back…and…forth　deception；　contention　and　retribution　with　their　neighbors。
  81
  True　words　are　not　beautiful
  Beautiful　words　are　not　true
  Those　who　are　good　do　not　debate
  Those　who　debate　are　not　good。
  Those　who　know　are　not　broad　of　knowledge
  Those　who　are　broad　of　knowledge　do　not　know
  Sages　do　not　accumulate
  The　more　they　assist　others；　the　more　they　possess
  The　more　they　give　to　others；　the　more　they　gain
  The　Tao　of　heaven
  Benefits　and　does　not　harm
  The　Tao　of　sages
  Assists　and　does　not　contend
  Sincere　words；　spoken　honestly；　may　be　blunt　and　direct。　People　who　wish　to　avoid　the　truth　will　not　find　them　pleasant。
  Soothing；　flowery　words　that　appeal　to　vanity　are　not　truthful。　Such　words　distort　reality　in　order　to　deceive　or　manipulate。
  Those　who　are　good　in　the　art　of　living　recognize　the　futility　of　arguments；　and　therefore　wisely　refrain　from　engaging　in　debates。　Sages　who　possess　Te　let　actions　reveal　their　virtues；　they　have　no　need　to　explain　themselves　with　words。
  Conversely；　someone　who　is　overly　argumentative　…　and　thus　constantly　debates　against　others　…　is　a　person　lacking　the　skill　to　live　a　life　free　of　anger　and　stress。　We　should　also　beware　of　those　who　constantly　explain　themselves　with　glib　words；　for　they　do　not　possess　real　virtue。
  Those　who　possess　true　mastery　of　knowledge　have　no　wish　to　acquire　shallow　learning　in　a　broad　spectrum　of　subjects。　Someone　who　really　knows；　understands　that　the　great　Tao　lives　in　the　heart。　There　is　no　need　to　search　for　the　Tao　all　over　the　place。
  Conversely；　if　someone　claims　to　know　something　about　everything；　then　chances　are　excellent　that　this　person　has　little　mastery　of　any　one　subject。　Being　obsessed　with　a　wide　variety　of　book　knowledge　is　a　sign　of　someone　who　has　not　yet　found　the　Tao　within。
  Sages　have　no　need　to　accumulate　worldly　knowledge　or　goods；　because　they　find　contentment　and　abundance　in　helping　and　giving。　The　more　they　render　assistance；　the　more　fulfillment　they　possess；　the　more　they　give　to　people；　the　more　blessings　and　wisdom　they　acquire。
  Sages　recognize　that　the　positive；　uplifting　Tao　of　heaven　benefits　all　living　things　and　does　not　harm　them。　In　emulating　this；　sages　also　seek　to　benefit　others　by　helping　them；　and　refrain　from　harming　them　with　contention。
  Notes
  The　first　two　lines；　True　words　are　not　beautiful　/　Beautiful　words　are　not　true；　can　be　misused。　Sometimes；　people　who　want　to　criticize　others　out　of　malice　may　use　them　as　justification。
  The　difference　between　such　people　and　sages　is　in　terms　of　intention。　When　sages　speak　plainly　and　truthfully；　they　do　so　out　of　the　intention　to　assist　or　benefit　others　…　sages　have　no　wish　to　harm　other　people　with　words；　or　initiate　an　argument　with　them。
  Oftentimes　we　think　we　are　helping　friends　by　arguing　with　them　（to　〃make　them　see〃）；　but　because　this　brings　contention　into　the　relationship；　it　is　usually　more　harmful　than　helpful。　People　are　hardly　at　their　best　when　a　debate　causes　them　to　become　defensive　and　unyielding。
  Another　important　point　related　to　the　first　two　lines　is　that　sages　do　not　give　insincere　praise。　Saying　what　people　want　to　hear　（beautiful　words）　may　make　them　feel　comfortable　in　the　short　term；　but　if　such　words　distort　or　conceal　reality；　they　can　only　lead　to　harm　in　the　long　run。
  English_Lindauer_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  Chinese　…　English　by
  David　Lindauer
  1
  A　tao　that　one　can　tao
  Is　not　the　entire　tao
  A　name　that　one　can　name
  Is　not　the　entire　name。
  In　the　absence　of　names
  Lies　the　origin　of　heavens　and　earth
  The　presence　of　names
  Is　mother　to　the　10000　things。
  So　viewing　entireness　without　desire
  One　may　see　subtleties
  Viewing　entireness　with　desire
  One　may　see　boundaries。
  That　which　is　these　both
  Goes　about　as　itself　yet　there　are　different　names。
  Categorizing　them　together　there　is　insight
  Very　deep　insight
  The　gateway　to　collective　subtleties。
  2
  In　the　world　each　knows　how　beauty　acts
  Where　there　is　beauty　ugliness　begins
  Each　knows　how　to　value
  Where　there　is　value　lack　of　value　begins。
  In　this　manner
  Presence　and　absence　give　birth　to　each　other
  Difficult　and　easy　complete　each　other
  Long　and　short　contrast　each　other
  High　and　low　attract　each　other
  Tone　and　voice　harmonize　each　other
  Front　and　back　follow　each　other。
  Appropriately　it　happens　that　sages
  Dwell　absent　of　acting　with　effort
  Do　things　without　explaining　in　words
  Make　the　10000　things　blend　yet　without　trying　to　describe　them
  Give　birth　yet　without　possessing
  Act　yet　without　relying　on　results
  Are　of　outstanding　service　yet　aren't　willing　to　reside　therein。
  In　the　end；　only　be　unwilling　to　reside　therein
  Appropriately；　a　lack　of　detachment　happens。
  3
  Being　without　esteem　for　principles
  Results　in　people　who　do　not　contend
  Being　without　treasuring　goods　difficult　to　obtain
  Results　in　people　who　do　not　act　as　thieves
  Being　without　seeing　what　one　can　desire
  Results　in　the　minds　of　people　not　being　confused。
  Appropriately　the　governing　of　sages　happens。
  Baring　the　mind
  Solidifying　the　center
  Lessening　the　will
  Strengthening　self…nature
  These　entirely　result　in　people
  Who　are　absent　of　knowing　and　absent　of　desire
  In　the　end　they　also　result　in　the　wise　not　venturing　to　act。
  Acting　absent　of　acting
  An　absence　of　being　without　governing　follows。
  4
  Tao；　like　an　empty　bowl
  Being　used　somehow　lacks　fullness。
  Such　breadth！
  It　seems　to　be　a　model　for　the　10000　things。
  Blunting　what　is　sharp
  Untying　what　is　tangled
  Harmonizing　what　is　bright
  Being　together　with　the　dusty　earth。
  Such　depth！
  It　seems　to　somehow　exist。
  I　have　no　knowledge　whose　child　it　is
  It　appears　to　precede　the　emperors。
  5
  Heavens　and　earth　are　without　humanizing
  It　happens　that　the　10000　things　act　as　straw　dogs
  Sages　are　without　humanizing
  It　happens　that　one　hundred　families　act　as　straw　dogs。
  The　space　bounding　heavens　and　earth　is　just　like　the　equal　of　a　bellows
  Empty　yet　not　subdued
  Stirring　yet　more　goes　out。
  Much　talk　counts　for　little
  It　can't　compare　to　obeying　the　center。
  6
  The　valley　spirit　has　no　death
  It　is　appropriately　called　the　all…embracing　female
  The　gateway　of　The　all…embracing　female
  Is　appropriately　called　the　root　of　heavens　and　earth。
  Continuous；　soft；　it　looks　like　it　exists…
  It　is　infrequently　used。
  7
  Heavens；　growth；　earth；　longevity。
  In　heavens　and　earth's　place
  That　which　is　able　to　grow　and　further　be　long…lasting　happens
  And　something　lacking　existence　of　a　self　happens
  So　it　is　able　to　grow　and　give　birth。
  Appropriately　it　happens　that　sages
  Put　their　bodies　behind　yet　their　bodies　are　ahead
  Put　their　bodies　outside　yet　their　bodies　are　kept　in。
  Does　it　not　happen　they　are　absent　of　anomalous　self…interest？
  So　they　are　able　to　perfect　self…interest。
  8
  Better　value　looks　like　water
  The　value　if　water　profits　the　10000　things　yet　without　contending
  It　dwells　in　places　the　collective　mind　dislikes…
  So　it　is　severed；　relating　to　tao。
  The　value　of　a　home　is　in　location
  The　value　of　a　mind　is　in　breadth
  The　value　of　a　relationship　is　in　humanity
  The　value　of　a　word　is　in　belief
  The　value　of　a　government　is　in　governing
  The　value　of　an　effort　is　in　ability
  The　value　of　a　movement　is　in　time。
  In　the　end　only　be　without　contending
  So　be　absent　from　reproach。
  9
  Holding　yet　being　full
  Lacks　compare　to　not　yet　being　so
  A　sword　blade　being　oversharpened
  Cannot　long　remain　so
  A　living　room　full　of　gold　and　jade
  There　is　noone　able　to　guard　it
  Abundant　treasures　yet　arrogance
  Self…condemnation；　self…punishment。
  Outstanding　service　performed
  The　body　withdrawing
  The　tao　of　the　heavens。
  10
  In　containing　life…force　and　embracing　oneness
  Is　the　ability　to　be　absent　from　departing　equal？
  In　gently　extending　animus　alone
  Is　the　ability　to　be　as　a　newborn　child　equal？
  In　cleansing　and　clearing　insightful　discernment
  Is　the　ability　to　be　absent　of　flaws　equal？
  In　fondness　for　people；　governing　a　nation
  Is　the　ability　to　be　absent　of　action　equal？
  In　opening　and　closing　the　gate　of　heavens
  Is　the　ability　to　be　absent　of　femaleness　equal？
  In　seeing　clearly　all　four　reaches
  Is　the　ability　to　be　absent　from　knowledge　equal？
  Be　giving　birth；　be　nourishing。
  Giving　birth　yet　without　possessing
  Acting　yet　without　sustaining
  Growing　yet　without　directing
  Is　appropriately　called　insightful　ideal。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　converge　at　one　hub
  The　use　of　a　chariot　is　in　the　pr