He　revolutionizes　the　place　in　which　he　dwells；　his　depth　is　immeasurable；　he　strengthens　moral　qualities　by　what　he　bestows；　he　augments　sincerity　by　what　he　says；　he　evokes　peace　by　his　administration；　his　transactions　manifest　ability；　he　is　opportune　in　all　his　movements。
  Forasmuch　as　he　does　not　assert　himself　he　is　free　from　blame。
  9
  It　is　better　to　leave　alone；　than　to　grasp　at　fullness。
  Sharpness；　which　results　from　filing；　cannot　be　preserved。
  None　can　protect　the　hall　that　is　filled　with　gold　and　jade。
  Opulence；　honours；　pride；　necessarily　bequeath　calamity。
  Merit　established；　a　name　made；　then　retirement　？this　is　the　way　of　Heaven。
  10
  By　steadily　disciplining　the　animal　nature；　until　it　becomes　one　pointed；　it　is　possible　to　establish　the　Indivisible。
  By　undivided　attention　to　the　soul；　rendering　it　passive；　it　is　possible　to　become　as　an　infant　child。
  By　purifying　the　mind　of　phantasms；　it　is　possible　to　become　without　fault。
  By　perfecting　the　people；　and　pacifying　the　empire；　it　is　possible　to　prove　non…attachment。
  By　functioning　on　the　super…physical　planes；　it　is　possible　to　be　independent　of　the　lower　mind。
  By　making　intuition　omniscient；　it　is　impossible　to　discard　knowledge。
  Producing！　Nourishing！　Developing；　without　self…consciousness！　Acting；　without　seeking　the　fruit！
  Progressing；　without　thinking　of　growth！　This　is　the　abyss　of　energy。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　meet　in　one　hub；　but　the　need　for　the　cart　existed　when　as　yet　it　was　not。　Clay　is　fashioned　into　vessels；　but　the　need　for　the　vessel　existed　when　as　yet　it　was　not。　Doors　and　windows　are　cut　out　to　make　a　house；　but　the　need　for　the　house　existed　when　as　yet　it　was　not。　Hence　there　is　a　profitableness　in　that　which　is　and　a　need　in　that　which　is　not。
  12
  The　five　colours　blind　men抯　eyes。
  The　five　tones　deafen　one抯　ears。
  The　five　flavours　blunt　men抯　appetites。
  Galloping　and　hunting　derange　men抯　minds。
  Articles　which　are　rare　limit　the　freedom　of　men抯　actions。
  On　this　account　the　holy　man　regards　the　stomach　and　not　the　eye。
  He　puts　aside　the　one；　that　he　may　take　the　other　in　hand。
  13
  Equally　fear　favour　and　disgrace。
  Regard　a　great　calamity　as　you　do　your　own　body。
  What　is　meant　by　揈qually　fear　favour　and　grace？？Favour　should　be　disparaged。　Gained　or　lost　it　arouses　apprehension。　Hence　it　is　said；　揈qually　fear　favour　and　disgrace。？br》　What　is　meant　by　搑egard　a　great　calamity　as　you　do　your　own　body？？Why　have　I　any　sense　of　misfortune？　Because　I　am　conscious　of　myself。　Were　I　not　conscious　of　my　body；　what　distresses　would　I　have？
  Therefore；　it　is　only　they　who　value　their　persons　because　of　their　obligation；　who　may　be　entrusted　with　the　empire。　It　is　only　they　who　love　themselves　on　account　of　their　responsibilities；　who　may　be　charged　with　the　care　of　the　state。
  14
  Looked　for　but　invisible　？it　may　be　named　揷olourless。？br》　Listened　for；　but　inaudible　？it　may　be　named　揺lusive。？br》　Clutched　at；　but　unattainable　…　is　may　be　named　搒ubtle。？br》　These　three　cannot　be　unraveled　by　questioning　for　they　blend　into　one。
  Neither　brighter　above　；　nor　darker　below。
  Its　line；　though　continuous；　is　nameless；　and　in　that　it　reverts　to　vacuity。
  It　may　be　styled　揟he　form　of　the　formless？　揟he　Images　of　the　imageless？　in　a　word　？揟he　indefinite。？br》　Go　in　front　of　it　and　you　will　discover　no　beginning；　follow　after　it　and　you　will　perceive　no　ending。
  Lay　hold　of　this　ancient　doctrine；　apply　it　in　controlling　the　things　of　the　present　day；　you　will　then
  understand　how　from　the　first　it　has　been　the　origin　of　everything。
  Here；　indeed；　is　the　clue　to　the　Tao。
  15
  Profound　indeed　were　the　most　excellent　among　the　ancients；　penetrating；　fathomless；　inasmuch　as　they　were　fathomless　it　becomes　necessary　to　employ　far　fetched　symbols　when　speaking　of　them。
  Irresolute　？as　if　fording　a　stream　in　winter。
  Timid　？as　though　fearful　of　their　neighbours。
  Grave　？as　if　they　were　guests。
  Elusive　？like　ice　about　to　melt。
  Simple　？like　raw　material。
  Expansive　？like　the　space　between　hills。
  Turbid　？like　muddy　water。
  Who　can　still　the　turbid　and　make　it　gradually　clear；　or　quiet　the　active　so　that　by　degrees　it　shall　become　productive？　Only　he　who　keeps　this　Tao；　without　desiring　fullness。　If　one　is　not　full　it　is　possible　to　be　antiquated　and　not　newly　fashioned。
  16
  Abstraction　complete；　quiescence　maintained　unalloyed；　the　various　forms　rise　with　one　accord；　and　I　observe　that　each　returns　again。　All　things　thrive　and　increase；　then　each　returns　again　to　the　root。　This　return　to　the　root　is　called　搒tillness；？or　it　may　be　described　as　a　return　to　report　that　they　have　fulfilled
  their　destiny。　This　report　is　called　搕he　unchanging　rule。？br》　Knowledge　of　this　unchanging　rule　is　called　搃llumination。？Those　who　are　ignorant　of　it　give　way　to　abandon　and　to　recklessness。
  Knowledge　of　this　unchanging　rule　leads　to　toleration。
  Toleration　leads　to　comprehension。
  Comprehension　leads　to　sovereignty。
  Sovereignty　leads　to　heavenlikeness。
  Heaven…likeness　leads　to　Tao。
  Tao　leads　to　continuity。
  Though　the　body　be　no　more；　there　is　no　danger。
  17
  First　the　supreme。　Then　a　sense　of　separateness。　Next　preferences　and　eulogies。　Lastly；　fear。　Then　scorn。
  Hence　it　is　plain　that　lack　of　sincerity　has　its　origins　in　superficial　faith。
  Cautious！　They　valued　their　words；　accomplished　their　purposes；　settled　their　affairs；　and　the　people　all　said：　揥e　are　spontaneous。？br》
  18
  The　great　Tao　faded　and　there　was　benevolence　and　righteousness。　Worldly　wisdom　and　shrewdness　appeared　and　there　was　much　dissembling。
  The　family　relationships　no　longer　harmonious；　there　was　filial　piety　and　paternal　love。
  The　state　and　the　clans　in　anarchy；　there　was　loyalty　and　faithfulness。
  19
  Abandon　knowledge；　discard　wisdom　？the　people　will　gain　a　hundred　fold。
  Abandon　the　humanities；　discard　righteousness　？the　people　will　return　to　filial　love。
  Abandon　cleverness；　discard　gain　？robbers　and　thieves　will　be　no　more。
  These　three；　being　considered　not　sufficiently　aesthetic；　therefore　many　other　devices　were　added。
  Better　observe　simplicity；　encourage　primitiveness；　lessen　the　number　of　private　projects；　and　moderate　desire。
  20
  Scholarship　abandoned；　sorrow　vanishes。
  Yes　and　yea；　are　they　not　almost　alike？
  Goodness　and　evil；　are　they　not　akin？
  Untrammeled　and　without　limits　？yet　that　may　not　be　lightly　esteemed　which　all　men　reverence。
  The　multitude　are　joyful　and　merry　？as　though　feasting　on　a　day　of　sacrifice；　or　ascending　a　high　tower　in　spring。　I　alone　am　anchored　without　giving　any　sign　？like　an　infant；　undeveloped。
  My　homeless　heart　wanders　among　the　things　of　sense；　as　if　it　had　nowhere　to　stay。
  The　multitude　have　enough　and　to　spare　？I　alone　am　as　one　who　has　lost　something。
  Have　I　then　the　mind　of　a　fool？　Am　I　so　very　confused？
  Ordinary　men　are　bright　enough。　I　alone　am　dull。
  Ordinary　men　are　full　of　excitement。　I　alone　am　heavy…hearted。
  Boundless　as　the　sea；　drifting　to　and　fro；　as　if　without　a　place　to　rest。
  All　men　have　some　purpose。　I　alone　am　thick…headed　as　a　boor。
  I　am　alone　？differing　from　others；　in　that　I　reverence　and　seek　the　Nursing　Mother。
  21
  The　comprehensiveness　of　supreme　energy　is　its　conformity　to　the　Tao。
  The　Tao　considered　as　an　entity　is　impalpable；　indefinite。　Indefinite；　impalpable；　within　are　concretions。
  Impalpable；　indefinite；　within　are　shapes。　Profound；　obscure；　within　there　is　essence。　This　essence　being　supremely　real；　within　is　sincerity。
  From　the　beginning　until　now　it　has　not　changed；　and　thus　it　has　watched　all　the　essentials。　How　do　I　know　it　has　been　thus　will　all　principles？　By　what　has　just　been　said。
  22
  To　be　crooked　is　to　be　perfected；　to　be　bent　is　to　be　straightened；　to　be　lowly　is　to　be　filled；　to　be　senile　is　to　be　renewed；　to　be　diminished　is　to　be　able　to　receive；　to　be　increased　is　to　be　deluded。
  Therefore　the　Holy　Man　embraces　unity；　and　becomes　the　world抯　model。
  He　is　not　self…regarding；　therefore　he　is　cognizant。
  He　is　not　egotistic；　therefore　he　is　distinguished。
  He　is　not　boastful；　therefore　he　has　merit。
  He　is　not　conceited；　therefore　he　is　superior。
  Inasmuch　as　he　strives　with　none；　there　are　none　in　the　world　able　to　strive　with　him。
  That　ancient　maxim　？慣o　be　crooked　is　to　become　perfected？？was　it　an　idle　word？　Verily；　it　includes　the　whole。
  23
  Few　words　are　natural。
  A　whirlwind　does　not　outlast　the　morning；　a　deluge　does　not　outlast　the　day。　Who　produces　these？　The　Heaven…Earth。　If　the　Heaven…Earth　cannot　produce　lasting　phenomena；　how　much　less　can　man？
  Wherefore　settling　everything　in　accordance　with　the　Tao；　embodying　the　Tao　they　become　identified　with　the　Tao。　Embodying　its　virtue；　they　become　identified　with　virtue。　Embodying　loss；　they　become　identified　with　loss。
  Identified　with　Tao；　they　joyf