Hence　to　rule　a　state　by　cleverness
  Will　be　to　the　detriment　of　the　state；
  Not　to　rule　a　state　by　cleverness
  Will　be　a　boon　to　the　state。
  These　two　are　models。
  Always　to　know　the　models
  Is　known　as　mysterious　virtue。
  Mysterious　virtue　is　profound　and　far…reaching；
  But　when　things　turn　back　it　turns　back　with　them。
  Only　then　is　complete　conformity　realized。
  66
  The　reason　why　the　River　and　the　Sea　are　able　to　be　king　of　the　hundredvalleys　is　that　they　excel　in　taking　the　lower　position。
  Hence　they　are　able　to　be　king　of　the　hundred　valleys。
  Therefore；　desiring　to　rule　over　the　people；
  One　must　in　one's　words　humble　oneself　before　them；
  And；　desiring　to　lead　the　people；
  One　must；　in　one's　person；　follow　behind　them。
  Therefore　the　sage　takes　his　place　over　the　people　yet　is　no　burden；
  takes　his　place　ahead　of　the　people　yet　causes　no　obstruction。
  That　is　why　the　empire　supports　him　joyfully　and　never　tires　of　doingso。
  It　is　because　he　does　not　contend　that　no　one　in　the　empire　is　in　aposition　to　contend　with　him。
  67
  The　whole　world　says　that　my　way　is　vast　and　resembles　nothing。
  It　is　because　it　is　vast　that　it　resembles　nothing。
  If　it　resembled　anything；　it　would；　long　before　now；　have　become　small。
  I　have　three　treasures
  Which　I　hold　and　cherish。
  The　first　is　known　as　compassion；
  The　second　is　known　as　frugality；
  The　third　is　known　as　not　daring　to　take　the　lead　in　the　empire；
  Being　compassionate　one　could　afford　to　be　courageous；
  Being　frugal　one　could　afford　to　extend　one's　territory；
  Not　daring　to　take　the　lead　in　the　empire　one　could　afford　to　be　lordover　the　vessels。
  Now；　to　forsake　compassion　for　courage；　to　forsake　frugality　for　expansion；to　forsake　the　rear　for　the　lead；　is　sure　to　end　in　death。
  Through　compassion；　one　will　triumph　in　attack　and　be　impregnable　indefence。
  What　heaven　succours　it　protects　with　the　gift　of　compassion。
  68
  One　who　excels　as　a　warrior　does　not　appear　formidable；
  One　who　excels　in　fighting　is　never　roused　in　anger；
  One　who　excels　in　defeating　his　enemy　does　not　join　issue；
  One　who　excels　in　employing　others　humbles　himself　before　them。
  This　is　known　as　the　virtue　of　non…contention；
  This　is　known　as　making　use　of　the　efforts　of　others；
  This　is　known　as　matching　the　sublimity　of　heaven。
  69
  The　strategists　have　a　saying；
  I　dare　not　play　the　host　but　play　the　guest；
  I　dare　not　advance　an　inch　but　retreat　a　foot　instead。
  This　is　known　as　marching　forward　when　there　is　no　road；
  Rolling　up　one's　sleeves　when　there　is　no　arm；
  Dragging　one's　adversary　by　force　when　there　is　no　adversary；
  And　taking　up　arms　when　there　are　no　arms。
  There　is　no　disaster　greater　than　taking　on　an　enemy　too　easily。
  So　doing　nearly　cost　me　my　treasure。
  Thus　of　two　sides　raising　arms　against　each　other；
  It　is　the　one　that　is　sorrow…stricken　that　wins。
  70
  My　words　are　very　easy　to　understand　and　very　easy　to　put　into　practice；
  Yet　no　one　in　the　world　can　understand　them　or　put　them　into　practice。
  Words　have　an　ancestor　and　affairs　have　a　sovereign。
  It　is　because　people　are　ignorant　that　they　fail　to　understand　me。
  Those　who　understand　me　are　few；
  Those　who　harm　me　are　honoured。
  Therefore　the　sage；　while　clad　in　homespun；　conceals　on　his　person　apriceless　piece　of　jade。
  71
  To　know　yet　to　think　that　one　does　not　know　is　best；
  Not　to　know　yet　to　think　that　one　knows　will　lead　to　difficulty。
  It　is　by　being　alive　to　difficulty　that　one　can　avoid　it。
  The　sage　meets　with　no　difficulty。
  It　is　because　he　is　alive　to　it　that　he　meets　with　no　difficulty。
  72
  When　the　people　lack　a　proper　sense　of　awe；　then　some　awful　visitationwill　descend　upon　them。
  Do　not　constrict　their　living　space；
  Do　not　press　down　on　their　means　of　livelihood。
  It　is　because　you　do　not　press　down　on　them　that　they　will　not　wearyof　the　burden。
  Hence　the　sage　knows　himself　but　does　not　display　himself；
  Loves　himself　but　does　not　exalt　himself。
  Therefore　he　discards　the　one　and　takes　the　other。
  73
  He　who　is　fearless　in　being　bold　will　meet　with　his　death；
  He　who　is　fearless　in　being　timid　will　stay　alive。
  Of　the　two；　one　leads　to　good；　the　other　to　harm。
  Heaven　hates　what　it　hates；
  Who　knows　the　reason　why？
  Therefore　even　the　sage　treats　some　things　as　difficult。
  The　way　of　heaven
  Excels　in　overcoming　though　it　does　not　contend；
  In　responding　though　it　does　not　speak；
  In　attracting　though　it　does　not　summon；
  In　laying　plans　though　it　appears　slack。
  The　net　of　heaven　is　cast　wide。
  Though　the　mesh　is　not　fine；　yet　nothing　ever　slips　through。
  74
  When　the　people　are　not　afraid　of　death；　wherefore　frighten　them　withdeath？
  Were　the　people　always　afraid　of　death；　and　were　I　able　to　arrest　andput　to　death　those　who　innovate；　then　who　would　dare？
  There　is　a　regular　executioner　whose　charge　it　is　to　kill。
  To　kill　on　behalf　of　the　executioner　is　what　is　described　as　choppingwood　on　behalf　of　the　master　carpenter。
  In　chopping　wood　on　behalf　of　the　master　carpenter；　there　are　few　whoescape　hurting　their　own　hands　instead。
  75
  The　people　are　hungry：
  It　is　because　those　in　authority　eat　up　too　much　in　taxes
  That　the　people　are　hungry。
  The　people　are　difficult　to　govern。
  It　is　because　those　in　authority　are　too　fond　of　action
  That　the　people　are　difficult　to　govern。
  The　people　treat　death　lightly：
  It　is　because　the　people　set　too　much　store　by　life
  That　they　treat　death　lightly。
  It　is　just　because　one　has　no　use　for　life　that　one　is　wiser　than　theman　who　values　life。
  76
  A　man　is　supple　and　weak　when　living；　but　hard　and　stiff　when　dead。
  Grass　and　trees　are　pliant　and　fragile　when　living；　but　dried　and　shrivelledwhen　dead。
  Thus　the　hard　and　the　strong　are　the　comrades　of　death；
  The　supple　and　the　weak　are　the　comrades　of　life。
  Therefore　a　weapon　that　is　strong　will　not　vanquish；
  A　tree　that　is　strong　will　suffer　the　axe。
  The　strong　and　big　takes　the　lower　position；
  The　supple　and　weak　takes　the　higher　position。
  77
  Is　not　the　way　of　heaven　like　the　stretching　of　a　bow？
  The　high　it　presses　down；
  The　low　it　lifts　up；
  The　excessive　it　takes　from；
  The　deficient　it　gives　to。
  It　is　the　way　of　heaven　to　take　from　what　has　in　excess　in　order　tomake　good　what　is　deficient。
  The　way　of　man　is　otherwise：　it　takes　from　those　who　are　in　want　inorder　to　offer　this　to　those　who　already　have　more　than　enough。
  Who　is　there　that　can　take　what　he　himself　has　in　excess　and　offerthis　to　the　empire？
  Only　he　who　has　the　way。
  Therefore　the　sage　benefits　them　yet　exacts　no　gratitude；
  Accomplishes　his　task　yet　lays　claim　to　no　merit。
  Is　this　not　because　he　does　not　wish　to　be　considered　a　better　man　thanothers？
  78
  In　the　world　there　is　nothing　more　submissive　and　weak　than　water。
  Yet　for　attacking　that　which　is　hard　and　strong　nothing　can　surpassit。
  This　is　because　there　is　nothing　that　can　take　its　place。
  That　the　weak　overcomes　the　strong；
  And　the　submissive　overcomes　the　hard；
  Everyone　in　the　world　knows　yet　no　one　can　put　this　knowledge　intopractice。
  Therefore　the　sage　says；
  One　who　takes　on　himself　the　humiliation　of　the　state
  Is　called　a　ruler　worthy　of　offering　sacrifices　to　the　gods　of　earthand　millet。
  One　who　takes　on　himself　the　calamity　of　the　state
  Is　called　a　king　worthy　of　dominion　over　the　entire　empire。
  Straightforward　words　seem　paradoxical。
  79
  When　peace　is　made　between　great　enemies；
  Some　enmity　is　bound　to　remain　undispelled。
  How　can　this　be　considered　perfect？
  Therefore　the　sage　takes　the　left…hand　tally；　but　exacts　no　paymentfrom　the　people。
  The　man　of　virtue　takes　charge　of　the　tally；
  The　man　of　no　virtue　takes　charge　of　exaction。
  It　is　the　way　of　heaven　to　show　no　favoritism。
  It　is　for　ever　on　the　side　of　the　good　man。
  80
  Reduce　the　size　of　the　population　and　the　state。
  Ensure　that　even　though　the　people　have　tools　of　war　for　a　troop　ora　battalion　they　will　not　use　them；
  And　also　that　they　will　be　reluctant　to　move　to　distant　places　becausethey　look　on　death　as　no　light　matter。
  Even　when　they　have　ships　and　carts；　they　will　have　no　use　for　them；
  And　even　when　they　have　armor　and　weapons；　they　will　have　no　occasionto　make　a　show　of　them。
  Bring　it　about　that　the　people　will　return　to　the　use　of　the　knottedrope；
  Will　find　relish　in　their　food
  And　beauty　in　their　clothes；
  Will　be　content　in　their　abode
  And　happy　in　the　way　they　live。
  Though　adjoining　states　are　within　sight　of　one　another；
  And　the　sound　of　dogs　barking　and　cocks　crowing　in　one　state　can　beheard　in　an