to　serve；　the　other。　Each　gets　what　it　desires；　but　the　great　state　must　learn　to　abase　itself。
  62
  Tao　has　of　all　things　the　most　honoured　place。　No　treasures　give　good　men　so　rich　a　grace；　Bad　men　it　guards；　and　doth　their　ill　efface。
  （Its）　admirable　words　can　purchase　honour；　（its）　admirable　deeds　can　raise　their　performer　above　others。　Even　men　who　are　not　good　are　not　abandoned　by　it。
  Therefore　when　the　sovereign　occupies　his　place　as　the　Son　of　Heaven；　and　he　has　appointed　his　three　ducal　ministers；　though　（a　prince）　were　to　send　in　a　round　symbol…of…rank　large　enough　to　fill　both　the　hands；　and　that　as　the　precursor　of　the　team　of　horses　（inthe　court…yard）；　such　an　offering　would　not　be　equal　to　（a　lesson　of）　this　Tao；　which　one　might　present　on　his　knees。
  Why　was　it　that　the　ancients　prized　this　Tao　so　much？　Was　it　not　because　it　could　be　got　by　seeking　for　it；　and　the　guilty　could　escape　（from　the　stain　of　their　guilt）　by　it？　This　is　the　reason　why　all　under　heaven　consider　it　the　most　valuable　thing。
  63
  （It　is　the　way　of　the　Tao）　to　act　without　（thinking　of）　acting；　to　conduct　affairs　without　（feeling　the）　trouble　of　them；　to　taste　without　discerning　any　flavour；　to　consider　what　is　small　as　great；　and　a　few　as　many；　and　to　recompense　injury　with　kindness。
  （The　master　of　it）　anticipates　things　that　are　difficult　while　they　are　easy；　and　does　things　that　would　become　great　while　they　are　small。　All　difficult　things　in　the　world　are　sure　to　arise　from　a　previous　state　in　which　they　were　easy；　and　all　great　things　from　one　in　which　they　were　small。　Therefore　the　sage；　while　he　never　does　what　is　great；　is　able　on　that　account　to　accomplish　the　greatest　things。
  He　who　lightly　promises　is　sure　to　keep　but　little　faith；　he　who　is　continually　thinking　things　easy　is　sure　to　find　them　difficult。　Therefore　the　sage　sees　difficulty　even　in　what　seems　easy；　and　so　never　has　any　difficulties。
  64
  That　which　is　at　rest　is　easily　kept　hold　of；　before　a　thing　has　given　indications　of　its　presence；　it　is　easy　to　take　measures　against　it；　that　which　is　brittle　is　easily　broken；　that　which　is　very　small　is　easily　dispersed。　Action　should　be　taken　before　a　thing　has　made　its　appearance；　order　should　be　secured　before　disorder　has　begun。
  The　tree　which　fills　the　arms　grew　from　the　tiniest　sprout；　the　tower　of　nine　storeys　rose　from　a　（small）　heap　of　earth；　the　journey　of　a　thousand　li　commenced　with　a　single　step。
  He　who　acts　（with　an　ulterior　purpose）　does　harm；　he　who　takes　hold　of　a　thing　（in　the　same　way）　loses　his　hold。　The　sage　does　not　act　（so）；　and　therefore　does　no　harm；　he　does　not　lay　hold　（so）；　and　therefore　does　not　lose　his　bold。　（But）　people　in　their　conduct　of　affairs　are　constantly　ruining　them　when　they　are　on　the　eve　of　success。　If　they　were　careful　at　the　end；　as　（they　should　be）　at　the　beginning；　they　would　not　so　ruin　them。
  Therefore　the　sage　desires　what　（other　men）　do　not　desire；　and　does　not　prize　things　difficult　to　get；　he　learns　what　（other　men）　do　not　learn；　and　turns　back　to　what　the　multitude　of　men　have　passed　by。　Thus　he　helps　the　natural　development　of　all　things；　and　does　not　dare　to　act　（with　an　ulterior　purpose　of　his　own）。
  65
  The　ancients　who　showed　their　skill　in　practising　the　Tao　did　so；　not　to　enlighten　the　people；　but　rather　to　make　them　simple　and　ignorant。
  The　difficulty　in　governing　the　people　arises　from　their　having　much　knowledge。　He　who　（tries　to）　govern　a　state　by　his　wisdom　is　a　scourge　to　it；　while　he　who　does　not　（try　to）　do　so　is　a　blessing。
  He　who　knows　these　two　things　finds　in　them　also　his　model　and　rule。　Ability　to　know　this　model　and　rule　constitutes　what　we　call　the　mysterious　excellence　（of　a　governor）。　Deep　and　far…reaching　is　such　mysterious　excellence；　showing　indeed　its　possessor　as　opposite　to　others；　but　leading　them　to　a　great　conformity　to　him。
  66
  That　whereby　the　rivers　and　seas　are　able　to　receive　the　homage　and　tribute　of　all　the　valley　streams；　is　their　skill　in　being　lower　than　they；it　is　thus　that　they　are　the　kings　of　them　all。　So　it　is　that　the　sage　（ruler）；　wishing　to　be　above　men；　puts　himself　by　his　words　below　them；　and；　wishing　to　be　before　them；　places　his　person　behind　them。
  In　this　way　though　he　has　his　place　above　them；　men　do　not　feel　his　weight；　nor　though　he　has　his　place　before　them；　do　they　feel　it　an　injury　to　them。
  Therefore　all　in　the　world　delight　to　exalt　him　and　do　not　weary　of　him。　Because　he　does　not　strive；　no　one　finds　it　possible　to　strive　with　him。
  67
  All　the　world　says　that；　while　my　Tao　is　great；　it　yet　appears　to　be　inferior　（to　other　systems　of　teaching）。　Now　it　is　just　its　greatness　that　makes　it　seem　to　be　inferior。　If　it　were　like　any　other　（system）；　for　long　would　its　smallness　have　been　known！
  But　I　have　three　precious　things　which　I　prize　and　hold　fast。　The　first　is　gentleness；　the　second　is　economy；　and　the　third　is　shrinking　from　taking　precedence　of　others。
  With　that　gentleness　I　can　be　bold；　with　that　economy　I　can　be　liberal；　shrinking　from　taking　precedence　of　others；　I　can　become　a　vessel　of　the　highest　honour。　Now…a…days　they　give　up　gentleness　and　are　all　for　being　bold；　economy；　and　are　all　for　being　liberal；　the　hindmost　place；　and　seek　only　to　be　foremost；（of　all　which　the　end　is）　death。
  Gentleness　is　sure　to　be　victorious　even　in　battle；　and　firmly　to　maintain　its　ground。　Heaven　will　save　its　possessor；　by　his　（very）　gentleness　protecting　him。
  68
  He　who　in　（Tao's）　wars　has　skill　Assumes　no　martial　port；　He　who　fights　with　most　good　will　To　rage　makes　no　resort。　He　who　vanquishes　yet　still　Keeps　from　his　foes　apart；　He　whose　hests　men　most　fulfil　Yet　humbly　plies　his　art。
  Thus　we　say；　'He　ne'er　contends；　And　therein　is　his　might。'　Thus　we　say；　'Men's　wills　he　bends；　That　they　with　him　unite。'　Thus　we　say；　'Like　Heaven's　his　ends；　No　sage　of　old　more　bright。'
  69
  A　master　of　the　art　of　war　has　said；　'I　do　not　dare　to　be　the　host　（to　commence　the　war）；　I　prefer　to　be　the　guest　（to　act　on　the　defensive）。　I　do　not　dare　to　advance　an　inch；　I　prefer　to　retire　a　foot。'　This　is　called　marshalling　the　ranks　where　there　are　no　ranks；　baring　the　arms　（to　fight）　where　there　are　no　arms　to　bare；　grasping　the　weapon　where　there　is　no　weapon　to　grasp；　advancing　against　the　enemy　where　there　is　no　enemy。
  There　is　no　calamity　greater　than　lightly　engaging　in　war。　To　do　that　is　near　losing　（the　gentleness）　which　is　so　precious。　Thus　it　is　that　when　opposing　weapons　are　（actually）　crossed；　he　who　deplores　（the　situation）　conquers。
  70
  My　words　are　very　easy　to　know；　and　very　easy　to　practise；　but　there　is　no　one　in　the　world　who　is　able　to　know　and　able　to　practise　them。
  There　is　an　originating　and　all…comprehending　（principle）　in　my　words；　and　an　authoritative　law　for　the　things　（which　I　enforce）。　It　is　because　they　do　not　know　these；　that　men　do　not　know　me。
  They　who　know　me　are　few；　and　I　am　on　that　account　（the　more）　to　be　prized。　It　is　thus　that　the　sage　wears　（a　poor　garb　of）　hair　cloth；　while　he　carries　his　（signet　of）　jade　in　his　bosom。
  71
  To　know　and　yet　（think）　we　do　not　know　is　the　highest　（attainment）；　not　to　know　（and　yet　think）　we　do　know　is　a　disease。
  It　is　simply　by　being　pained　at　（the　thought　of）　having　this　disease　that　we　are　preserved　from　it。　The　sage　has　not　the　disease。
  He　knows　the　pain　that　would　be　inseparable　from　it；　and　therefore　he　does　not　have　it。
  72
  When　the　people　do　not　fear　what　they　ought　to　fear；　that　which　is　their　great　dread　will　come　on　them。
  Let　them　not　thoughtlessly　indulge　themselves　in　their　ordinary　life；　let　them　not　act　as　if　weary　of　what　that　life　depends　on。
  It　is　by　avoiding　such　indulgence　that　such　weariness　does　not　arise。
  Therefore　the　sage　knows　（these　things）　of　himself；　but　does　not　parade　（his　knowledge）；　loves；　but　does　not　（appear　to　set　a）　value　on；　himself。　And　thus　he　puts　the　latter　alternative　away　and　makes　choice　of　the　former。
  73
  He　whose　boldness　appears　in　his　daring　（to　do　wrong；　in　defiance　of　the　laws）　is　put　to　death；　he　whose　boldness　appears　in　his　not　daring　（to　do　so）　lives　on。　Of　these　two　cases　the　one　appears　to　be　advantageous；　and　the　other　to　be　injurious。　But　When　Heaven's　anger　smites　a　man；　Who　the　cause　shall　truly　scan？
  On　this　account　the　sage　feels　a　difficulty　（as　to　what　to　do　in　the　former　case）。
  It　is　the　way　of　Heaven　not　to　strive；　and　yet　it　skillfully　overcomes；　not　to　speak；　and　yet　it　is　skilful　in　（obtaining　a　reply；　does　not　call；　and　yet　men　come　to　it　of　themselves。　Its　demonstrations　are　quiet；　and　yet　its　plans　are　skilful　and　effective。　The　meshes　of　the　net　of　Heaven　are　large；　far　apart；　but　letting　nothing　escape。
  74
  The　people　do　not　fear　death；　to　what　purpose　is　it　to　（try　to）　frighten　them　with　death？　If　the　people　were　always　in　awe　of　death；　and　I　could　always　seize　those　who　do　wrong；　and　put　them　to　death；　who　would　dare　to　do　wrong？
  There　is　always　One　who　pre