Because　the　sage　does　not　contend　or　get　defensive；　others　cannot　contend　with　him　or　her　…　there　is　nothing　to　attack。
  The　sage　is　what　the　ancients　meant　when　they　talked　about　the　one　who　yields　and　remains　whole　…　surely　they　were　not　speaking　idly　of　empty　words！
  The　sage　achieves　integrity　and　wholeness　through　sincere　effort　…　thereby　returning　the　virtues　to　himself　or　herself。
  23
  Sparse　speech　is　natural
  Thus　strong　wind　does　not　last　all　morning
  Sudden　rain　does　not　last　all　day
  What　makes　this　so？　Heaven　and　earth
  Even　heaven　and　earth　cannot　make　it　last
  How　can　humans？
  Thus　those　who　follow　the　Tao；　are　with　the　Tao
  Those　who　follow　virtue；　are　with　virtue
  Those　who　follow　loss；　are　with　loss
  Those　who　are　with　the　Tao；　the　Tao　is　also　pleased　to　have　them
  Those　who　are　with　virtue；　virtue　is　also　pleased　to　have　them
  Those　who　are　with　loss；　loss　is　also　please　to　have　them
  Those　who　do　not　trust　sufficiently；　others　have　no　trust　in　them
  To　speak　sparingly　emulates　nature；　and　is　therefore　natural。
  For　instance；　an　unusually　strong　windstorm　will　not　persist　the　entire　morning。
  In　the　same　way；　an　unusually　sudden　downpour　will　not　continue　the　entire　day。
  What　makes　these　things　the　way　they　are？　Heaven　and　earth　…　nature。
  If　even　heaven　and　earth　cannot　make　events　last　indefinitely；　then　how　can　human　beings？　This　is　why　we　say　that　too　much　talk　goes　against　nature。
  Those　who　follow　the　Tao　will　identify　with　the　Tao　and　become　one　with　it。　Similarly；　those　who　practice　virtues　will　identify　with　virtues　and　become　one　with　them；　those　who　pursue　loss　will　identify　with　loss　and　become　one　with　it。
  The　working　of　the　universe　is　indifferent　and　will　give　you　exactly　what　you　seek。　If　you　are　one　with　the　Tao；　the　Tao　will　happily　accept　you。　If　you　identify　with　virtues；　the　virtues　will　be　equally　pleased　to　embrace　you。　If　your　path　leads　to　the　loss　of　the　Tao　and　virtues；　that　loss　will　welcome　you　just　as　gladly。
  Because　of　this　karmic　cause　and　effect；　we　can　see　that　those　who　distrust　others　and　have　no　faith　in　people；　are　also　the　ones　that　people　find　most　untrustworthy。
  24
  Those　who　are　on　tiptoes　cannot　stand
  Those　who　straddle　cannot　walk
  Those　who　flaunt　themselves　are　not　clear
  Those　who　presume　themselves　are　not　distinguished
  Those　who　praise　themselves　have　no　merit
  Those　who　boast　about　themselves　do　not　last
  Those　with　the　Tao　call　such　things　leftover　food　or　tumors
  They　despise　them
  Thus；　those　who　possesses　the　Tao　do　not　engage　in　them
  The　one　who　stands　on　tiptoes；　in　order　to　raise　himself　or　herself　above　others；　cannot　stand　for　long。　The　one　who　straddles　in　an　exaggerated　gait　cannot　walk　any　significant　distance　for　long。
  The　one　who　shows　off　himself　or　herself　will；　ironically；　not　be　clearly　perceived　by　others。　The　one　who　thinks　he　or　she　is　always　right　will　not　be　considered　respectable　or　admirable　by　others。
  The　one　who　incessantly　praises　himself　or　herself　is　not　the　person　with　true　merit。　The　one　who　is　always　bragging　about　his　or　her　achievements　is　not　the　person　with　lasting　power。
  Those　who　are　on　the　path　of　Tao　speak　of　such　things　as　if　they　were　leftover　food　or　useless　growth；　like　a　tumor。　They　despise　such　things　and　regard　them　with　contempt。　This　is　why　those　who　possess　the　Tao　do　not　engage　in　such　activities。　They　do　not　show　off；　presume；　or　boast。
  25
  There　is　something　formlessly　created
  Born　before　Heaven　and　Earth
  So　silent！　So　ethereal！
  Independent　and　changeless
  Circulating　and　ceaseless
  It　can　be　regarded　as　the　mother　of　the　world
  I　do　not　know　its　name
  Identifying　it；　I　call　it　〃Tao〃
  Forced　to　describe　it；　I　call　it　great
  Great　means　passing
  Passing　means　receding
  Receding　means　returning
  Therefore　the　Tao　is　great
  Heaven　is　great
  Earth　is　great
  The　sovereign　is　also　great
  There　are　four　greats　in　the　universe
  And　the　sovereign　occupies　one　of　them
  Humans　follow　the　laws　of　Earth
  Earth　follows　the　laws　of　Heaven
  Heaven　follows　the　laws　of　Tao
  Tao　follows　the　laws　of　nature
  There　is　something　that　is　formless；　shapeless　and　non…physical；　and　yet　also　complete　and　perfect。　Whatever　it　is；　this　〃thing〃　existed　before　the　universe　came　into　being。
  How　silent；　tranquil　and　still！　How　ethereal；　empty　and　boundless！　It　is　completely　independent　and　self…sufficient。　Its　nature　is　eternal　and　unchanging。　Its　functions　circulate　within　every　level　of　existence　without　ever　stopping。　Because　it　is　the　source　of　all　creation；　we　can　consider　it　to　be　the　mother　of　all　things。
  I　do　not　know　its　name；　I　do　not　even　know　that　it　has　a　name。　In　order　to　identify　it；　I　reluctantly　call　it　the　arbitrary　name　〃Tao。〃　If　I　were　forced　to　describe　it；　I　would　have　to　say　it　is　great　beyond　compare。　Being　great；　it　is　always　in　a　state　of　transition。　Being　perpetually　in　motion；　it　seems　to　recede　far　away　from　us。　Being　far　away；　it　returns　again　to　us。　This　great　circle　is　the　nature　of　Tao。
  Therefore；　the　Tao　is　great。　Heaven　and　Earth；　being　manifestations　of　the　Tao；　are　also　great。　A　leader　who　manifests　the　Tao；　and　can　serve　as　an　example　for　the　people；　is　also　great。　He　or　she　occupies　one　of　the　four　aspects　of　greatness。
  The　universe　is　an　orchestrated　symphony；　where　human　beings　follow　the　laws　of　the　land　in　which　they　live。　At　a　level　above　this；　the　Earth　follows　the　laws　of　astronomy　…　the　rules　that　govern　the　motions　of　heavenly　bodies。　The　cosmos　in　turn　follow　the　patterns　of　the　Tao　at　a　macroscopic　level。　Ultimately；　the　Tao　itself　follows　natural　laws；　which　arise　from　the　Tao　process。　This　underscores　the　self…sufficiency　and　self…completeness　of　the　Tao。
  26
  Heaviness　is　the　root　of　lightness。
  Quietness　is　the　master　of　restlessness
  Therefore　the　sage　travels　the　entire　day
  Without　leaving　the　heavy　supplies
  Even　though　there　are　luxurious　sights
  He　is　composed　and　transcends　beyond
  How　can　the　lord　of　ten　thousand　chariots
  Applies　himself　lightly　to　the　world？
  To　be　light　is　to　lose　one's　root
  To　be　restless　is　to　lose　one's　mastery
  Heaviness；　or　gravitas；　lies　at　the　root　of　human　affairs。　Lightness；　or　gaiety；　dances　carelessly　above　them。　Those　who　are　quiet；　unmoved；　deliberate　and　composed　possess　power　over　those　who　are　noisy；　restless；　impulsive　and　impatient。
  Therefore；　the　sage　traverses　the　Tao　an　entire　day　without　ever　losing　track　of　the　essentials　of　life。　Even　though　there　are　many　colorful　sights　of　luxuries　along　the　way；　the　sage　recognizes　them　as　illusory；　and　so　remains　perfectly　composed　and　unmoved；　transcending　beyond　the　temptation。
  How；　then；　can　the　king；　who　rules　the　force　of　ten　thousand　war　chariots；　treat　lightly　the　serious　task　of　governing　the　kingdom？
  To　be　〃light；〃　in　this　context；　is　to　be　disconnected　from　the　important　foundation　of　life。　In　a　similar　way；　being　restless　or　unstable　is　to　lose　one's　power　of　mastery　…　the　power　of　the　true　self！
  27
  Good　traveling　does　not　leave　tracks
  Good　speech　does　not　seek　faults
  Good　reckoning　does　not　use　counters
  Good　closure　needs　no　bar　and　yet　cannot　be　opened
  Good　knot　needs　no　rope　and　yet　cannot　be　untied
  Therefore　sages　often　save　others
  And　so　do　not　abandon　anyone
  They　often　save　things
  And　so　do　not　abandon　anything
  This　is　called　following　enlightenment
  Therefore　the　good　person　is　the　teacher　of　the　bad　person
  The　bad　person　is　the　resource　of　the　good　person
  The　one　who　does　not　value　his　teachers
  And　does　not　love　his　resources
  Although　intelligent；　he　is　greatly　confused
  This　is　called　the　essential　wonder
  Skilled　travelers　in　the　journey　of　life　follow　the　path　of　nature。　They　do　not　force　their　way　through　obstacles　or　trample　over　the　paths　of　other　travelers。　Therefore；　they　leave　no　signs　of　their　passing。　Similarly；　those　who　are　skillful　in　the　art　of　conversation　do　not　use　words　to　highlight　the　faults　of　others。　Such　actions　breed　contention　…　and　conflicts　leave　many　tracks　indeed！
  There　are　those　who　are　good　at　capturing　people's　attention；　imagination；　and　heart。　They　do　not　need　to　lock　people　in　to　keep　them　around。　People　would　naturally　not　wish　to　leave。　They　can　also　be　skillful　in　bonding　with　people。　When　they　have　connected　with　people　at　a　deep　level；　it　is　a　bond　that　is　stronger　than　any　knots　tied　with　ropes。
  This　is　how　sages　deal　with　people。　Because　of　their　genuine　virtue；　they　maintain　a　captive　audience　without　having　to　physically　force　anyone　to　be　present。　They　cherish　everyone　and　all　things；　and　it　becomes　clear　to　the　people　that　the　sage　would　never　abandon　them。　This　is　part　of　the　powerful　bond　that　the　sage　naturally　establishes　with　others。
  One　reason　why　sages　don't　give　up　on　anyone　is　that　everyone　plays　a　role　in　the　overall　stage　of　life。　Everyone　has　an　impact　on　everyone　else；　and　i