55
  Do　you　want　the　secret　of　an　old　age？　Do　not　let　yourself　become　disappointed。　Be　as　effortless　as　a　floating　cloud。　Go　where　the　winds　will　take　you。　Expect　nothing。　Never　be　disappointed。　Grow　old。
  56
  Say　there　are　two　sages　in　the　village。　One　openly　talking　of　knowledge　and　one　in　silent　meditation。　The　loud　one　talks　to　preach　his　understanding　of　the　Dao。　The　quiet　one　does　not　question　it　and　is　content。　For　he　knows　all　there　is　to　know　of　the　Dao。
  57
  Lead　by　not　leading。　Do　not　script　laws　and　concepts。　Rid　yourself　of　weapons　and　fears。　Let　go　of　desire　and　stop　valuing　items。　Your　belly　will　be　full　and　the　grass　will　be　green。
  58
  People　ruled　with　an　iron　fist　are　depressed　and　plan　revolt。　People　who　live　among　a　charitable　leader　have　no　fears。　Live；　as　you　would　want　your　country　to　live。
  59
  If　a　tree　stands　firm　to　the　wind；　it　will　not　be　around　long。　Be　free　from　your　thoughts。　Travel　without　destination。　Make　do　with　what　you　have；　and　then　let　go。
  60
  Lead　and　live　in　union　with　the　Dao　and　evil　has　no　room。　When　there　are　no　enemies　there　will　be　plenty　of　food　for　everyone。
  61
  When　you　err；　admit　it；　and　then　correct　it。　Hide　in　your　error　and　you　have　created　the　ultimate　enemy。　Everything　you　need　is　within　your　bounds。
  62
  You　cannot　achieve　the　Dao。　Nor　can　you　possess　it。　It　equally　accepts　the　good　and　the　bad。　When　you　make　a　mistake；　you　are　forgiven。
  63
  Do　not　strive　for　fame　and　fortune　and　have　it　all。　When　facing　an　obstacle；　walk　around　it。
  64
  You　have　heard　that　the　journey　of　a　thousand　miles　begins　with　one　step　and　that　the　mightiest　tree　was　once　a　seed。　Do　not　dream　of　the　future。　Be　calm；　take　a　breath　and　live　now。　In　the　end；　it　will　be　a　job　well　done；　and　you　can　rest。　Do　not　desire；　and　forget　something　each　day。　Soon；　all　will　be　of　the　Dao。
  65
  A　clever　man　is　not　a　good　father。　The　simple　man　holds　the　key　to　the　Universe。
  66
  A　true　leader　walks　with　his　people。　Be　no　greater　than　the　poorest　person　and　they　will　respect　you。
  67
  Lao　Tzu　had　just　three　things　to　teach：　simplicity；　patience　and　compassion。　Look　into　these　words　and　don't　know　them；　but　live　them。
  68
  To　be　in　harmony　with　the　Dao；　be　like　the　child　playing　sports。　Not　in　it　for　fame　or　fortune。　Not　in　it　to　win。　They　play　to　enjoy。
  69
  If　you　are　unable　to　bend；　you　will　break。　If　you　think　your　enemy　as　evil；　you　destroy　your　three　treasures。　The　greatest　victory　is　when　there　is　no　battle。
  70
  Try　to　practice　what　was　said　here　and　you　might　as　well　pour　your　entire　vessel　of　water　into　the　teacup。　These　words　are　garbage。　Forget　them。　Look　in　your　heart　to　understand。
  71
  True　knowledge　is　not　from　a　book　or　even　from　a　wise　sage。　These　are　all　illusions。　Destroy　your　illusions　and　don't　know。　Then　you　will　be　whole。
  72
  Try　to　teach　and　you　will　confuse　your　family。　Give　them　nothing　to　learn　and　they　will　learn　everything。
  73
  The　Dao　does　not　speak　and　it　cannot　be　spoken。　It　has　no　design　and　is　nowhere。　Yet　everywhere　is　it　found　and　its　work　is　always　complete。
  74
  You　cannot　move　a　mountain　with　your　bare　hands　nor　can　you　control　the　flow　of　a　river。　The　future　is　quite　like　this。　Things　will　always　change。　The　river　will　always　flow。　Your　work　will　come　to　an　end。　Accept　things　as　they　are　and　achieve　anything。
  75
  Do　away　with　rules　of　the　home。　The　family　will　fall　into　harmony　and　there　will　be　no　struggle　lead　by　not　leading。
  76
  The　tiny　goldfish　that　stands　up　to　a　shark　will　be　a　tasty　dinner。　The　tiny　goldfish　that　swims　around　the　danger　will　see　another　day。
  77
  The　rich　have　too　much　and　the　poor　do　not　have　enough。　Balance　the　scales；　but　don't　take　the　credit。
  78
  A　quiet　voice　of　reason　is　louder　than　weapons　of　war。
  79
  If　you　shatter　someone's　teapot；　offer　to　replace　it。
  80
  Live　a　long　and　healthy　life。　Be　content　with　your　home　and　your　village。　Your　travels　need　not　leave　your　home。
  81
  And　finally；　in　the　parting　words　of　Lao　Tzu；　〃True　words　are　not　eloquent；　eloquent　words　are　not　true。〃　Listen　to　the　silent　sage；　and　then　forget。
  English_Lau_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  Chinese　…　English　by
  D。C。　Lau；　1963
  1
  The　way　that　can　be　spoken　of
  Is　not　the　constant　way；
  The　name　that　can　be　named
  Is　not　the　constant　name。
  The　nameless　was　the　beginning　of　heaven　and　earth；
  The　named　was　the　mother　of　the　myriad　creatures。
  Hence　always　rid　yourself　of　desires　in　order　to　observe　its　secrets；
  But　always　allow　yourself　to　have　desires　in　order　to　observe　its　manifestations。
  These　two　are　the　same
  But　diverge　in　name　as　they　issue　forth。
  Being　the　same　they　are　called　mysteries；
  Mystery　upon　mystery　…
  The　gateway　of　the　manifold　secrets。
  2
  The　whole　world　recognizes　the　beautiful　as　the　beautiful；　yet　thisis　only　the　ugly；
  the　whole　world　recognizes　the　good　as　the　good；　yet　this　is　only　thebad。
  Thus　Something　and　Nothing　produce　each　other；
  The　difficult　and　the　easy　complement　each　other；
  The　long　and　the　short　off…set　each　other；
  The　high　and　the　low　incline　towards　each　other；
  Note　and　sound　harmonize　with　each　other；
  Before　and　after　follow　each　other。
  Therefore　the　sage　keeps　to　the　deed　that　consists　in　taking　no　actionand　practises　the　teaching　that　uses　no　words。
  The　myriad　creatures　rise　from　it　yet　it　claims　no　authority；
  It　gives　them　life　yet　claims　no　possession；
  It　benefits　them　yet　exacts　no　gratitude；
  It　accomplishes　its　task　yet　lays　claim　to　no　merit。
  It　is　because　it　lays　claim　to　no　merit
  That　its　merit　never　deserts　it。
  3
  Not　to　honor　men　of　worth　will　keep　the　people　from　contention；
  not　to　value　goods　which　are　hard　to　come　by　will　keep　them　from　theft；
  not　to　display　what　is　desirable　will　keep　them　from　being　unsettledof　mind。
  Therefore　in　governing　the　people；　the　sage　empties　their　minds　butfills　their　bellies；　weakens　their　wills　but　strengthens　their　bones。
  He　always　keeps　them　innocent　of　knowledge　and　free　from　desire；　andensures　that　the　clever　never　dare　to　act。
  Do　that　which　consists　in　taking　no　action；　and　order　will　prevail。
  4
  The　way　is　empty；　yet　use　will　not　drain　it。
  Deep；　it　is　like　the　ancestor　of　the　myriad　creatures。
  Blunt　the　sharpness；
  Untangle　the　knots；
  Soften　the　glare；
  Let　your　wheels　move　only　along　old　ruts。
  Darkly　visible；　it　only　seems　as　if　it　were　there。
  I　know　not　whose　son　it　is。
  It　images　the　forefather　of　God。
  5
  Heaven　and　earth　are　ruthless；　and　treat　the　myriad　creatures　as　strawdogs；
  the　sage　is　ruthless；　and　treats　the　people　as　straw　dogs。
  Is　not　the　space　between　heaven　and　earth　like　a　bellows？
  It　is　empty　without　being　exhausted：
  The　more　it　works　the　more　comes　out。
  Much　speech　leads　inevitably　to　silence。
  Better　to　hold　fast　to　the　void。
  6
  The　spirit　of　the　valley　never　dies。
  This　is　called　the　mysterious　female。
  The　gateway　of　the　mysterious　female
  Is　called　the　root　of　heaven　and　earth。
  Dimly　visible；　it　seems　as　if　it　were　there；
  Yet　use　will　never　drain　it。
  7
  Heaven　and　earth　are　enduring。
  The　reason　why　heaven　and　earth　can　be　enduring　is　that　they　do　notgive　themselves　life。
  Hence　they　are　able　to　be　long…lived。
  Therefore　the　sage　puts　his　person　last　and　it　comes　first；
  Treats　it　as　extraneous　to　himself　and　it　is　preserved。
  Is　it　not　because　he　is　without　thought　of　self　that　he　is　able　to　accomplishhis　private　ends？
  8
  Highest　good　is　like　water。
  Because　water　excels　in　benefiting　the　myriad　creatures　without　contendingwith　them　and　settles　where　none　would　like　to　be；　it　comes　close　to　theway。
  In　a　home　it　is　the　site　that　matters；
  In　quality　of　mind　it　is　depth　that　matters；
  In　an　ally　it　is　benevolence　that　matters；
  In　speech　it　is　good　faith　that　matters；
  In　government　it　is　order　that　matters；
  In　affairs　it　is　ability　that　matters；
  In　action　it　is　timeliness　that　matters。
  It　is　because　it　does　not　contend　that　it　is　never　at　fault。
  9
  Rather　than　fill　it　to　the　brim　by　keeping　it　upright
  Better　to　have　stopped　in　time；
  Hammer　it　to　a　point
  And　the　sharpness　cannot　be　preserved　for　ever；
  There　may　be　gold　and　jade　to　fill　a　hall
  But　there　is　none　who　can　keep　them。
  To　be　overbearing　when　one　has　wealth　and　position
  Is　to　bring　calamity　upon　oneself。
  To　retire　when　the　task　is　accomplished
  Is　the　way　of　heaven。
  10
  When　carrying　on　your　head　your　perplexed　bodily　soul
  Can　you　embrace　in　your　arms　the　One　and　not　let　go？
  In　concentrating　your　breath　can　you　become　as　supple
  As　a　b