But　what　is　of　more　importance；　the　wise　ruler　of　the　people　will　not　hurt　them。
  And　in　so　far　as　they　do　not　interfere　with　one　another；　their　influences　conspire　to　the　general　good！
  61
  The　kingdom；　like　a　river；　becomes　great　by　being　lowly；　it　is　thereby　the　centre　to　which　all　the　world　tends。
  It　is　similar　in　the　case　of　woman：
  She　conquers　man　by　continual　quietness。
  And　quietness　is　the　same　as　submission。
  Therefore　a　great　state；　by　condescension　to　those　beneath　it；　may　gain　the　government　of　them。
  Likewise　a　small　state；　by　submission　to　one　that　is　greater；　may　secure　its　alliance。
  Thus　the　one　gains　adherence；　and　the　other　obtains　favours。
  Although　the　great　state　desires　to　annex　and　to　nourish　others；　yet　the　small　state　desires　to　be　allied　to　and　serve　the　greater。
  Thus　both　will　be　satisfied；　if　only　the　greater　will　condescend。
  62
  Tao　is　the　secret　guardian　of　all　things。
  It　enriches　the　good　man　and　forfends　the　evildoer。
  Its　counsel　is　always　in　season；　its　benevolence　is　always　in　demand。
  Even　those　who　are　not　good　it　does　not　forsake。
  Therefore；　when　the　Emperor　takes　his　throne　and　appoints　his　nobles；　he　who　comes　before　him　bearing　the　insignia　of　a　prince　and　escorted　by　a　mounted　retinue　is　not　to　be　compared　with　one　who　humbly　presents　this　Tao。
  For　why　did　the　ancients　hold　it　in　such　esteem？
  Was　it　not　because　it　could　be　had　without　much　seeking；　and　because　by　means　of　it　man　might　escape　from　sin？
  For　this　it　was　esteemed　the　greatest　thing　in　the　world。
  63
  Acting　without　design；　occupying　oneself　without　making　a　business　of　it；　finding　the　great　in　what　is　the　small；　and　the　many　in　the　few；　repaying　injury　with　kindness；　effecting　difficult　things　while　they　are　easy；　and　managing　great　things　in　their　beginnings；　is　the　method　of　Tao。
  All　difficult　things　have　their　origin　in　that　which　is　easy；　and　the　great　things　in　that　which　is　small。
  Therefore　the　wise　man　can　accomplish　great　things　without　even　attempting　them。
  He　who　lightly　assents　will　seldom　keep　his　word。
  He　who　accounts　all　things　easy　will　have　many　difficulties。
  Therefore　the　Sage　takes　great　account　of　small　things；　and　so　never　has　any　difficulty。
  64
  What　is　small　is　easily　held。
  What　is　expected　is　easily　provided　for。
  What　is　brittle　is　easily　broken。
  What　is　small　is　soon　dispersed。
  Transact　your　business　before　it　takes　shape。
  Regulate　things　before　confusion　begins。
  The　tree　which　fills　the　arms　grew　from　a　tender　shoot。
  The　castle　of　nine　storeys　was　raised　on　a　heap　of　earth。
  The　journey　of　a　thousand　miles　begins　with　one　step。
  Whoever　designs　only　destroys。
  Whoever　grasps；　loses。
  The　Sage　does　not　act　thus；　therefore　he　does　no　harm。
  He　does　not　grasp；　and　therefore　he　never　loses。
  But　the　common　people；　in　their　undertakings；　fail　on　the　eve　of　success。
  If　they　were　as　prudent　at　the　end　as　they　are　at　the　beginning；　there　would　be　no　such　failures。
  Therefore　the　Sage　is　only　ambitious　of　what　others　despise；　and　sets　no　value　on　things　difficult　to　obtain。
  He　acquires　no　common　learning；　but　returns　to　that　which　people　have　passed　by。
  Thus　he　aims　at　simple　development　in　all　things；　and　acts　without　design。
  65
  The　ancients　who　practiced　the　Tao　did　not　make　use　of　it　to　render　the　people　brilliant；　but　to　make　them　simple　and　natural。
  The　difficulty　in　governing　the　people　is　through　overmuch　policy。
  He　who　tries　to　govern　the　kingdom　by　policy　is　only　a　scourge　to　it；　while　he　who　governs　without　it　is　a　blessing。
  To　know　these　two　things　is　the　perfect　knowledge　of　government；　and　to　keep　them　continually　in　view　is　called　the　virtue　of　simplicity。
  Deep　and　wide　is　this　simple　virtue；　and　though　opposed　to　other　methods　it　can　bring　about　a　perfect　order。
  66
  That　by　which　the　great　rivers　and　seas　receive　the　tribute　of　all　the　streams；　is　the　fact　of　their　being　lowly；　that　is　the　cause　of　their　superiority。
  Thus　the　Sage；　wishing　to　govern　the　people；　speaks　of　himself　as　beneath　them；　and　wishing　to　lead　them；　places　himself　behind　them。
  So；　while　he　is　yet　above　them；　they　do　not　feel　his　weight；　and　being　before　them；　he　yet　causes　no　obstruction。
  Therefore　all　men　exalt　him　with　acclamation；　and　none　is　offended。
  And　because　he　does　not　strive；　no　man　is　his　enemy。
  67
  All　the　world　avows　that　while　my　Taoism　is　great；　it　is　yet　incompetent！
  It　is　its　greatness　which　makes　it　appear　incompetent。
  If　it　were　like　others；　it　would　long　ago　have　been　recognized　as　incompetent。
  But　I　hold　fast　to　three　precious　things；　which　I　also　cherish。
  The　first　is　gentleness。
  The　second　is　economy。
  The　third　is　humility。
  With　such　gentleness　I　can　be　daring。
  With　such　economy　I　can　be　generous。
  With　such　humility　I　can　be　great　in　service；　as　a　vessel　of　honour。
  But　in　these　days　men　forsake　gentleness　and　become　only　obtrusive。
  They　abandon　economy　and　become　only　excessive。
  They　relinquish　humility　and　strive　for　precedence；　and　thus　for　death。
  Gentleness　is　ever　victorious　in　attack　and　secure　in　defence。
  Therefore　when　Heaven　would　preserve　a　man　it　enfolds　him　with　gentleness。
  68
  The　good　commander　is　not　imperious。
  The　good　fighter　is　not　wrathful。
  The　greatest　conqueror　does　not　wage　war。
  The　best　master　governs　by　condescension。
  This　is　the　virtue　of　not　contending。
  This　is　the　virtue　of　persuasion。
  This　is　the　imitation　of　Heaven；　and　this　was　the　highest　aim　of　the　ancients。
  69
  A　great　warrior　has　said；　〃I　dare　not　be　the　host；　I　would　rather　be　the　guest；　I　dare　not　advance　an　inch；　I　would　rather　retire　a　foot。〃
  Now　this　I　call　filling　in　without　marshalling　the　ranks；　baring　the　arms　without　preparing　to　fight；　grasping　the　sword　without　unsheathing　it；　and　advancing　upon　the　enemy　without　coming　into　conflict。
  There　is　nothing　so　unfortunate　as　entering　lightly　into　battle。
  For　in　doing　so　we　are　in　danger　of　losing　that　which　is　most　precious。
  Thus　it　happens　that　when　opposing　forces　meet　in　battle；　he　who　feels　the　pity　of　is　assuredly　conquers。
  70
  Easy　are　my　words　to　know；　and　also　to　practice。
  Yet　none　is　able　to　understand　nor　yet　to　practice　them。
  For　there　is　a　remote　origin　for　my　words；　and　a　supreme　law　for　my　actions。
  Not　knowing　these；　men　cannot　know　me。
  Those　who　know　me　are　few；　and　by　them　I　am　esteemed。
  For　the　wise　man　is　outwardly　poor；　but　he　carries　his　jewel　in　his　bosom。
  71
  To　know　one's　ignorance　is　the　best　part　of　knowledge。
  To　be　ignorant　of　such　knowledge　is　a　disease。
  If　one　only　regards　it　as　a　disease；　he　will　soon　be　cured　of　it。
  The　wise　man　is　exempt　from　this　disease。
  He　knows　it　for　what　it　is；　and　so　is　free　from　it。
  72
  When　men　do　not　have　a　right　fear　of　present　dangers；　they　run　into　extremes　of　peril。
  Let　them　beware　of　enlarging　the　house；　being　wary　of　present　conditions。
  If　they　do　not　despise　it；　no　such　weariness　will　arise。
  This　is　why　the　Sage；　while　possessed　of　self…knowledge；　does　not　parade　himself。
  He　loves；　but　does　not　value　himself　highly。
  Thus　he　can　put　away　pride；　and　is　content。
  73
  He　whose　courage　is　expressed　in　daring　will　soon　meet　death。
  He　whose　courage　is　shown　in　self…restraint　will　be　preserved。
  There　are；　then；　two　kinds　of　courage；　the　one　is　injurious　and　the　other　of　advantage。
  But　who　is　to　say　why　one　of　them　should　incur　the　judgement　of　Heaven？
  That　is　why　the　Sage　finds　it　difficult　to　act。
  The　celestial　Tao　does　not　strive；　and　yet　overcomes　everything。
  It　does　not　speak；　yet　is　skilful　in　replying。
  It　does　not　call；　yet　things　come　to　it　readily。
  It　is　quiet　in　its　methods；　yet　its　plans　are　thoroughly　effective。
  The　net　of　Heaven　has　large　meshes；　and　yet　nothing　escapes　it！
  74
  When　the　people　do　not　fear　death；　of　what　use　is　it　to　overawe　them　with　it　as　a　penalty？
  And　if　they　were　always　held　in　fear　of　death；　and　I　could　lay　my　hand　upon　all　evil　doers　and　slay　them；　would　I　dare　to　do　it？
  There　is　always　the　Great　Executioner！
  For　one　to　usurp　that　office　is　like　a　novice　cutting　out　the　work　of　a　great　architect。
  Such　a　one　rarely　fails　to　cut　his　own　hands！
  75
  The　people　suffer　from　famine　on　account　of　the　heavy　taxation　put　upon　them。
  This　is　the　cause　of　their　need。
  The　people　are　difficult　to　govern　because　of　the　overbearing　of　their　superiors。
  This　is　the　cause　of　their　trouble。
  The　people　make　light　of　dying　because　of　the　great　hardships　of　trying　to　live。
  This　is　the　reason　for　their　indifference　to　death。
  Therefore　to　keep　living　in　obscurity　is　better　than　making　overmuch　of　it。
  76
  Man　at　his　birth　is　supple　and　tender；　but　in　death　he　is　rigid　and　strong。
  It　is　the　same　with　ever