Not　knowing　constancy；　one　recklessly　causes　trouble
  Knowing　constancy　is　acceptance
  Acceptance　is　impartiality
  Impartiality　is　sovereign
  Sovereign　is　heaven
  Heaven　is　Tao
  Tao　is　eternal
  The　self　is　no　more；　without　danger
  Reach　for　a　state　of　ultimate　emptiness。　Maintain　a　state　of　the　utmost　stillness　and　tranquility。
  All　living　things　rise　up　in　lively　activity。　I　watch　them　and　observe　their　return　in　the　endless　natural　process　of　life。
  Everything　is　thriving　and　flourishing；　and　eventually　everything　will　return　to　its　origin　in　the　recurrent　cycles　of　nature。
  Returning　to　the　point　of　origin　leads　to　a　state　of　peaceful　and　serene　tranquility。
  This　tranquility　and　quietude　leads　to　a　return　to　one's　true　nature。
  The　return　to　one's　true　self　and　fulfillment　of　one's　true　nature；　is　a　constant；　unchanging　principle。
  Understanding　this　constant；　unchanging　principle　leads　to　clarity；　illumination　and　enlightenment。
  Those　who　do　not　understand　the　principle　of　constancy　tend　to　bring　upon　themselves　problems　and　disasters　in　a　chaotic　way。
  Knowledge　of　this　constant；　unchanging　principle　leads　to　an　acceptance　that　encompasses　everything。
  Such　an　all…encompassing　acceptance　and　tolerance　leads　to　an　objective；　impartial　frame　of　mind。
  This　objectivity　leads　to　authentic　personal　power　…　power　over　one's　own　destiny。
  Authentic　power　…　sovereignty　over　oneself　…　leads　to　a　heavenly　divinity　and　a　oneness　with　nature。　This　heavenly　oneness　leads　to　the　Tao。　The　Tao；　in　turn；　leads　to　everlasting　eternity。
  Knowing　this；　one　can　live　out　an　entire　lifetime　in　harmony　and　safety。　You　will　be　free　from　worldly　hazards　until　your　body　no　longer　exists。
  17
  The　highest　rulers；　people　do　not　know　they　have　them
  The　next　level；　people　love　them　and　praise　them
  The　next　level；　people　fear　them
  The　next　level；　people　despise　them
  The　rulers'　trust　is　insufficient；　have　no　trust　in　them
  Proceeding　calmly；　valuing　their　words
  Task　accomplished；　matter　settled
  The　people　all　say；　〃We　did　it　naturally〃
  At　the　highest　level；　the　ideal　rulers　are　the　ones　who　are　so　good　at　what　they　do　that　they　can　achieve　their　objectives　quickly；　silently　and　effectively。　They　do　not　glory　in　their　achievements；　so　the　people　are　not　even　aware　that　such　rulers　exist。
  At　the　next　level　down；　we　have　rulers　whose　benevolent　actions　can　be　seen；　so　that　people　are　aware　of　them。　The　people　feel　close　to　such　rulers　and　they　give　much　praise　for　the　benevolent；　positive　rule。
  At　the　next　level　down；　we　have　rulers　who　resort　to　intimidation　and　heavy…handed　policies。　People　fear　such　rulers。
  At　the　next　level　down；　we　have　rulers　who　are　incompetent　or　seek　to　deceive　the　people　through　trickery。　People　despise　such　rulers。　They　insult　the　leadership　and　rise　up　in　opposition。
  If　such　rulers　cannot　have　sufficient　trust　the　people；　then　how　can　the　people　have　trust　in　them？
  The　ideal　way　is　to　govern　in　an　unhurried；　easy　manner　where　rulers　greatly　values　their　words。　This　means　they　do　more　and　talk　less。
  Because　things　are　done　this　way；　without　anyone　being　aware　of　all　the　work　that　go　into　governing；　when　important　tasks　are　completed　and　major　issues　are　settled；　the　people　all　say　that　they　did　it　themselves；　and　that　it　was　naturally　so。
  Notes
  The　original　Chinese　is　not　gender　specific　in　referring　to　the　ruler。　It　does　not　assert　in　any　way　that　the　ruler　must　be　male。　Most　translators　arbitrarily　force　the　gender　to　either　male　or　female；　which　distorts　the　original　meaning。
  Like　several　other　passages　from　the　Tao　Te　Ching；　this　chapter　seems　to　be　aimed　at　the　ancient　kings　of　China。　It　is　as　if　Lao　Tzu　was　asked　to　advise　the　Emperor　on　the　best　way　to　rule。　How　can　such　passages　apply　to　us；　who　are　not　necessarily　in　exalted　positions　of　political　power？
  Do　not　think　of　ruling　in　the　literal　way　that　only　applies　to　governance　of　a　nation。　Look　at　your　own　life　and　note　all　the　settings　and　circumstances　where　leadership　plays　a　role。　Most　of　us　will；　at　some　point；　start　our　own　families；　and　we　may　be　called　upon　to　assume　the　responsibility　of　leadership　in　social　settings；　community　activities；　or　the　workplace。
  The　Tao　of　leadership　remains　constant　in　any　context。　Whether　you　find　yourself　having　to　deal　with　your　children；　neighbors　or　coworkers；　you'll　find　the　distinctions　in　this　chapter　a　useful　guide。
  18
  The　great　Tao　fades　away
  There　is　benevolence　and　justice
  Intelligence　comes　forth
  There　is　great　deception
  The　six　relations　are　not　harmonious
  There　is　filial　piety　and　kind　affection
  The　country　is　in　confused　chaos
  There　are　loyal　ministers
  When　people　forsake　the　great　Tao；　so　that　it　fades　away　and　perishes　in　their　thoughts；　concepts　like　benevolence；　compassion；　justice　and　righteousness　appear　in　the　world。
  When　intelligence；　book　knowledge　and　cleverness　become　widespread　in　the　world；　we　end　up　with　great　hypocrisy　and　deception　everywhere
  When　the　six　family　relationships　…　parent；　child；　older　sibling；　younger　sibling；　husband；　wife　…　are　in　a　state　of　disharmony；　concepts　like　filial　piety；　obedience；　and　the　kind　affection　of　parental　love　become　important　and　significant。
  When　the　country　is　in　a　state　of　chaos　and　anarchy；　it　becomes　crucial　to　make　the　distinction　between　ministers　who　are　loyal；　and　those　who　are　not。
  19
  Discontinue　sagacity；　abandon　knowledge
  The　people　benefit　a　hundred　times
  Discontinue　benevolence；　abandon　righteousness
  The　people　return　to　piety　and　charity
  Discontinue　cunning；　discard　profit
  Bandits　and　thieves　no　longer　exist
  These　three　things　are　superficial　and　insufficient
  Thus　this　teaching　has　its　place：
  Show　plainness；　hold　simplicity
  Reduce　selfishness；　decrease　desires
  This　chapter　presents　one　of　the　more　difficult　teachings　to　understand；　because　we　have　a　strong　tendency　to　worship　knowledge。　We've　all　been　conditioned　to　believe　that　knowledge　is　power；　and　having　more　can't　possibly　be　a　bad　thing。
  Lao　Tzu　is　uniquely　alone　among　all　the　ancient　philosophers　in　steadfastly　pointing　to　the　pitfalls　of　knowledge。　He　saw　the　link　between　academic　intelligence　and　scholarly　arrogance　clearly；　and　addressed　it　several　times　throughout　the　Tao　Te　Ching　in　no　uncertain　language。
  One　of　the　problems　with　knowledge　is　that　we　become　very　good　at　using　it　in　a　crafty　and　shrewd　way　to　twist　the　truth。　There　are　examples　of　this　everywhere；　and　one　of　them　applies　to　this　very　chapter。
  The　first　two　words　of　this　chapter　are　literally　〃end　sagacity。〃　The　meaning　is　that　we　should　put　a　stop　to　this　obsession　with　book　smarts　and　focus　instead　on　the　wisdom　of　living　an　actual　life　apart　from　the　books。　It　is　the　ancient　Chinese　equivalent　of　telling　a　bookworm　to　〃get　a　life。〃
  But　some　readers　of　the　Tao　Te　Ching　have　such　a　powerful　desire　for　ever　more　knowledge　that　they　do　not　hear　this　message　at　all。　They　interpret　〃end〃　to　mean　〃extreme〃　or　〃ultimate〃　so　they　can　change　the　first　line　to　say　something　completely　different　…　that　if　one　can　gain　the　ultimate　knowledge　so　that　there　is　nothing　more　to　learn　（thus　bringing　about　an　end　to　learning）；　then　people　would　benefit　a　hundredfold。
  In　this　fashion；　they　have　taken　a　warning　against　the　disconnect　of　knowledge　from　down…to…earth　living；　and　transformed　it　to　a　rallying　cry　to　acquire　ever　more　knowledge。　The　fact　that　this　can　happen　at　all　is　the　very　reason　why　Lao　Tzu　emphasizes　intuitive　wisdom　and　downplays　intelligence。
  As　we　progress　through　cultivation；　let's　keep　Lao　Tzu's　admonition　in　mind：　Knowledge　isn't　a　bad　thing　in　and　of　itself；　but　book　smarts　is　a　very　different　thing　from　street　smarts。。。　and　school　learning　can　never　compare　to；　or　supplant　life　learning。
  20
  Cease　learning；　no　more　worries
  Respectful　response　and　scornful　response
  How　much　is　the　difference？
  Goodness　and　evil
  How　much　do　they　differ？
  What　the　people　fear；　I　cannot　be　unafraid
  So　desolate！　How　limitless　it　is！
  The　people　are　excited
  As　if　enjoying　a　great　feast
  As　if　climbing　up　to　the　terrace　in　spring
  I　alone　am　quiet　and　uninvolved
  Like　an　infant　not　yet　smiling
  So　weary；　like　having　no　place　to　return
  The　people　all　have　surplus
  While　I　alone　seem　lacking
  I　have　the　heart　of　a　fool　indeed　…　so　ignorant！
  Ordinary　people　are　bright
  I　alone　am　muddled
  Ordinary　people　are　scrutinizing
  I　alone　am　obtuse
  So　tranquil；　like　the　ocean
  So　moving；　as　if　without　limits
  The　people　all　have　goals
  And　I　alone　am　stubborn　and　lowly
  I　alone　am　different　from　them
  And　value　the　nourishing　mother
  The　blind　pursuit　of　learning　leads　to　excessive　desires　…　the　more　you　see；　the　more　you　want。　Excessive　desires；　in　turn；　lead　to　anxiety　and　misery。　Once　we　understand　this　and　decide　to　no　longer　subject　ourselves　to　information　overload；　the　anxiety　and　mise