If　princes　and　kings　were　able　to　maintain　it；　all　things　would　of　themselves　be　transformed　by　them。
  If　this　transformation　became　to　me　an　object　of　desire；　I　would　express　the　desire　by　the　nameless　simplicity。
  Simplicity　without　a　name　is　free　from　all　external　aim。　With　no　desire；　at　rest　and　still；　all　things　go　right　as　of　their　will。
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  （Those　who）　possessed　in　highest　degree　the　attributes　（of　the　Tao）　did　not　（seek）　to　show　them；　and　therefore　they　possessed　them　（in　fullest　measure）。　（Those　who）　possessed　in　a　lower　degree　those　attributes　（sought　how）　not　to　lose　them；　and　therefore　they　did　not　possess　them　（in　fullest　measure）。
  （Those　who）　possessed　in　the　highest　degree　those　attributes　did　nothing　（with　a　purpose）；　and　had　no　need　to　do　anything。　（Those　who）　possessed　them　in　a　lower　degree　were　（always）　doing；　and　had　need　to　be　so　doing。
  （Those　who）　possessed　the　highest　benevolence　were　（always　seeking）　to　carry　it　out；　and　had　no　need　to　be　doing　so。　（Those　who）　possessed　the　highest　righteousness　were　（always　seeking）　to　carry　it　out；　and　had　need　to　be　so　doing。
  （Those　who）　possessed　the　highest　（sense　of）　propriety　were　（always　seeking）　to　show　it；　and　when　men　did　not　respond　to　it；　they　bared　the　arm　and　marched　up　to　them。
  Thus　it　was　that　when　the　Tao　was　lost；　its　attributes　appeared；　when　its　attributes　were　lost；　benevolence　appeared；　when　benevolence　was　lost；　righteousness　appeared；　and　when　righteousness　was　lost；　the　proprieties　appeared。
  Now　propriety　is　the　attenuated　form　of　leal…heartedness　and　good　faith；　and　is　also　the　commencement　of　disorder；　swift　apprehension　is　（only）　a　flower　of　the　Tao；　and　is　the　beginning　of　stupidity。
  Thus　it　is　that　the　Great　man　abides　by　what　is　solid；　and　eschews　what　is　flimsy；　dwells　with　the　fruit　and　not　with　the　flower。　It　is　thus　that　he　puts　away　the　one　and　makes　choice　of　the　other。
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  The　things　which　from　of　old　have　got　the　One　（the　Tao）　are
  Heaven　which　by　it　is　bright　and　pure；
  Earth　rendered　thereby　firm　and　sure；
  Spirits　with　powers　by　it　supplied；
  Valleys　kept　full　throughout　their　void
  All　creatures　which　through　it　do　live
  Princes　and　kings　who　from　it　get
  The　model　which　to　all　they　give。
  All　these　are　the　results　of　the　One　（Tao）。
  If　heaven　were　not　thus　pure；　it　soon　would　rend；　If　earth　were　not　thus　sure；　'twould　break　and　bend；　Without　these　powers；　the　spirits　soon　would　fail；　If　not　so　filled；　the　drought　would　parch　each　vale；　Without　that　life；　creatures　would　pass　away；　Princes　and　kings；　without　that　moral　sway；　However　grand　and　high；　would　all　decay。
  Thus　it　is　that　dignity　finds　its　（firm）　root　in　its　（previous）　meanness；　and　what　is　lofty　finds　its　stability　in　the　lowness　（from　which　it　rises）。　Hence　princes　and　kings　call　themselves　'Orphans；'　'Men　of　small　virtue；'　and　as　'Carriages　without　a　nave。'　Is　not　this　an　acknowledgment　that　in　their　considering　themselves　mean　they　see　the　foundation　of　their　dignity？　So　it　is　that　in　the　enumeration　of　the　different　parts　of　a　carriage　we　do　not　come　on　what　makes　it　answer　the　ends　of　a　carriage。　They　do　not　wish　to　show　themselves　elegant…looking　as　jade；　but　（prefer）　to　be　coarse…looking　as　an
  （ordinary）　stone。
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  The　movement　of　the　Tao
  By　contraries　proceeds；
  And　weakness　marks　the　course
  Of　Tao's　mighty　deeds。
  All　things　under　heaven　sprang　from　It　as　existing　（and　named）；　that　existence　sprang　from　It　as　non…existent　（and　not　named）。
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  Scholars　of　the　highest　class；　when　they　hear　about　the　Tao；　earnestly　carry　it　into　practice。　Scholars　of　the　middle　class；　when　they　have　heard　about　it；　seem　now　to　keep　it　and　now　to　lose　it。　Scholars　of　the　lowest　class；　when　they　have　heard　about　it；　laugh　greatly　at　it。　If　it　were　not　（thus）　laughed　at；　it　would　not　be　fit　to　be　the　Tao。
  Therefore　the　sentence…makers　have　thus　expressed　themselves：
  'The　Tao；　when　brightest　seen；　seems　light　to　lack；
  Who　progress　in　it　makes；　seems　drawing　back；
  Its　even　way　is　like　a　rugged　track。
  Its　highest　virtue　from　the　vale　doth　rise；
  Its　greatest　beauty　seems　to　offend　the　eyes；
  And　he　has　most　whose　lot　the　least　supplies。
  Its　firmest　virtue　seems　but　poor　and　low；
  Its　solid　truth　seems　change　to　undergo；
  Its　largest　square　doth　yet　no　corner　show
  A　vessel　great；　it　is　the　slowest　made；
  Loud　is　its　sound；　but　never　word　it　said；
  A　semblance　great；　the　shadow　of　a　shade。'
  The　Tao　is　hidden；　and　has　no　name；　but　it　is　the　Tao　which　is　skilful　at　imparting　（to　all　things　what　they　need）　and　making　them　complete。
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  The　Tao　produced　One；　One　produced　Two；　Two　produced　Three；　Three　produced　All　things。　All　things　leave　behind　them　the　Obscurity　（out　of　which　they　have　come）；　and　go　forward　to　embrace　the　Brightness　（into　which　they　have　emerged）；　while　they　are　harmonised　by　the　Breath　of　Vacancy。
  What　men　dislike　is　to　be　orphans；　to　have　little　virtue；　to　be　as　carriages　without　naves；　and　yet　these　are　the　designations　which　kings　and　princes　use　for　themselves。　So　it　is　that　some　things　are　increased　by　being　diminished；　and　others　are　diminished　by　being　increased。
  What　other　men　（thus）　teach；　I　also　teach。　The　violent　and　strong　do　not　die　their　natural　death。　I　will　make　this　the　basis　of　my　teaching。
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  The　softest　thing　in　the　world　dashes　against　and　overcomes　the　hardest；　that　which　has　no　（substantial）　existence　enters　where　there　is　no　crevice。　I　know　hereby　what　advantage　belongs　to　doing　nothing　（with　a　purpose）。
  There　are　few　in　the　world　who　attain　to　the　teaching　without　words；　and　the　advantage　arising　from　non…action。
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  Or　fame　or　life；
  Which　do　you　hold　more　dear？
  Or　life　or　wealth；
  To　which　would　you　adhere？
  Keep　life　and　lose　those　other　things；
  Keep　them　and　lose　your　life：which　brings
  Sorrow　and　pain　more　near？
  Thus　we　may　see；　Who　cleaves　to　fame　Rejects　what　is　more　great；　Who　loves　large　stores
  Gives　up　the　richer　state。
  Who　is　content　Needs　fear　no　shame。　Who　knows　to　stop　Incurs　no　blame。　From　danger　free　Long　live　shall　he。
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  Who　thinks　his　great　achievements　poor
  Shall　find　his　vigour　long　endure。
  Of　greatest　fulness；　deemed　a　void；
  Exhaustion　ne'er　shall　stem　the　tide。
  Do　thou　what's　straight　still　crooked　deem；
  Thy　greatest　art　still　stupid　seem；
  And　eloquence　a　stammering　scream。
  Constant　action　overcomes　cold；　being　still　overcomes　heat。　Purity　and　stillness　give　the　correct　law　to　all　under　heaven。
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  When　the　Tao　prevails　in　the　world；　they　send　back　their　swift　horses　to　（draw）　the　dung…carts。　When　the　Tao　is　disregarded　in　the　world；　the　war…horses　breed　in　the　border　lands。
  There　is　no　guilt　greater　than　to　sanction　ambition；　no　calamity　greater　than　to　be　discontented　with　one's　lot；　no　fault　greater　than　the　wish　to　be　getting。　Therefore　the　sufficiency　of　contentment　is　an　enduring　and　unchanging　sufficiency。
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  Without　going　outside　his　door；　one　understands　（all　that　takes　place）　under　the　sky；　without　looking　out　from　his　window；　one　sees　the　Tao　of　Heaven。　The　farther　that　one　goes　out　（from　himself）；　the　less　he　knows。
  Therefore　the　sages　got　their　knowledge　without　travelling；　gave　their　（right）　names　to　things　without　seeing　them；　and　accomplished　their　ends　without　any　purpose　of　doing　so。
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  He　who　devotes　himself　to　learning　（seeks）　from　day　to　day　to　increase　（his　knowledge）；　he　who　devotes　himself　to　the　Tao　（seeks）　from　day　to　day　to　diminish　（his　doing）。
  He　diminishes　it　and　again　diminishes　it；　till　he　arrives　at　doing　nothing　（on　purpose）。　Having　arrived　at　this　point　of　non…action；　there　is　nothing　which　he　does　not　do。
  He　who　gets　as　his　own　all　under　heaven　does　so　by　giving　himself　no　trouble　（with　that　end）。　If　one　take　trouble　（with　that　end）；　he　is　not　equal　to　getting　as　his　own　all　under　heaven。
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  The　sage　has　no　invariable　mind　of　his　own；　he　makes　the　mind　of　the　people　his　mind。
  To　those　who　are　good　（to　me）；　I　am　good；　and　to　those　who　are　not　good　（to　me）；　I　am　also　good；and　thus　（all）　get　to　be　good。　To　those　who　are　sincere　（with　me）；　I　am　sincere；　and　to　those　who　are　not　sincere　（with　me）；　I　am　also　sincere；and　thus　（all）　get　to　be　sincere。
  The　sage　has　in　the　world　an　appearance　of　indecision；　and　keeps　his　mind　in　a　state　of　indifference　to　all。　The　people　all　keep　their　eyes　and　ears　directed　to　him；　and　he　deals　with　them　all　as　his　children。
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  Men　come　forth　and　live；　they　enter　（again）　and　die。　Of　every　ten　three　are　ministers　of　life　（to　themselves）；　and　three　are　ministers　of　death。
  There　are　also　three　in　every　ten　whose　aim　is　to　live；　but　whose　movements　tend　to　the　land　（or　place）　of　death。　And　for　what　reason？　Because　of　their　excessive　endeavours　to　perpetuate　life。
  But　I　have　heard　that　he　who　is　skilful　in　managing　the　life　entrusted　to　him　for　a　time