body；　which　all　dislike。　Hence　those　who　pursue　（the　course）　of　the　Tao　do　not　adopt　and　allow　them。
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  There　was　something　undefined　and　complete；　coming　into　existence　before　Heaven　and　Earth。　How　still　it　was　and　formless；　standing　alone；　and　undergoing　no　change；　reaching　everywhere　and　in　no　danger　（of　being　exhausted）！　It　may　be　regarded　as　the　Mother　of　all　things。
  I　do　not　know　its　name；　and　I　give　it　the　designation　of　the　Tao　（the　Way　or　Course）。　Making　an　effort　（further）　to　give　it　a　name　I　call　it　The　Great。
  Great；　it　passes　on　（in　constant　flow）。　Passing　on；　it　becomes　remote。　Having　become　remote；　it　returns。　Therefore　the　Tao　is　great；　Heaven　is　great；　Earth　is　great；　and　the　（sage）　king　is　also　great。　In　the　universe　there　are　four　that　are　great；　and　the　（sage）　king　is　one　of　them。
  Man　takes　his　law　from　the　Earth；　the　Earth　takes　its　law　from　Heaven；　Heaven　takes　its　law　from　the　Tao。　The　law　of　the　Tao　is　its　being　what　it　is。
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  Gravity　is　the　root　of　lightness；　stillness；　the　ruler　of　movement。
  Therefore　a　wise　prince；　marching　the　whole　day；　does　not　go　far　from　his　baggage　waggons。　Although　he　may　have　brilliant　prospects　to　look　at；　he　quietly　remains　（in　his　proper　place）；　indifferent　to　them。　How　should　the　lord　of　a　myriad　chariots　carry　himself　lightly　before　the　kingdom？　If　he　do　act　lightly；　he　has　lost　his　root　（of　gravity）；　if　he　proceed　to　active　movement；　he　will　lose　his　throne。
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  The　skilful　traveller　leaves　no　traces　of　his　wheels　or　footsteps；　the　skilful　speaker　says　nothing　that　can　be　found　fault　with　or　blamed；　the　skilful　reckoner　uses　no　tallies；　the　skilful　closer　needs　no　bolts　or　bars；　while　to　open　what　he　has　shut　will　be　impossible；　the　skilful　binder　uses　no　strings　or　knots；　while　to　unloose　what　he　has　bound　will　be　impossible。　In　the　same　way　the　sage　is　always　skilful　at　saving　men；　and　so　he　does　not　cast　away　any　man；　he　is　always　skilful　at　saving　things；　and　so　he　does　not　cast　away　anything。　This　is　called　'Hiding　the　light　of　his　procedure。'
  Therefore　the　man　of　skill　is　a　master　（to　be　looked　up　to）　by　him　who　has　not　the　skill；　and　he　who　has　not　the　skill　is　the　helper　of　（the　reputation　of）　him　who　has　the　skill。　If　the　one　did　not　honour　his　master；　and　the　other　did　not　rejoice　in　his　helper；　an　（observer）；　though　intelligent；　might　greatly　err　about　them。　This　is　called　'The　utmost　degree　of　mystery。'
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  Who　knows　his　manhood's　strength；
  Yet　still　his　female　feebleness　maintains；
  As　to　one　channel　flow　the　many　drains；
  All　come　to　him；　yea；　all　beneath　the　sky。
  Thus　he　the　constant　excellence　retains；
  The　simple　child　again；　free　from　all　stains。
  Who　knows　how　white　attracts；
  Yet　always　keeps　himself　within　black's　shade；
  The　pattern　of　humility　displayed；
  Displayed　in　view　of　all　beneath　the　sky；
  He　in　the　unchanging　excellence　arrayed；
  Endless　return　to　man's　first　state　has　made。
  Who　knows　how　glory　shines；
  Yet　loves　disgrace；　nor　e'er　for　it　is　pale；
  Behold　his　presence　in　a　spacious　vale；
  To　which　men　come　from　all　beneath　the　sky。
  The　unchanging　excellence　completes　its　tale；
  The　simple　infant　man　in　him　we　hail。
  The　unwrought　material；　when　divided　and　distributed；　forms
  vessels。　The　sage；　when　employed；　becomes　the　head　of　all　the　officers　（of　government）；　and　in　his　greatest　regulations　he　employs　no　violent　measures。
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  If　any　one　should　wish　to　get　the　kingdom　for　himself；　and　to　effect　this　by　what　he　does；　I　see　that　he　will　not　succeed。　The　kingdom　is　a　spirit…like　thing；　and　cannot　be　got　by　active　doing。　He　who　would　so　win　it　destroys　it；　he　who　would　hold　it　in　his　grasp　loses　it。
  The　course　and　nature　of　things　is　such　that　What　was　in　front　is　now　behind；　What　warmed　anon　we　freezing　find。　Strength　is　of　weakness　oft　the　spoil；　The　store　in　ruins　mocks　our　toil。
  Hence　the　sage　puts　away　excessive　effort；　extravagance；　and　easy　indulgence。
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  He　who　would　assist　a　lord　of　men　in　harmony　with　the　Tao　will　not　assert　his　mastery　in　the　kingdom　by　force　of　arms。　Such　a　course　is　sure　to　meet　with　its　proper　return。
  Wherever　a　host　is　stationed；　briars　and　thorns　spring　up。　In　the　sequence　of　great　armies　there　are　sure　to　be　bad　years。
  A　skilful　（commander）　strikes　a　decisive　blow；　and　stops。　He　does　not　dare　（by　continuing　his　operations）　to　assert　and　complete　his　mastery。　He　will　strike　the　blow；　but　will　be　on　his　guard　against　being　vain　or　boastful　or　arrogant　in　consequence　of　it。　He　strikes　it　as　a　matter　of　necessity；　he　strikes　it；　but　not　from　a　wish　for　mastery。
  When　things　have　attained　their　strong　maturity　they　become　old。　This　may　be　said　to　be　not　in　accordance　with　the　Tao：　and　what　is　not　in　accordance　with　it　soon　comes　to　an　end。
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  Now　arms；　however　beautiful；　are　instruments　of　evil　omen；　hateful；　it　may　be　said；　to　all　creatures。　Therefore　they　who　have　the　Tao　do　not　like　to　employ　them。
  The　superior　man　ordinarily　considers　the　left　hand　the　most　honourable　place；　but　in　time　of　war　the　right　hand。　Those　sharp　weapons　are　instruments　of　evil　omen；　and　not　the　instruments　of　the　superior　man；he　uses　them　only　on　the　compulsion　of　necessity。　Calm　and　repose　are　what　he　prizes；　victory　（by　force　of　arms）　is　to　him　undesirable。　To　consider　this　desirable　would　be　to　delight　in　the　slaughter　of　men；　and　he　who　delights　in　the　slaughter　of　men　cannot　get　his　will　in　the　kingdom。
  On　occasions　of　festivity　to　be　on　the　left　hand　is　the　prized　position；　on　occasions　of　mourning；　the　right　hand。　The　second　in　command　of　the　army　has　his　place　on　the　left；　the　general　commanding　in　chief　has　his　on　the　right；his　place；　that　is；　is　assigned　to　him　as　in　the　rites　of　mourning。　He　who　has　killed　multitudes　of　men　should　weep　for　them　with　the　bitterest　grief；　and　the　victor　in　battle　has　his　place　（rightly）　according　to　those　rites。
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  The　Tao；　considered　as　unchanging；　has　no　name。
  Though　in　its　primordial　simplicity　it　may　be　small；　the　whole　world　dares　not　deal　with　（one　embodying）　it　as　a　minister。　If　a　feudal　prince　or　the　king　could　guard　and　hold　it；　all　would　spontaneously　submit　themselves　to　him。
  Heaven　and　Earth　（under　its　guidance）　unite　together　and　send　down　the　sweet　dew；　which；　without　the　directions　of　men；　reaches　equally　everywhere　as　of　its　own　accord。
  As　soon　as　it　proceeds　to　action；　it　has　a　name。　When　it　once　has　that　name；　（men）　can　know　to　rest　in　it。　When　they　know　to　rest　in　it；　they　can　be　free　from　all　risk　of　failure　and　error。
  The　relation　of　the　Tao　to　all　the　world　is　like　that　of　the　great　rivers　and　seas　to　the　streams　from　the　valleys。
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  He　who　knows　other　men　is　discerning；　he　who　knows　himself　is　intelligent。　He　who　overcomes　others　is　strong；　he　who　overcomes　himself　is　mighty。　He　who　is　satisfied　with　his　lot　is　rich；　he　who　goes　on　acting　with　energy　has　a　（firm）　will。
  He　who　does　not　fail　in　the　requirements　of　his　position；　continues　long；　he　who　dies　and　yet　does　not　perish；　has　longevity。
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  All…pervading　is　the　Great　Tao！　It　may　be　found　on　the　left　hand　and　on　the　right。
  All　things　depend　on　it　for　their　production；　which　it　gives　to　them；　not　one　refusing　obedience　to　it。　When　its　work　is　accomplished；　it　does　not　claim　the　name　of　having　done　it。　It　clothes　all　things　as　with　a　garment；　and　makes　no　assumption　of　being　their　lord；it　may　be　named　in　the　smallest　things。　All　things　return　（to　their　root　and　disappear）；　and　do　not　know　that　it　is　it　which　presides　over　their　doing　so；it　may　be　named　in　the　greatest　things。
  Hence　the　sage　is　able　（in　the　same　way）　to　accomplish　his　great　achievements。　It　is　through　his　not　making　himself　great　that　he　can　accomplish　them。
  35
  To　him　who　holds　in　his　hands　the　Great　Image　（of　the　invisible　Tao）；　the　whole　world　repairs。　Men　resort　to　him；　and　receive　no　hurt；　but　（find）　rest；　peace；　and　the　feeling　of　ease。
  Music　and　dainties　will　make　the　passing　guest　stop　（for　a　time）。　But　though　the　Tao　as　it　comes　from　the　mouth；　seems　insipid　and　has　no　flavour；　though　it　seems　not　worth　being　looked　at　or　listened　to；　the　use　of　it　is　inexhaustible。
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  When　one　is　about　to　take　an　inspiration；　he　is　sure　to　make　a　（previous）　expiration；　when　he　is　going　to　weaken　another；　he　will　first　strengthen　him；　when　he　is　going　to　overthrow　another；　he　will　first　have　raised　him　up；　when　he　is　going　to　despoil　another；　he　will　first　have　made　gifts　to　him：this　is　called　'Hiding　the　light　（of　his　procedure）。'
  The　soft　overcomes　the　hard；　and　the　weak　the　strong。
  Fishes　should　not　be　taken　from　the　deep；　instruments　for　the　profit　of　a　state　should　not　be　shown　to　the　people。
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  The　Tao　in　its　regular　course　does　nothing　（for　the　sake　of　doing　it）；　and　so　there　is　nothing　which　it　does　not　do。
  If　princes　and　kings　were　able　to　maintain　it；　all　things　would　of　themselves　be　transformed　by　them。
  If　this　transformation　became　to