e　tempts　one　to　do　evil。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　attends　to　the　inner　significance　of　things　and　does　not　concern　himself　with　outward　appearances。　Therefore　he　ignores　matter　and　seeks　the　spirit。
  13
  LOATHING　SHAME
  Favor　and　disgrace　are　alike　to　be　feared；　just　as　too　great　care　or　anxiety　are　bad　for　the　body。
  Why　are　favor　and　disgrace　alike　to　be　feared？　To　be　favored　is　humiliating；　to　obtain　it　is　as　much　to　be　dreaded　as　to　lose　it。　To　lose　favor　is　to　be　in　disgrace　and　of　course　is　to　be　dreaded。
  Why　are　excessive　care　and　great　anxiety　alike　bad　for　one？　The　very　reason　I　have　anxiety　is　because　I　have　a　body。　If　I　have　not　body　why　would　I　be　anxious？
  Therefore　if　he　who　administers　the　empire；　esteems　it　as　his　own　body；　then　he　is　worthy　to　be　trusted　with　the　empire。
  14
  IN　PRAISE　OF　THE　PROFOUND
  It　is　unseen　because　it　is　colorless；　it　is　unheard　because　it　is　soundless；　when　seeking　to　grasp　it；　it　eludes　one；　because　it　is　incorporeal。
  Because　of　these　qualities　it　cannot　be　examined；　and　yet　they　form　an　essential　unity。　Superficially　it　appears　abstruse；　but　in　its　depths　it　is　not　obscure。　It　has　been　nameless　forever！　It　appears　and　then　disappears。　It　is　what　is　known　as　the　form　of　the　formless；　the　image　of　the　imageless。　It　is　called　the　transcendental；　its　face　（or　destiny）　cannot　be　seen　in　front；　or　its　back　（or　origin）　behind。
  But　by　holding　fast　to　the　Tao　of　the　ancients；　the　wise　man　may　understand　the　present；　because　he　knows　the　origin　of　the　past。　This　is　the　clue　to　the　Tao。
  15
  THAT　WHICH　REVEALS　TEH
  In　olden　times　the　ones　who　were　considered　worthy　to　be　called　masters　were　subtle；　spiritual；　profound；　wise。　Their　thoughts　could　not　be　easily　understood。
  Since　they　were　hard　to　understand　I　will　try　to　make　them　clear。　They　were　cautious　like　men　wading　a　river　in　winter。　They　were　reluctant　like　men　who　feared　their　neighbors。　They　were　reserved　like　guests　in　the　presence　of　their　host。　They　were　elusive　like　ice　at　the　point　of　melting。　They　were　like　unseasoned　wood。　They　were　like　a　valley　between　high　mountains。　They　were　obscure　like　troubled　waters。　（They　were　cautious　because　they　were　conscious　of　the　deeper　meanings　of　life　and　its　possibilities。）
  We　can　clarify　troubled　waters　by　slowly　quieting　them。　We　can　bring　the　unconscious　to　life　by　slowly　moving　them。　But　he　who　has　the　secret　of　the　Tao　does　not　desire　for　more。　Being　content；　he　is　able　to　mature　without　desire　to　be　newly　fashioned。
  16
  RETURNING　TO　THE　SOURCE
  Seek　to　attain　an　open　mind　（the　summit　of　vacuity）。　Seek　composure　（the　essence　of　tranquillity）。
  All　things　are　in　process；　rising　and　returning。　Plants　come　to　blossom；　but　only　to　return　to　the　root。　Returning　to　the　root　is　like　seeking　tranquillity；　it　is　moving　towards　its　destiny。　To　move　toward　destiny　is　like　eternity。　To　know　eternity　is　enlightenment；　and　not　to　recognize　eternity　brings　disorder　and　evil。
  Knowing　eternity　makes　one　comprehensive；　comprehension　makes　one　broadminded；　breadth　of　vision　brings　nobility；　nobility　is　like　heaven。
  The　heavenly　is　like　Tao。　Tao　is　the　Eternal。　The　decay　of　the　body　is　not　to　be　feared。
  17
  SIMPLICITY　OF　HABIT
  When　great　men　rule；　subjects　know　little　of　their　existence。　Rulers　who　are　less　great　win　the　affection　and　praise　of　their　subjects。　A　common　ruler　is　feared　by　his　subjects；　and　an　unworthy　ruler　is　despised。
  When　a　ruler　lacks　faith；　you　may　seek　in　vain　for　it　among　his　subjects。
  How　carefully　a　wise　ruler　chooses　his　words。　He　performs　deeds；　and　accumulates　merit！　Under　such　a　ruler　the　people　think　they　are　ruling　themselves。
  18
  THE　PALLIATION　OF　THE　INFERIOR
  When　the　great　Tao　is　lost　sight　of；　we　still　have　the　idea　of　benevolence　and　righteousness。　Prudence　and　wisdom　come　to　mind　when　we　see　great　hypocrisy。　When　relatives　are！　unfriendly；　we　still　have　the　teachings　of　filial　piety　and　paternal　affection。　When　the　state　and　the　clan　are　in　confusion　and　disorder；　we　still　have　the　ideals　of　loyalty　and　faithfulness。
  19
  RETURN　TO　SIMPLICITY
  Abandon　the　show　of　saintliness　and　relinquish　excessive　prudence；　then　people　will　benefit　a　hundredfold。　Abandon　ostentatious　benevolence　and　conspicuous　righteousness；　then　people　will　return　to　the　primal　virtues　of　filial　piety　and　parental　affection。　Abandon　cleverness　and　relinquish　gains；　then　thieves　and　robbers　will　disappear。
  Here　are　three　fundamentals　on　which　to　depend；　wherein　culture　is　insufficient。　Therefore　let　all　men　hold　to　that　which　is　reliable；　namely；　recognize　simplicity；　cherish　purity；　reduce　one's　possessions；　diminish　one's　desires。
  20
  THE　OPPOSITE　OF　THE　COMMONPLACE
  Avoid　learning　if　you　would　have　no　anxiety。　The　〃yes〃　and　the　〃yea〃　differ　very　little；　but　the　contrast　between　good　and　evil　is　very　great。　That　which　is　not　feared　by　the　people　is　not　worth　fearing。　But；　oh；　the　difference；　the　desolation；　the　vastness；　between　ignorance　and　the　limitless　expression　of　the　Tao。
  （The　balance　of　this　sonnet　is　devoted　to　showing　the　difference　between　the　careless　state　of　the　common　people　and　his　own　vision　of　the　Tao。　It　is　one　of　the　most　pathetic　expressions　of　human　loneliness；　from　lack　of　appreciation；　ever　written。　It　is　omitted　here　that　it　might　serve　for　the　closing　sonnet　and　valedictory。）
  21
  THE　HEART　OF　EMPTINESS
  All　the　innumerable　forms　of　teh　correspond　to　the　norm　of　Tao；　but　the　nature　of　the　Tao's　activity　is　infinitely　abstract　and　illusive。　Illusive　and　obscure；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　are　forms　and　types。　Vague　and　illusive；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　is　all　being。　Unfathomable　and　obscure；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　is　all　spirit；　and　spirit　is　reality。　At　its　heart　is　truth。
  From　of　old　its　expression　is　unceasing；　it　has　been　present　at　all　beginnings。　How　do　I　know　that　its　nature　is　thus？　By　this　same　Tao。
  22
  INCREASE　BY　HUMILITY
  At　that　time　the　deficient　will　be　made　perfect；　the　distorted　will　be　straightened；　the　empty　will　be　filled；　the　worn　out　will　be　renewed；　those　having　little　will　obtain　and　those　having　much　will　be　overcome。
  Therefore　the　wise　man；　embracing　unity　as　he　does；　will　become　the　world's　model。　Not　pushing　himself　forward　he　will　become　enlightened；　not　asserting　himself　he　will　become　distinguished；　not　boasting　of　himself　he　will　acquire　merit；　not　approving　himself　he　will　endure。　Forasmuch　as　he　will　not　quarrel；　the　world　will　not　quarrel　with　him。
  Is　the　old　saying；　〃The　crooked　shall　be　made　straight；〃　a　false　saying？　Indeed；　no！　They　will　be　perfected　and　return　rejoicing。
  23
  EMPTINESS　AND　NOT…DOING　（WU　WEI）
  Taciturnity　is　natural　to　man。　A　whirlwind　never　outlasts　the　morning；　nor　a　violent　rain　the　day。　What　is　the　cause？　It　is　heaven　and　earth。　If　even　heaven　and　earth　are　not　constant；　much　less　can　man　be。
  Therefore　he　who　pursues　his　affairs　in　the　spirit　of　Tao　will　become　Tao…like。　He　who　pursues　his　affairs　with　teh；　will　become　teh…like。　He　who　pursues　his　affairs　with　loss；　identifies　himself　with　loss。
  He　who　identifies　himself　with　Tao；　Tao　rejoices　to　guide。　He　who　identifies　himself　with　teh；　teh　rejoices　to　reward。　And　he　who　identifies　himself　with　loss；　loss　rejoices　to　ruin。
  If　his　faith　fail；　he　will　receive　no　reward　of　faith。
  24
  TROUBLES　AND　MERIT
  It　is　not　natural　to　stand　on　tiptoe；　or　being　astride　one　does　not　walk。　One　who　displays　himself　is　not　bright；　or　one　who　asserts　himself　cannot　shine。　A　self…approving　man　has　no　merit；　nor　does　one　who　praises　himself　grow。
  The　relation　of　these　things　（self…display；　self…assertion；　self…approval）　to　Tao　is　the　same　as　offal　is　to　food。　They　are　excrescences　from　the　system；　they　are　detestable；　Tao　does　not　dwell　in　them。
  25
  DESCRIBING　THE　MYSTERIOUS
  There　is　Being　that　is　all…inclusive　and　that　existed　before　Heaven　and　Earth。　Calm；　indeed；　and　incorporeal！　It　is　alone　and　changeless！
  Everywhere　it　functions　unhindered。　It　thereby　becomes　the　world's　mother。　I　do　not　know　its　nature；　if　I　try　to　characterize　it；　I　will　call　it　Tao。
  If　forced　to　give　it　a　name；　I　will　call　it　the　Great。　The　Great　is　evasive；　the　evasive　is　the　distant；　the　distant　is　ever　coming　near。　Tao　is　Great。　So　is　Heaven　great；　and　so　is　Earth　and　so　also　is　the　representative　of　Heaven　and　Earth。
  Man　is　derived　from　nature；　nature　is　derived　from　Heaven；　Heaven　is　derived　from　Tao。　Tao　is　self…derived。
  26
  THE　VIRTUE　（TEH）　OF　DIGNITY
  The　heavy　is　the　root　of　the　light；　the　quiet　is　master　of　motion。　Therefore　the　wise　man　in　all　the　experience　of　the　day　will　not　depart　from　dignity。　Though　he　be　surrounded　with　sights　that　are　magnificent；　he　will　remain　calm　and　unconcerned。
  How　does　it　come　to　pass　that　the　Emperor；　master　of　ten　thousand　chariots；　has　lost　the　mastery　of　the　Empire？　Because　being　flippant　himself；　he　has　lost　the　respect　of　his　subjects；　being