As　if　wary　of　（all）　four　neighbors
  So　dignified…
  As　though　they　were　guests
  So　relenting…
  Like　ice　which　is　about　to　melt
  So　artless…
  As　though　they　were　of　unworked　wood
  So　expansive…
  As　though　they　were　watersheds
  So　intermingled…
  As　though　they　were　turbid　streams
  Who　is　able；　（as）　a　turbid　stream；　to　become　still
  and　arrive　by　degrees　at　clarity？
  Who　is　able；　at　peace；　to　become　energetic
  and　arrive　by　degrees　at　vitality？
  Whoever　preserves　this　path
  Not　longing　for　more　than　fullness
  Only　those　not　overfull
  Can　then　stay　obscure
  and　not　begin　to　be　finished
  16
  Attaining　perfect　emptiness
  Remain　patient　&　sincere
  The　myriad　beings　arise　as　one
  Through　this　we　observe　the　return
  Of　beings　in　numberless　multitudes
  Each　coming　home　to　its　root
  Return　to　the　root　means　serenity
  It　may　be　called　a　return　to　a　higher　order
  Return　to　higher　order　speaks　of　the　enduring
  To　comprehend　the　enduring　speaks　of　clarity
  To　not　comprehend　the　enduring
  Is　to　recklessly　create　suffering
  To　comprehend　the　enduring　（is）　tolerance
  Tolerance　becomes　justice
  Justice　becomes　sovereignty
  Sovereignty　becomes　celestial
  The　celestial　becomes　the　path
  The　path　is　then　continuous
  The　death　of　self　is　nothing　to　fear
  17
  Great　leaders？subordinates　know　of　their　existence
  Those　next　in　order　are　loved　and　praised　by　them
  Those　next　in　order　are　feared　by　them
  Those　next　in　order　are　despised　by　them
  If　trust　lacks　basis　here
  There　will　be　no　trust　here
  So　step　back…　there　is　value　to　words
  Complete　the　task；　follow　through　in　the　work
  The　hundred　families　all　will　declare
  ？It　was）　our　natural　course！？br》
  18
  （Where）　the　great　path　is　abandoned
  There　appear　benevolence　&　righteousness
  （When）　the　learned　&　clever　emerge
  There　appear　great　hypocrisies
  （When）　the　six　bonds　of　kinship　are　out　of　balance
  There　appear　filial　piety　and　parental　affection
  （When）　countries　&　clans　are　in　darkness　&　turmoil
  There　appear　loyalty　&　public　service
  19
  Cut　out　sanctimony；　repudiate　cleverness
  The　people　will　profit　a　hundred　times　over
  Cut　out　benevolence；　abandon　righteousness
  The　people　return　to　filial　piety　&　parental　affection
  Cut　out　artfulness；　abandon　rewards
  （Then）　robbers　and　thieves　have　nothing　to　gain
  These　three　may　help　to　improve　the　culture
  but　（they）　are　not　a　foundation
  So　let　there　be　purpose　to　build　on：
  Look　to　the　ordinary　&　embrace　original　nature
  Diminish　self…interest　&　have　fewer　desires
  20
  Cut　out　the　academics　&　avoid　the　anxieties
  The　（ready）　yes；　alongside　the　（obsequious）　yea
  What　is　the　distance　or　nearness　between　them？
  （Even）　the　good；　next　to　the　bad；
  What　is　the　difference　or　likeness　between　them？
  （That）　that　which　the　others　hold　in　awe
  Will　not　permit　less　than　awe　…
  What　nonsense！　There　will　never　be　an　end　to　this；　ever！
  Everyone　（else）　is　resplendent　&　festive
  As　if　feasting　on　great　sacrifices
  As　if　in　springtime　&　climbing　up　towers
  I　alone　am　unmoved　here；　one　yet　to　give　a　sign
  Like　a　newborn　infant；　one　yet　to　smile
  So　worn　&　weary；　as　one　with　no　home　to　come　home　to
  Everyone　（else）　takes　more　than　enough
  While　I　alone　seem　forsaken
  With　only　my　simpleton抯　mind！
  So　muddled　&　confused
  The　common　folk　are　bright　&　sunny
  I　alone　am　in　chaos　&　gloom
  The　common　folk　are　alert　&　sharp
  I　alone　am　torpid　&　blunt
  So　placid…　in　this　like　the　sea
  So　restless　a　wind…　as　if　never　to　stop
  Everyone　else　has　purpose
  While　I　alone　am　wayward；　like　a　rustic
  I　alone　am　other　than　the　others
  Still　enjoying　mother抯　meals
  21
  The　bearing　of　true　character
  Is　simply　to　follow　a　true　path
  If　the　way　is　regarded　as　an　entity
  It　is　only　elusive；　only　vague
  So　vague　&　so　elusive
  （Yet）　at　its　center　there　is　shape
  So　elusive　&　so　vague
  （Yet）　at　its　center　there　are　beings
  So　arcane　&　so　shadowy
  （Yet）　at　its　center　there　is　seed
  This　seed　is　profoundly　real
  At　its　center　there　is　truth
  From　the　present　back　into　antiquity
  Its　meaning　does　not　fade
  Through　this　is　seen　a　common　ancestry
  How　do　we　know　that　the　common　ancestry抯　shape　is　thus？
  By　This
  22
  The　yielding　becomes　whole
  The　bent　becomes　straight
  The　hollow　becomes　replenished
  The　worn　becomes　renewed
  The　diminished　becomes　endowed
  The　plentiful　becomes　doubtful
  This　is　why　wise　ones　embrace　unity
  Adopting　nature　as　model
  Without　self…display
  And　thus　clear
  Without　self…righteousness
  And　thus　distinguished
  Without　self…assertion
  And　thus　having　merit
  Without　self…glorification
  And　thus　enduring
  It　is　only　when　there　is　no　contending
  That　none　in　the　world　can　contend　against　them
  The　ancient　ones　had　reasons　to　claim
  揟he　accommodating　becomes　whole？br》　Is　this　（just）　empty　talk　now？
  （When）　wholeness　is　real　then　one　has　come　home
  23
  Sparing　are　the　speeches　from　nature
  So　the　whirling　winds　do　not　last　morning
  The　storming　rains　do　not　last　all　day
  What　is　it　producing　these？
  Heaven　and　earth
  （If）　even　heaven　and　earth　are　unable　to　persist
  Then　compare　this　（case）　with　humanity！
  And　so　to　attend　to　affairs　of　the　path：
  The　path　means　an　identity　with　the　path
  Character　means　an　identity　with　character
  Failure　means　an　identity　with　failure
  For　those　who　identify　with　the　path
  The　path；　in　turn；　readily*　accepts　them
  For　those　who　identify　with　character
  Character；　in　turn；　readily　accepts　them
  For　those　who　identify　with　failure
  Failure；　in　turn；　readily　accepts　them
  If　truth　has　no　basis　here
  There　will　be　no　truth　here
  24
  Those　who　stand　on　tiptoe　do　not　stand　（firmly）
  Those　who　stretch　strides　do　not　make　progress
  Those　who　display　themselves　are　less　than　clear
  Those　who　are　self…righteous　are　less　than　distinguished
  Those　who　assert　themselves　lack　merit
  Those　who　glorify　themselves　do　not　endure
  To　someone　on　the　path　here
  These　suggest　excessive　indulgence　and　irrelevant　action
  Things　somehow　wrong　to　have
  So　those　who　have　the　way　do　not　linger
  25
  There　was　something　in　chaos　（yet）　complete
  Before　heaven　&　earth　came　to　be
  So　silent；　so　remote
  Standing　alone　without　change
  Acting　everywhere　and　without　limit
  （It）　may　be　regarded　as　mother　to　（all）　under　heaven
  We　do　not　know　its　name
  A　word　for　it　speaks　of　a　path
  （If）　pressed　to　develop　its　name　speak　of　greatness
  Greatness　tells　of　journeying　on
  Journeying　on　tells　of　the　far　beyond
  The　far　beyond　tells　of　coming　back
  In　this　way　the　way　is　great
  Heaven　is　great；　earth　is　great
  And　sovereignty；　too；　is　great
  Between　the　horizons　are　four　（kinds　of）　greatness
  And　sovereignty　has　its　place　as　one　among　these
  Humanity　takes　the　earth　as　law
  The　earth　takes　heaven　as　law
  Heaven　takes　the　way　as　law
  The　way　takes　its　own　nature　as　law
  26
  The　heavy　serves　as　root　to　the　light
  Stillness　serves　as　master　to　haste
  And　so　it　is　that　a　noble　one　journeys　all　day
  Without　leaving　the　heavy　supply　wagon；
  Although　there　are　splendid　vistas；
  Calmly　staying　above　it　all
  So　how　could　the　lord　of　a　myriad　chariots
  Also　conduct　a　frivolous　life　under　heaven？
  To　be　frivolous；　would　then　be　to　lose　the　root
  To　be　hasty　would　then　be　to　lose　the　mastery
  27
  The　able　wanderer　leaves　no　trail　（or）　trace
  The　able　speaker　is　without　fallacy　（or）　error
  The　able　reckoner　does　not　use　counting　devices
  The　best　closure　uses　no　barrier　（or）　bar
  And　yet　is　not　easily　opened
  The　best　binding　uses　no　cord　（or）　knot
  And　yet　is　not　easily　loosened
  And　so　it　is　that　wise　ones
  Are　ever　so　skilled　at　making　the　most　of　others
  That　no　person　is　forsaken
  Are　ever　so　skilled　at　making　the　most　of　situations
  That　no　situation　is　wasted
  This　may　be　called　損ractical　wisdom？br》　And　so　the　able　one　is　the　less　than　able　one抯　teacher
  The　less　than　able　one　is　the　able　one抯　resource
  To　not　value　one抯　teacher；　to　not　care　for　one抯　resource；
  However　損rudent？is　greatly　deluded
  This　may　be　called　a　搕actical　mystery？br》
  28
  Know　the　masculine
  （But）　keep　the　feminine
  Serve　as　a　stream　to　the　world
  Serving　as　stream　to　the　world
  Consistent　character　will　not　depart
  （But）　return　home　again　as　the　newborn　child
  Know　the　bright
  （But）　keep　the　dark
  Serve　as　a　model　to　the　world
  Serving　as　model　to　the　world
  Consistent　character　will　not　falter
  （But）　return　home　again　as　unlimited
  Know　the