of　the　greatness　of　their　laboursin　seeking　for　the　means　of　living。　It　is　this　which　makes　them　think　lightof　dying。　Thus　it　is　that　to　leave　the　subject　of　living　altogether　outof　view　is　better　that　to　set　a　high　value　on　it。？br》
  76
  Man　at　his　birth　is　supple　and　weak：　at　his　death；　firm　and　strong。（so　it　is　with）　all　things。　Trees　and　plants；　in　their　early　growth；　aresoft　and　brittle；　at　their　death；　dry　and　withered。　Thus　it　is　that　firmnessand　strength　are　the　concomitants　of　death；　softness　and　weakness；　theconcomitants　of　life。　Hence　he　who　（relies　on）　the　strength　of　his　forcesdoes　not　conquer；　and　a　tree　which　is　strong　will　fill　the　outstretchedarms；　（and　thereby　invites　the　feller。）　Therefore　the　place　of　what　isfirm　and　strong　is　below；　and　that　of　what　is　soft　and　weak　is　above。
  77
  May　not　the　Way　（or　Tao）　of　Heaven　be　compared　to　the　（method　of）　bendinga　bow？　The　（part　of　the　bow）　which　was　high　is　brought　low；　and　what　waslow　is　raised　up。　（So　Heaven）　diminishes　where　there　is　superabundance；and　supplements　where　there　is　deficiency。　It　is　the　Way　of　Heaven　to　diminishsuperabundance；　and　supplements　where　there　is　deficiency。　It　is　the　Wayof　Heaven　to　diminish　superabundance；　and　to　supplement　deficiency。　Itis　not　so　with　the　way　of　man。　He　takes　away　from　those　who　have　not　enoughto　add　to　his　own　superabundance。　Who　can　take　his　own　superabundance　andtherewith　serve　all　under　heaven？　Only　he　who　is　in　possession　of　the　Tao！Therefore　the　（ruling）　sage　acts　without　claiming　the　results　as　his；　heachieves　his　merit　and　does　not　rest　（arrogantly）　in　it：…he　does　not　wishto　display　his　superiority。？br》
  78
  There　is　nothing　in　the　world　more　soft　and　weak　than　water；　and　yetfor　attacking　things　that　are　firm　and　strong　there　is　nothing　that　cantake　precedence　of　it；…for　there　is　nothing　（so　effectual）　for　which　itcan　be　changed。　Every　one　in　the　world　knows　that　the　soft　overcomes　thehard；　and　the　weak　the　strong；　but　no　one　is　able　to　carry　it　out　in　practice。Therefore　a　sage　has　said
  'He　who　accepts　his　state's　reproach；　Is　altars'　lord；　To　him　who　bearsmen's　direful　woes　They　all　the　name　of　King　accord。'
  Words　that　are　strictly　true　seem　to　be　paradoxical。？br》
  79
  When　a　reconciliation　is　effected　（between　two　parties）　after　a　greatanimosity；　there　is　sure　to　be　a　grudge　remaining　（in　the　mind　of　the　onewho　was　wrong）。　And　how　can　this　be　beneficial　（to　the　other）？　Therefore（to　guard　against　this）；　the　sage　keeps　the　left…hand　portion　of　the　recordof　the　engagement；　and　does　not　insist　on　the　（speedy）　fulfillment　of　itby　the　other　party。　（So）；　he　who　has　the　attributes　（of　the　Tao）　regards（only）　the　conditions　of　the　engagement；　while　he　who　has　not　those　attributesregards　only　the　conditions　favourable　to　himself。　In　the　Way　of　Heaven；there　is　no　partiality　of　love；　it　is　always　on　the　side　of　the　good　man。？br》
  80
  In　a　little　state　with　a　small　population；　I　would　so　order　it；　that；though　there　were　individuals　with　the　abilities　of　ten　or　a　hundred　men；there　would　be　no　employment　of　them；　I　would　make　the　people；　while　lookingon　death　as　a　grievous　thing；　yet　not　remove　elsewhere　（to　avoid　it）。　Thoughthey　had　boats　and　carriages；　they　should　have　no　occasion　to　ride　in　them；though　they　had　buff　coats　and　sharp　weapons；　they　should　have　no　occasionto　don　or　use　them。　I　would　make　the　people　return　to　the　use　of　knottedcords　（instead　of　the　written　characters）。　They　should　think　their　（coarse）food　sweet：　their　（plain）　clothes　beautiful；　their　（poor）　dwellings　pl