uscles　are　tender；　it　is　true；　but　his　grasp　is　firm。
  He　does　not　yet　know　the　relation　of　the　sexes；　but　he　has　perfect　organs；　nevertheless。　His　spirit　is　virile；　indeed！　He　can　sob　and　cry　all　day　without　becoming　hoarse；　his　harmony　（as　a　child）　is　perfect　indeed！
  To　recognize　this　harmony　（for　growth）　is　to　know　the　eternal'。　To　recognize　the　eternal　is　to　know　enlightenment。　To　increase　life　（to　cause　things　to　grow）　is　to　know　blessedness。　To　be　conscious　of　an　inner　fecundity　is　strength。　Things　fully　grown　are　about　to　decay；　they　are　the　opposite　of　Tao。　The　opposite　of　Tao　soon　ceases。
  56
  THE　TEH　OF　THE　MYSTERIOUS
  The　one　who　knows　does　not　speak；　the　one　who　speaks　does　not　know。　The　wise　man　shuts　his　mouth　and　closes　his　gates。　He　softens　his　sharpness；　unravels　his　tangles；　dims　his　brilliancy；　and　reckons　himself　with　the　mysterious。
  He　is　inaccessible　to　favor　or　hate；　he　cannot　be　reached　by　profit　or　injury；　he　cannot　be　honored　or　humiliated。　Thereby　he　is　honored　by　all。
  57
  THE　HABIT　OF　SIMPLICITY
  The　empire　is　administered　with　righteousness；　the　army　is　directed　by　craft；　the　people　are　captivated　by　non…diplomacy。　How　do　I　know　it　is　so？　By　this　same　Tao。
  Among　people　the　more　restrictions　and　prohibitions　there　are；　the　poorer　they　become。　The　more　people　have　weapons；　the　more　the　state　is　in　confusion。　The　more　people　are　artful　and　cunning　the　more　abnormal　things　occur。　The　more　laws　and　orders　are　issued　the　more　thieves　and　robbers　abound。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　says：　If　a　ruler　practices　wu　wei　the　people　will　reform　of　themselves。　If　I　love　quietude　the　people　will　of　themselves　become　righteous。　If　I　avoid　profit…making　the　people　will　of　themselves　become　prosperous。　If　I　limit　my　desires　the　people　will　of　themselves　become　simple。
  58
  ADAPTATION　TO　CHANGE
  When　an　administration　is　unostentatious　the　people　are　simple。　When　an　administration　is　inquisitive；　the　people　are　needy。　Misery；　alas；　supports　happiness。　Happiness；　alas；　conceals　misery。　Who　knows　its　limits？　It　never　ceases。　The　normal　becomes　the　abnormal。　The　good　in　turn　becomes　unlucky。　The　people's　confusion　is　felt　daily　for　a　long　time。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　is　square；　yet　does　not　injure；　he　is　angular　but　does　not　annoy。　He　is　upright　but　is　not　cross。　He　is　bright　but　not　glaring。
  59
  TO　KEEP　TAO
  In　governing　the　people　and　in　worshipping　heaven　nothing　surpasses　moderation。　To　value　moderation；　one　must　form　the　habit　early。　Its　early　acquisition　will　result　in　storing　and　accumulating　vitality。　By　storing　and　accumulating　vitality　nothing　is　impossible。
  If　nothing　is　impossible　then　one　is　ignorant　of　his　limits。　If　one　does　not　know　his　limitations；　one　may　possess　the　state。　He　who　possesses　moderation　is　thereby　lasting　and　enduring。　It　is　like　having　deep　roots　and　a　strong　stem。　This　is　of　long　life　and　enduring　insight　the　Tao　（way）。
  60
  TO　MAINTAIN　POSITION
  One　should　govern　a　great　state　as　one　fries　small　fish　（i。e。；　do　not　scale　or　clean　them）。
  With　Tao　one　may　successfully　rule　the　Empire。　Ghosts　will　not　frighten；　gods　will　not　harm；　neither　will　wise　men　mislead　the　people。　Since　nothing　frightens　or　harms　the　people；　teh　will　abide。
  61
  THE　TEH　OF　HUMILITY
  A　great　state　that　is　useful　is　like　a　bond　of　unity　within　the　Empire；　it　is　the　Empire's　wife。
  The　female　controls　the　male　by　her　quietude　and　submission。　Thus　a　great　state　by　its　service　to　smaller　states　wins　their　allegiance。　A　small　state　by　submission　to　a　great　state　wins　an　influence　over　them。　Thus　some　stoop　to　conquer；　and　others　stoop　and　conquer。
  Great　states　can　have　no　higher　purpose　than　to　federate　states　and　feed　the　people。　Small　states　can　have　no　higher　purpose　than　to　enter　a　federation　and　serve　the　people。　Both　alike；　each　in　his　own　way；　gain　their　end；　but　to　do　so；　the　greater　must　practice　humility。
  62
  THE　PRACTICE　OF　TAO
  The　Tao　is　the　asylum　of　all　things；　the　good　man's　treasure；　the　bad　man's　last　resort。　With　beautiful　words　one　may　sell　goods　but　in　winning　people　one　can　accomplish　more　by　kindness。　Why　should　a　man　be　thrown　away　for　his　evil？　To　conserve　him　was　the　Emperor　appointed　and　the　three　ministers。
  Better　than　being　in　the　presence　of　the　Emperor　and　riding　with　four　horses；　is　sitting　and　explaining　this　Tao。
  The　reason　the　Ancients　esteemed　Tao　was　because　if　sought　it　was　obtained；　and　because　by　it　he　that　hath　sin　could　be　saved。　Is　it　not　so？　Therefore　the　world　honors　Tao。
  63
  A　CONSIDERATION　OF　BEGINNINGS
  One　should　avoid　assertion　（wu　wei）　and　practice　inaction。　One　should　learn　to　find　taste　in　the　tasteless；　to　enlarge　the　small　things；　and　multiply　the　few。　He　should　respond　to　hatred　with　kindness。　He　should　resolve　a　difficulty　while　it　is　easy；　and　manage　a　great　thing　while　it　is　small。　Surely　all　the　world's　difficulties　arose　from　slight　causes；　and　all　the　world's　great　affairs　had　small　beginnings。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　avoids　to　the　end　participation　in　great　affairs　and　by　so　doing　establishes　his　greatness。
  Rash　promises　are　lacking　in　faith　and　many　things　that　appear　easy　are　full　of　difficulties。　Therefore　the　wise　man　considers　every　thing　difficult　and　so　to　the　end　he　has　no　difficulties。
  64
  CONSIDER　THE　INSIGNIFICANT
  That　which　is　at　rest　is　easily　restrained；　that　which　has　not　yet　appeared　is　easily　prevented。　The　weak　is　easily　broken；　the　scanty　is　easily　scattered。　Consider　a　difficulty　before　it　arises；　and　administer　affairs　before　they　become　disorganized。　A　tree　that　it　takes　both　arms　to　encircle　grew　from　a　tiny　rootlet。　A　pagoda　of　nine　stories　was　erected　by　placing　small　bricks。　A　journey　of　three　thousand　miles　begins　with　one　step。　If　one　tries　to　improve　a　thing；　he　mars　it；　if　he　seizes　it；　he　loses　it。　The　wise　man；　therefore；　not　attempting　to　form　things　does　not　mar　them；　and　not　grasping　after　things　he　does　not　lose　them。　The　people　in　their　rush　for　business　are　ever　approaching　success　but　continually　failing。　One　must　be　as　careful　to　the　end　as　at　the　beginning　if　he　is　to　succeed。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　desires　to　be　free　from　desire；　he　does　not　value　the　things　that　are　difficult　of　attainment。　He　learns　to　be　unlearned；　he　returns　to　that　which　all　others　ignore。　In　that　spirit　he　helps　all　things　toward　their　natural　development；　but　dares　not　interfere。
  65
  THE　TEH　OF　SIMPLICITY
  In　the　olden　days　those　who　obeyed　the　spirit　of　Tao　did　not　enlighten　the　people　but　kept　them　simple　hearted。
  The　reason　people　are　difficult　to　govern　is　because　of　their　smartness；　likewise　to　govern　a　people　with　guile　is　a　curse；　and　to　govern　them　with　simplicity　is　a　blessing。　He　who　remembers　these　two　things　is　a　model　ruler。　Always　to　follow　this　standard　and　rule　is　teh；　the　profound。
  Profound　teh　is　deep　indeed　and　far　reaching。　The　very　opposite　of　common　things；　but　by　it　one　obtains　obedient　subjects。
  66
  TO　SUBORDINATE　SELF
  The　reason　rivers　and　seas　are　called　the　kings　of　the　valley　is　because　they　keep　below　them。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　desiring　to　be　above　his　people　must　in　his　demeanor　keep　below　them；　wishing　to　benefit　his　people；　he　must　ever　keep　himself　out　of　sight。
  The　wise　man　dwells　above；　yet　the　people　do　not　feel　the　burden；　he　is　the　leader　and　the　people　suffer　no　harm。　Therefore　the　world　rejoices　to　exalt　him　and　never　wearies　of　him。
  Because　he　will　not　quarrel　with　anyone；　no　one　can　quarrel　with　him。
  67
  THREE　TREASURES
  All　the　world　calls　Tao　great；　yet　it　is　by　nature　immaterial。　It　is　because　a　thing　is　seemingly　unreal　that　it　is　great。　If　a　man　affects　to　be　great；　how　long　can　he　conceal　his　mediocrity？
  Tao　has　three　treasures　which　he　guards　and　cherishes。　The　first　is　called　compassion；　the　second　is　called　economy；　the　third　is　called　humility。　A　man　that　is　compassionate　can　'be　truly　brave；　if　a　man　is　economical　he　can　be　generous；　if　he　is　humble　he　can　become　a　useful　servant。
  If　one　discards　compassion　and　is　still　brave；　abandons　economy　and　is　still　generous；　forsakes　humility　and　still　seeks　to　be　serviceable；　his　days　are　numbered。　On　the　contrary　if　one　is　truly　compassionate；　in　battle　he　will　be　a　conqueror　and　in　defence　he　will　be　secure。　When　even　Heaven　helps　people　it　is　because　of　compassion　that　she　does　so。
  68
  COMPLIANCE　WITH　HEAVEN
  He　who　excels　as　a　soldier　is　the　one　who　is　not　warlike；　he　who　fights　the　best　fight　is　not　wrathful；　he　who　best　conquers　an　enemy　is　not　quarrelsome；　he　who　best　employs　people　is　obedient　himself。
  This　is　the　virtue　of　not…quarreling；　this　is　the　secret　of　bringing　out　other　men's　ability；　this　is　complying　with　Heaven。　Since　of　old　it　is　considered　the　greatest　virtue　（teh）。
  69
  THE　FUNCTION　OF　THE　MYSTERIOUS
  A　military　expert　has　said：　I　do　not　dare　put　myself　forward　as　a　host；　but　always　act　as　a　guest。　I　hesitate　to　advance　an　inch；