g　the　body　（which　I　call　myself）；　if　I　had　not　the　body；　what　great　calamity　could　come　to　me？
  Therefore　he　who　would　administer　the　kingdom；　honouring　it　as　he　honours　his　own　person；　may　be　employed　to　govern　it；　and　he　who　would　administer　it　with　the　love　which　he　bears　to　his　own　person　may　be　entrusted　with　it。
  14
  We　look　at　it；　and　we　do　not　see　it；　and　we　name　it　'the　Equable。'　We　listen　to　it；　and　we　do　not　hear　it；　and　we　name　it　'the　Inaudible。'　We　try　to　grasp　it；　and　do　not　get　hold　of　it；　and　we　name　it　'the　Subtle。'　With　these　three　qualities；　it　cannot　be　made　the　subject　of　description；　and　hence　we　blend　them　together　and　obtain　The　One。
  Its　upper　part　is　not　bright；　and　its　lower　part　is　not　obscure。　Ceaseless　in　its　action；　it　yet　cannot　be　named；　and　then　it　again　returns　and　becomes　nothing。　This　is　called　the　Form　of　the　Formless；　and　the　Semblance　of　the　Invisible；　this　is　called　the　Fleeting　and　Indeterminable。
  We　meet　it　and　do　not　see　its　Front；　we　follow　it；　and　do　not　see　its　Back。　When　we　can　lay　hold　of　the　Tao　of　old　to　direct　the　things　of　the　present　day；　and　are　able　to　know　it　as　it　was　of　old　in　the　beginning；　this　is　called　（unwinding）　the　clue　of　Tao。
  15
  The　skilful　masters　（of　the　Tao）　in　old　times；　with　a　subtle　and　exquisite　penetration；　comprehended　its　mysteries；　and　were　deep　（also）　so　as　to　elude　men's　knowledge。　As　they　were　thus　beyond　men's　knowledge；　I　will　make　an　effort　to　describe　of　what　sort　they　appeared　to　be。
  Shrinking　looked　they　like　those　who　wade　through　a　stream　in　winter；　irresolute　like　those　who　are　afraid　of　all　around　them；　grave　like　a　guest　（in　awe　of　his　host）；　evanescent　like　ice　that　is　melting　away；　unpretentious　like　wood　that　has　not　been　fashioned　into　anything；　vacant　like　a　valley；　and　dull　like　muddy　water。
  Who　can　（make）　the　muddy　water　（clear）？　Let　it　be　still；　and　it　will　gradually　become　clear。　Who　can　secure　the　condition　of　rest？　Let　movement　go　on；　and　the　condition　of　rest　will　gradually　arise。
  They　who　preserve　this　method　of　the　Tao　do　not　wish　to　be　full　（of　themselves）。　It　is　through　their　not　being　full　of　themselves　that　they　can　afford　to　seem　worn　and　not　appear　new　and　complete。
  16
  The　（state　of）　vacancy　should　be　brought　to　the　utmost　degree；　and　that　of　stillness　guarded　with　unwearying　vigour。　All　things　alike　go　through　their　processes　of　activity；　and　（then）　we　see　them　return　（to　their　original　state）。　When　things　（in　the　vegetable　world）　have　displayed　their　luxuriant　growth；　we　see　each　of　them　return　to　its　root。　This　returning　to　their　root　is　what　we　call　the　state　of　stillness；　and　that　stillness　may　be　called　a　reporting　that　they　have　fulfilled　their　appointed　end。
  The　report　of　that　fulfilment　is　the　regular；　unchanging　rule。　To　know　that　unchanging　rule　is　to　be　intelligent；　not　to　know　it　leads　to　wild　movements　and　evil　issues。　The　knowledge　of　that　unchanging　rule　produces　a　（grand）　capacity　and　forbearance；　and　that　capacity　and　forbearance　lead　to　a　community　（of　feeling　with　all　things）。
  From　this　community　of　feeling　comes　a　kingliness　of　character；　and　he　who　is　king…like　goes　on　to　be　heaven…like。　In　that　likeness　to　heaven　he　possesses　the　Tao。　Possessed　of　the　Tao；　he　endures　long；　and　to　the　end　of　his　bodily　life；　is　exempt　from　all　danger　of　decay。
  17
  In　the　highest　antiquity；　（the　people）　did　not　know　that　there　were　（their　rulers）。　In　the　next　age　they　loved　them　and　praised　them。　In　the　next　they　feared　them；　in　the　next　they　despised　them。　Thus　it　was　that　when　faith　（in　the　Tao）　was　deficient　（in　the　rulers）　a　want　of　faith　in　them　ensued　（in　the　people）。
  How　irresolute　did　those　（earliest　rulers）　appear；　showing　（by　their　reticence）　the　importance　which　they　set　upon　their　words！　Their　work　was　done　and　their　undertakings　were　successful；　while　the　people　all　said；　'We　are　as　we　are；　of　ourselves！'
  18
  When　the　Great　Tao　（Way　or　Method）　ceased　to　be　observed；　benevolence　and　righteousness　came　into　vogue。　（Then）　appeared　wisdom　and　shrewdness；　and　there　ensued　great　hypocrisy。
  When　harmony　no　longer　prevailed　throughout　the　six　kinships；　filial　sons　found　their　manifestation；　when　the　states　and　clans　fell　into　disorder；　loyal　ministers　appeared。
  19
  If　we　could　renounce　our　sageness　and　discard　our　wisdom；　it　would　be　better　for　the　people　a　hundredfold。　If　we　could　renounce　our　benevolence　and　discard　our　righteousness；　the　people　would　again　become　filial　and　kindly。　If　we　could　renounce　our　artful　contrivances　and　discard　our　（scheming　for）　gain；　there　would　be　no　thieves　nor　robbers。
  Those　three　methods　（of　government）　Thought　olden　ways　in　elegance　did　fail　And　made　these　names　their　want　of　worth　to　veil；　But　simple　views；　and　courses　plain　and　true　Would　selfish　ends　and　many　lusts　eschew。
  20
  When　we　renounce　learning　we　have　no　troubles。　The　（ready）　'yes；'　and　flattering）　'yea；'　Small　is　the　difference　they　display。　But　mark　their　issues；　good　and　ill；　What　space　the　gulf　between　shall　fill？
  What　all　men　fear　is　indeed　to　be　feared；　but　how　wide　and　without　end　is　the　range　of　questions　（asking　to　be　discussed）！
  The　multitude　of　men　look　satisfied　and　pleased；　as　if　enjoying　a　full　banquet；　as　if　mounted　on　a　tower　in　spring。　I　alone　seem　listless　and　still；　my　desires　having　as　yet　given　no　indication　of　their　presence。　I　am　like　an　infant　which　has　not　yet　smiled。　I　look　dejected　and　forlorn；　as　if　I　had　no　home　to　go　to。　The　multitude　of　men　all　have　enough　and　to　spare。　I　alone　seem　to　have　lost　everything。　My　mind　is　that　of　a　stupid　man；　I　am　in　a　state　of　chaos。
  Ordinary　men　look　bright　and　intelligent；　while　I　alone　seem　to　be　benighted。　They　look　full　of　discrimination；　while　I　alone　am　dull　and　confused。　I　seem　to　be　carried　about　as　on　the　sea；　drifting　as　if　I　had　nowhere　to　rest。　All　men　have　their　spheres　of　action；　while　I　alone　seem　dull　and　incapable；　like　a　rude　borderer。　（Thus）　I　alone　am　different　from　other　men；　but　I　value　the　nursing…mother　（the　Tao）。
  21
  The　grandest　forms　of　active　force
  From　Tao　come；　their　only　source。
  Who　can　of　Tao　the　nature　tell？
  Our　sight　it　flies；　our　touch　as　well。
  Eluding　sight；　eluding　touch；
  The　forms　of　things　all　in　it　crouch；
  Eluding　touch；　eluding　sight；
  There　are　their　semblances；　all　right。
  Profound　it　is；　dark　and　obscure；
  Things'　essences　all　there　endure。
  Those　essences　the　truth　enfold
  Of　what；　when　seen；　shall　then　be　told。
  Now　it　is　so；　'twas　so　of　old。
  Its　namewhat　passes　not　away；
  So；　in　their　beautiful　array；
  Things　form　and　never　know　decay。
  How　know　I　that　it　is　so　with　all　the　beauties　of　existing　things？　By　this　（nature　of　the　Tao）。
  22
  The　partial　becomes　complete；　the　crooked；　straight；　the　empty；　full；　the　worn　out；　new。　He　whose　（desires）　are　few　gets　them；　he　whose　（desires）　are　many　goes　astray。
  Therefore　the　sage　holds　in　his　embrace　the　one　thing　（of　humility）；　and　manifests　it　to　all　the　world。　He　is　free　from　self…display；　and　therefore　he　shines；　from　self…assertion；　and　therefore　he　is　distinguished；　from　self…boasting；　and　therefore　his　merit　is　acknowledged；　from　self…complacency；　and　therefore　he　acquires　superiority。　It　is　because　he　is　thus　free　from　striving　that　therefore　no　one　in　the　world　is　able　to　strive　with　him。
  That　saying　of　the　ancients　that　'the　partial　becomes　complete'　was　not　vainly　spoken：all　real　completion　is　comprehended　under　it。
  23
  Abstaining　from　speech　marks　him　who　is　obeying　the　spontaneity　of　his　nature。　A　violent　wind　does　not　last　for　a　whole　morning；　a　sudden　rain　does　not　last　for　the　whole　day。　To　whom　is　it　that　these　（two）　things　are　owing？　To　Heaven　and　Earth。　If　Heaven　and　Earth　cannot　make　such　（spasmodic）　actings　last　long；　how　much　less　can　man！
  Therefore　when　one　is　making　the　Tao　his　business；　those　who　are　also　pursuing　it；　agree　with　him　in　it；　and　those　who　are　making　the　manifestation　of　its　course　their　object　agree　with　him　in　that；　while　even　those　who　are　failing　in　both　these　things　agree　with　him　where　they　fail。
  Hence；　those　with　whom　he　agrees　as　to　the　Tao　have　the　happiness　of　attaining　to　it；　those　with　whom　he　agrees　as　to　its　manifestation　have　the　happiness　of　attaining　to　it；　and　those　with　whom　he　agrees　in　their　failure　have　also　the　happiness　of　attaining　（to　the　Tao）。　（But）　when　there　is　not　faith　sufficient　（on　his　part）；　a　want　of　faith　（in　him）　ensues　（on　the　part　of　the　others）。
  24
  He　who　stands　on　his　tiptoes　does　not　stand　firm；　he　who　stretches　his　legs　does　not　walk　（easily）。　（So）；　he　who　displays　himself　does　not　shine；　he　who　asserts　his　own　views　is　not　distinguished；　he　who　vaunts　himself　does　not　find　his　merit　acknowledged；　he　who　is　self…conceited　has　no　superiority　allowed　to　him。　Such　conditions；　viewed　from　the　standpoint　of　the　Tao；　are　like　remnants　of　food；　or　a　tumour　on　the　body；　which　all　dislike。　Hence　those　who　pursue　（the　course）　of　the　Tao　do　not　adopt　and　allow　them