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　passionate　himself；　he　has　lost　the　control　of　the　Empire。
  27
  THE　FUNCTION　OF　SKILL
  Good　walkers　leave　no　tracks；　good　speakers　make　no　errors；　good　counters　need　no　abacus；　good　wardens　have　no　need　for　bolts　and　locks　for　no　one　can　get　by　them。　Good　binders　can　dispense　with　rope　and　cord；　yet　none　can　unloose　their　hold。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　trusting　in　goodness　always　saves　men；　for　there　is　no　outcast　to　him。　Trusting　in　goodness　he　saves　all　things　for　there　is　nothing　valueless　to　him。　This　is　recognizing　concealed　values。
  Therefore　the　good　man　is　the　instructor　of　the　evil　man；　and　the　evil　man　is　the　good　man's　wealth。　He　who　does　not　esteem　his　instructors　or　value　his　wealth；　though　he　be　otherwise　intelligent；　becomes　confused。　Herein　lies　the　significance　of　spirituality。
  28
  RETURNING　TO　SIMPLICITY
  He　who　knows　his　manhood　and　understands　his　womanhood　becomes　useful　like　the　valleys　of　earth　（which　bring　water）。　Being　like　the　valleys　of　earth；　eternal　vitality　（teh）　will　not　depart　from　him；　he　will　come　again　to　the　nature　of　a　little　child。
  He　who　knows　his　innocence　and　recognizes　his　sin　becomes　the　world's　model。　Being　a　world's　model；　infinite　teh　will　not　fail；　he　will　return　to　the　Absolute。
  He　who　knows　the　glory　of　his　nature　and　recognizes　also　his　limitations　becomes　useful　like　the　world's　valleys。　Being　like　the　world's　valleys；　eternal　teh　will　not　fail　him；　he　will　revert　to　simplicity。
  Radiating　simplicity　he　will　make　of　men　vessels　of　usefulness。　The　wise　man　then　will　employ　them　as　officials　and　chiefs。　A　great　administration　of　such　will　harm　no　one。
  29
  NOT　FORCING　THINGS　（WU　WEI）
  One　who　desires　to　take　and　remake　the　Empire　will　fail。　The　Empire　is　a　divine　thing　that　cannot　be　remade。　He　who　attempts　it　will　only　mar　it。
  He　who　seeks　to　grasp　it；　will　lose　it。　People　differ；　some　lead；　others　follow；　some　are　ardent；　others　are　formal；　some　are　strong；　others　weak；　some　succeed；　others　fail。　Therefore　the　wise　man　practices　moderation；　he　abandons　pleasure；　extravagance　and　indulgence。
  30
  BE　STINGY　OF　WAR
  When　the　magistrate　follows　Tao；　he　has　no　need　to　resort　to　force　of　arms　to　strengthen　the　Empire；　because　his　business　methods　alone　will　show　good　returns。
  Briars　and　thorns　grow　rank　where　an　army　camps。　Bad　harvests　are　the　sequence　of　a　great　war。　The　good　ruler　will　be　resolute　and　then　stop；　he　dare　not　take　by　force。　One　should　be　resolute　but　not　boastful；　resolute　but　not　haughty；　resolute　but　not　arrogant；　resolute　but　yielding　when　it　cannot　be　avoided；　resolute　but　he　must　not　resort　to　violence。
  By　a　resort　to　force；　things　flourish　for　a　time　but　then　decay。　This　is　not　like　the　Tao　and　that　which　is　not　Tao…like　will　soon　cease。
  31
  AVOIDING　WAR
  Even　successful　arms；　among　all　implements；　are　unblessed。　All　men　come　to　detest　them。　Therefore　the　one　who　follows　Tao　does　not　rely　on　them。　Arms　are　of　all　tools　unblessed；　they　are　not　the　implements　of　a　wise　man。　Only　as　a　last　resort　does　he　use　them。
  Peace　and　quietude　are　esteemed　by　the　wise　man；　and　even　when　victorious　he　does　not　rejoice；　because　rejoicing　over　a　victory　is　the　same　as　rejoicing　over　the　killing　of　men。　If　he　rejoices　over　killing　men；　do　you　think　he　will　ever　really　master　the　Empire？
  In　propitious　affairs　the　place　of　honor　is　the　left；　but　in　unpropitious　affairs　we　honor　the　right。
  The　strong　man　while　at　home　esteems　the　left　as　the　place　of　honor；　but　when　armed　for　war　it　is　as　though　he　esteems　the　right　hand；　the　place　of　less　honor。
  Thus　a　funeral　ceremony　is　so　arranged。　The　place　of　a　subordinate　army　officer　is　also　on　the　left　and　the　place　of　his　superior　officer　is　on　the　right。　The　killing　of　men　fills　multitudes　with　sorrow；　we　lament　with　tears　because　of　it；　and　rightly　honor　the　victor　as　if　he　was　attending　a　funeral　ceremony。
  32
  THE　VIRTUE　（TEH）　OF　HOLINESS
  Tao　in　its　eternal　aspect　is　unnamable。　Its　simplicity　appears　insignificant；　but　the　whole　world　cannot　control　it。　If　princes　and　kings　employ　it　every　one　of　themselves　will　pay　willing　homage。　Heaven　and　Earth　by　it　are　harmoniously　combined　and　drop　sweet　dew。　People　will　have　no　need　of　rulers；　because　of　themselves　they　will　be　righteous。
  As　soon　as　Tao　expresses　itself　in　orderly　creation　then　it　becomes　comprehensible。　When　one　recognizes　the　presence　of　Tao　he　understands　where　to　stop。　Knowing　where　to　stop　he　is　free　from　danger。
  To　illustrate　the　nature　of　Tao's　place　in　the　universe：　Tao　is　like　the　brooks　and　streams　in　their　relation　to　the　great　rivers　and　the　ocean。
  33
  THE　VIRTUE　（TEH）　OF　DISCRIMINATION
  He　who　knows　others　is　intelligent；　he　who　understands　himself　is　enlightened；　he　who　is　able　to　conquer　others　has　force；　but　he　who　is　able　to　control　himself　is　mighty。　He　who　appreciates　contentment　is　wealthy。
  He　who　dares　to　act　has　nerve；　if　he　can　maintain　his　position　he　will　endure；　but　he；　who　dying　does　not　perish；　is　immortal。
  34
  THE　PERFECTION　OF　TRUST
  Great　Tao　is　all　pervading！　It　can　be　on　both　the　right　hand　and　the　left。　Everything　relies　upon　it　for　their　existence；　and　it　does　not　fail　them。　It　acquires　merit　but　covets　not　the　title。　It　lovingly　nourishes　everything；　but　does　not　claim　the　rights　of　ownership。　It　has　no　desires；　it　can　be　classed　with　the　small。　Everything　returns　to　it；　yet　it　does　not　claim　the　right　of　ownership。　It　can　be　classed　with　the　great。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　to　the　end　will　not　pose　as　a　great　man；　and　by　so　doing　will　express　his　true　greatness。
  35
  THE　VIRTUE　（TEH）　OF　BENEVOLENCE
  The　world　will　go　to　him　who　grasps　this　Great　Principle；　they　will　seek　and　not　be　injured；　they　will　find　contentment；　peace　and　rest。
  Music　and　dainties　attract　the　passing　people；　while　Tao's　reality　seen…is　insipid。　Indeed　it　has　no　taste；　when　looked　at　there　is　not　enough　seen　to　be　prized；　when　listened　for；　it　can　scarcely　be　heard；　but；　the　use　of　it　is　inexhaustible。
  36
  EXPLANATION　OF　A　PARADOX
  That　which　has　a　tendency　to　contract　must　first　have　been　extended；　that　which　has　a　tendency　to　weaken　itself　must　first　have　been　strong；　that　which　shows　a　tendency　to　destroy　itself　must　first　have　been　raised　up；　that　which　shows　a　tendency　to　scatter　must　first　have　been　gathered。
  This　is　the　explanation　of　a　seeming　contradiction：　the　tender　and　yielding　conquer　the　rigid　and　strong　（i。e。；　spirit　is　stronger　than　matter；　persuasion　than　force）。　The　fish　would　be　foolish　to　seek　escape　from　its　natural　environment。　There　is　no　gain　to　a　nation　to　compel　by　a　show　of　force。
  37
  ADMINISTERING　THE　GOVERNMENT
  Tao　is　apparently　inactive　（wu　wei）　and　yet　nothing　remains　undone。　If　princes　and　kings　desire　to　keep）　everything　in　order；　they　must　first　reform　themselves。　（If　princes　and　kings　would　follow　the　example　of　Tao；　then　all　things　will　reform　themselves。）　If　they　still　desire　to　change；　I　would　pacify　them　by　the　simplicity　of　the　ineffable　Tao。
  This　simplicity　will　end　desire；　and　if　desire　be　absent　there　is　quietness。　All　people　will　of　themselves　be　satisfied。
  38
  A　DISCUSSION　ABOUT　TEH
  Essential　teh　makes　no　show　of　virtue；　and　therefore　it　is　really　virtuous。　Inferior　virtue　never　loses　sight　of　itself　and　therefore　it　is　no　longer　virtue。　Essential　virtue　is　characterized　by　lack　of　self…assertion　（wu　wei）　and　therefore　is　unpretentious。　Inferior　virtue　is　acting　a　part　and　thereby　is　only　pretense。
  Superior　benevolence　in　a　way　is　acting　but　does　not　thereby　become　pretentious。　Excessive　righteousness　is　acting　and　does　thereby　become　pretentious。　Excessive　propriety　is　acting；　but　where　no　one　responds　to　it；　it　stretches　its　arm　and　enforces　obedience。
  Therefore　when　one　loses　Tao　there　is　still　teh；　one　may　lose　teh　and　benevolence　remains；　one　may　forsake　benevolence　and　still　hold　to　righteousness；　one　may　lose　righteousness　and　propriety　remains。
  Propriety；　alone；　reduces　loyalty　and　good　faith　to　a　shadow；　and　it　is　the　beginning　of　disorder。　Tradition　is　the　mere　flower　of　the　Tao　and　had　its　origin　in　ignorance。
  Therefore　the　great　man　of　affairs　conforms　to　the　spirit　and　not　to　external　appearance。　He　goes　on　to　fruitage　and　does　not　rest　in　the　show　of　blossom。　He　avoids　mere　propriety　and　practices　true　benevolence。
  39
  THE　ROOT　OF　AUTHORITY
  It　has　been　said　of　old；　only　those　who　attain　unity　attain　self…hood。　。　。　。　Heaven　attained　unity　and　thereby　is　space。　Earth　attained　unity；　thereby　it　is　solid。　Spirit　attained　unity；　thereby　it　became　mind。　Valleys　attained　unity；　therefore　rivers　flow　down　them。　All　things　have　unity　and　thereby　have　life。　Princes　and　kings　as　they　attain　unity　become　standards　of　conduct　for　the　nation。　And　the