By　not　being　disgraced；　they　will　be　tranquil。
  And　Heaven　and　Earth　will　of　themselves　be　correct　and　right。
  38
  The　highest　virtue　is　not　virtuous；　therefore　it　truly　has　virtue。
  The　lowest　virtue　never　loses　sight　of　its　virtue；　therefore　it　has　no　true　virtue。
  The　highest　virtue　takes　no　action；　yet　it　has　no　reason　for　acting　this　way；
  The　highest　humanity　takes　action；　yet　it　has　no　reason　for　acting　this　way；
  The　highest　righteousness　takes　action；　and　it　has　its　reason　for　acting　this　way；
  The　highest　propriety　takes　action；　and　when　no　one　responds　to　it；　then　it　angrily　rolls　up　its　sleeves　and　forces　people　to　comply。
  Therefore；　when　the　Way　is　lost；　only　then　do　we　have　virtue；
  When　virtue　is　lost；　only　then　do　we　have　humanity；
  When　humanity　is　lost；　only　then　do　we　have　righteousness；
  And　when　righteousness　is　lost；　only　then　do　we　have　propriety。
  As　for　propriety；　it's　but　the　thin　edge　of　loyalty　and　sincerity；　and　the　beginning　of　disorder。
  And　foreknowledge　is　but　the　flower　of　the　Way；　and　the　beginning　of　stupidity。
  Therefore　the　Great　Man
  Dwells　in　the　thick　and　doesn't　dwell　in　the　thin；
  Dwells　in　the　fruit　and　doesn't　dwell　in　the　flower。
  Therefore；　he　rejects　that　and　takes　this。
  39
  Of　those　in　the　past　that　attained　the　One？br》　Heaven；　by　attaining　the　One　became　clear；
  Earth；　by　attaining　the　One　became　stable；
  Gods；　by　attaining　the　One　became　divine；
  Valley；　by　attaining　the　One　became　full；
  Marquises　and　kings；　by　attaining　the　One　made　the　whole　land　ordered　and　secure。
  Taking　this　to　its　logical　conclusion　we　would　say？br》　If　Heaven　were　not　by　means　of　it　clear；　it　would；　I'm　afraid；　shatter；
  If　the　Earth　were　not　by　means　of　it　stable；　it　would；　I'm　afraid；　let　go。
  If　the　gods　were　not　by　means　of　it　divine；　they　would；　I'm　afraid；　be　powerless。
  If　valley　were　not　by　means　of　it　full；　they　would；　＇I'm　afraid；＇　dry　up。
  And　if　marquises　and　kings　were　not　by　means　of　it　noble　and　high；　they　would；　I'm　afraid；　topple　and　fall。
  Therefore；　it　must　be　the　case　that　the　noble　has　the　base　as　its　root；
  And　it　must　be　the　case　that　the　high　has　the　low　for　its　foundation。
  Thus；　for　this　reason；　marquises　and　kings　call　themselves　〃The
  Orphan；〃　〃The　Widower；〃　and　〃The　One　Without　Grain。〃
  This　is　taking　the　base　as　one's　root；　is　it　not？！
  Therefore；　they　regard　their　large　numbers　of　carriages　as　having　no　carriage。
  And　because　of　this；　they　desire　not　to　dazzle　and　glitter　like　jade；
  But　to　remain　firm　and　strong　like　stone。
  40
  〃Reversal〃　is　the　movement　of　the　Dao；
  〃Weakness〃　is　the　function　of　the　Dao。
  The　things　of　the　world　originate　in　being；
  And　being　originates　in　nonbeing。
  41
  When　the　highest　type　of　men　hear　the　Way；　with　diligence　thye're　able　to　practice　it；
  When　the　average　men　hear　the　Way；　some　things　they　retain　and　others　they　lose；
  When　the　lowest　type　of　men　hear　the　Way；　they　laugh　out　loud　at　it。
  If　they　didn't　laught　at　it；　it　couldn't　be　regarded　as　the　Way。
  Therefore；　there　is　a　set　saying　about　this　that　goes：
  The　bright　Way　appears　to　be　dark；
  The　Way　that　goes　forward　appears　to　retreat；
  The　smooth　Way　appears　to　be　uneven；
  The　highest　virtue　＇is　empty＇　like　a　valley；
  The　purest　white　appears　to　be　soiled；
  Vast　virtue　appears　to　be　insufficient；
  Firm　virtue　appears　thin　and　weak；
  The　simplest　reality　appears　to　change。
  The　Great　Square　has　no　corners；
  The　Great　Vessel　takes　long　to　complete；
  The　Great　Tone　makes　little　sound；
  The　Great　Image　has　no　shape。
  The　Way　is　Great　but　has　no　name。
  Only　the　Way　is　good　at　beginning　things　and　also　good　at　bringing　things　to　completion。
  42
  The　Way　gave　birth　to　the　One。
  The　One　gave　birth　to　the　Two。
  The　Two　gave　birth　to　the　Three。
  And　the　Three　gave　birth　to　the　ten　thousand　things。
  The　ten　thousand　things　carry　Yin　on　their　backs　and　wrap　their　arms　around　Yang。
  Through　the　blending　of　the　qi　they　arrive　at　a　state　of　harmony。
  The　things　that　are　hated　by　the　whole　world
  Are　to　be　orphaned；　widowed；　and　have　no　grain。
  Yet　kings　and　dukes　take　these　as　their　names。
  Thus　with　all　things梥ome　are　increased　by　taking　away；
  While　some　are　diminished　by　adding　on。
  Therefore；　what　other　men　teach；
  ＇I＇　will　also　consider　and　then　teach　to　others。
  Thus；　〃The　strong　and　violent　do　not　come　to　a　natural　end。〃
  I　will　take　this　as　the　father　of　my　studies。
  43
  The　softest；　most　pliable　thing　in　the　world　runs　roughshod　over　the　firmest　things　in　the　world。
  that　which　has　no　substance　gets　into　that　which　has　no　spaces　or　cracks。
  I　therefore　know　that　there　is　benefit　in　taking　no　action。
  The　wordless　teaching；　the　benefit　of　taking　no　action？br》　Few　in　the　world　can　realize　these！
  44
  Fame　or　your　body梬hich　is　more　dear？
  Your　body　or　possessions梬hich　is　worth　more？
  Gain　or　loss梚n　which　is　there　harm？
  If　your　desires　are　great；　you're　bound　to　be　extravagant；
  If　your　store　much　away；　you're　bound　to　lose　a　great　deal。
  Therefore；　if　you　know　contentment；　you'll　not　be　disgraced。
  If　you　know　when　to　stop；　you'll　suffer　no　harm。
  And　in　this　way　you　can　last　a　very　long　time。
  45
  Great　completion　seems　incomplete；
  Yet　its　usefulness　is　never　exhausted。
  Great　fullness　seems　to　be　empty；
  Yet　its　usefulness　is　never　used　up。
  Great　straightness　seems　to　be　bent。
  Great　skill　seems　to　be　clumsy。
  Great　surplus　seems　to　stammer。
  Activity　overcomes　cold；
  Tranquility　overcomes　heat。
  If　you're　quiet　and　tranquil　you　can　become　the　ruler　of　the　world。
  46
  When　the　world　has　the　Way；　ambling　horses　are　retired　to　fertilize　＇fields＇。
  When　the　world　lacks　the　Way；　war　horses　are　reared　in　the　suburbs。
  Of　crimes梟one　is　greater　than　having　things　that　one　desires；
  Of　disasters梟one　is　greater　than　not　knowing　when　one　has　enough。
  Of　defects梟one　brings　more　sorrow　than　one　desire　to　attain。
  Therefore；　the　contentment　one　has　when　he　knows　that　he　has　enough；　is　abiding　contentment　indeed。
  47
  No　need　to　leave　your　door　to　know　the　whole　world；
  No　need　to　peer　through　your　windows　to　know　the　Way　of　Heaven。
  The　farther　you　go；　the　less　you　know。
  Therefore　the　Sage　knows　without　going；　names　without　seeing；
  And　completes　without　doing　a　thing。
  48
  Those　who　work　at　their　studies　increase　day　after　day；
  Those　who　have　heard　the　Dao　decrease　day　after　day。
  They　decrease　and　decrease；　till　they　get　to　the　point　where　they　do　nothing。
  They　do　nothing　and　yet　there's　nothing　left　undone。
  When　someone　wants　to　take　control　of　the　world；　he　must　always　be　unconcerned　with　affairs。
  For　in　a　case　where　he's　concerned　with　affairs；
  He'll　be　unworthy；　as　well；　of　taking　control　of　the　world。
  49
  The　Sage　constantly　has　no　＇set＇　mind；
  He　takes　the　mind　of　the　common　people　as　his　mind。
  Those　who　are　good　he　regards　as　good；
  Those　who　are　not　good　he　also　regards　as　good。
  ＇In　this　way＇　he　attains　goodness。
  Those　who　are　trustworthy　he　trusts；
  And　those　who　are　not　trustworthy　he　also　trusts。
  ＇In　this　way＇　he　gets　their　trust。
  As　for　the　Sage's　presence　in　the　world梙e　is　one　with　it。
  And　with　the　world　he　merges　his　mind。
  The　common　people　all　fix　their　eyes　and　ears　on　him。
  And　the　Sage　treats　them　all　as　his　children。
  50
  We　come　out　into　life　and　go　back　into　death。
  The　companions　of　life　are　thirteen；
  The　companions　of　death　are　thirteen；
  And　yet　people；　because　they　regard　life　as　LIFE；　in　all　of　their
  actions　move　towards　the　thirteen　that　belong　to　the　realm　of　death。
  Now；　why　is　this　so？
  It's　because　they　regard　life　as　LIFE。
  You've　no　doubt　heard　of　those　who　are　good　at　holding　on　to　life：
  When　walking　through　hills；　they　don't　avoid　rhinos　and　tigers；
  When　they　go　into　battle；　they　don't　put　on　armor　or　shields；
  The　rhino　has　no　place　to　probe　with　its　horn；
  The　tiger　finds　no　place　to　put　its　claws。
  And　weapons　find　no　place　to　hold　their　blades。
  Now；　why　is　this　so？
  Because　there　is　no　place　for　death　in　them。
  51
  The　Way　gives　birth　to　them　and　Virtue　nourishes　them；
  Substance　gives　them　form　and　their　unique　capacities　complete　them。
  Therefore　the　ten　thousand　things　venerate　the　Way　and　honor　Virtue。
  As　for　their　veneration　of　the　Way　and　their　honoring　of　Virtue？br》　No　one　rewards　them　for　it；　it's　constantly　so　on　its　own。
  The　Way　gives　birth　to　them；　nourishes　them；　matures　them；　completes
  them；　rests　them；　rears　them；　supports　them；　and　protects　them。
  It　gives　birth　to　them　but　doesn't　try　to　own　them；
  It　acts　on　their　behalf　but　doesn't　make　them　dependent；
  It　matures　them　but　doesn't　rule　th