e　identified　with　loss。
  Identified　with　Tao；　they　joyfully　accept　the　Tao；　identified　with　virtue；　they　joyfully　accept　virtue；　identified　with　loss；　they　joyfully　accept　loss。
  If　sincerity　is　lacking　it　is　because　of　superficial　faith。
  24
  Who　tiptoes；　totters。　Who　straddles；　stumbles。　The　self…regarding　cannot　cognize；　the　egotistic　are　not　distinguished；　the　boastful　are　not　meritorious；　the　self…conceited　cannot　excel。　Such　from　the　standpoint　of　the　Tao　are　like　remnants　of　food；　or　parasites；　which　all　things　probably　detest。　Hence；　those　who　possess　the　Tao　are　not　so。
  25
  There　was　a　completed；　amorphous　something　before　the　Heaven…Earth　was　born。　Tranquil！　Boundless！
  Abiding　alone　and　changing　not！　Extending　everywhere　without　risk。　It　may　be　styled　搕he　world…mother。？br》　I　do　not　know　its　name；　but　characterize　it　？tae　Tao。　Arbitrarily　forcing　a　name　upon　it　I　call　it　the　Great。
  Great；　it　may　be　said　to　be　transitory。　Transitory；　it　become　remote。　Remote；　it　returns。
  The　Tao；　then；　is　great；　Heaven　is　great；　Earth　is　Great；　a　king　is　also　great。　In　space　there　are　four　that　are　great；　and　the　king　dwells　there　as　one　of　them。
  Man抯　standard　is　the　earth。　Earth抯　standard　is　the　Heaven。　Heaven抯　standard　is　the　Tao。　The　Tao抯　standard　is　spontaneity。
  26
  Lightness　has　its　roots　in　heaviness。　Restlessness　has　a　master　in　stillness。　Therefore；　the　Holy　Man　travels　all　day　without　leaving　the　baggage　wagon。　Surrounded　by　sensuous　enjoyments　he　remains　peaceful　and　free。
  How；　then；　can　the　Lord　of　ten　thousand　chariots　regard　his　personality　as　of　less　importance　than　his　royal　trust？　By　levity　he　will　lose　his　ministers；　by　restlessness　he　will　lose　his　throne。
  27
  Good　doers　leave　no　tracks。　True　words　have　no　defects。　Skillful　plans　require　no　calculations。　Able　closers　need　no　locks　and　bars；　yet　none　can　open　what　they　shut。　Real　strength　wants　no　cords；　yet　none　can　loose　it。
  It　follows　that　the　Holy　Man　when　helping　others；　works　in　accordance　with　the　unchanging　goodness。
  Hence；　he　rejects　none。　He　does　the　same　when　helping　nature　to　develop。　Therefore；　he　rejects　nothing。
  This　may　be　called　搊bscure　perception。？br》　Thus　a　Good　Man　is　the　bad　man抯　instructor；　the　bad　man　the　Good　Man抯　material。　Yet　he　does　not　esteem　himself　a　teacher；　nor　does　he　love　his　material。
  Although　one　may　be　wise；　here　he　is　deceived。
  This　is　called　揟he　Cardinal　Mystery。？br》
  28
  One　conscious　of　virility；　maintaining　muliebrity；　is　a　world…channel。　From　a　world…channel　the　unchanging　energy　never　departs。　This　is　to　revert　to　the　state　of　infancy。
  One　conscious　of　brightness；　placid　in　shade；　is　a　world…model。　In　a　world…model　the　unchanging　energy　remains　undiminished。　This　is　to　revert　to　the　unlimited。
  One　conscious　of　merit；　content　in　disgrace；　is　a　world…valley。　In　a　world…valley　the　unchanging　energy　is　sufficient。　This　is　to　revert　to　simplicity。
  Simplicity　scattered　becomes　capacity；　and　in　the　hands　of　the　Holy　Man；　administrators。
  Thus　the　Supreme　Mandate　may　not　be　sundered。
  29
  I　perceive　that　no　desire　can　succeed　which　has　as　its　objective　the　moulding　of　the　state。　The　state　possesses　a　divine　capacity；　which　cannot　be　moulded。
  To　make　is　to　mar；　to　grasp　is　to　lose。
  Thus　in　nature　some　things　lead；　others　follow；　some　inspire；　others　expire；　some　are　strong；　some　are　weak；　some　survive；　others　succumb；　hence；　the　Holy　Man　renounces　excess；　extravagance；　exaltation。
  30
  When　one　uses　the　Tao　in　assisting　his　sovereign；　he　will　not　employ　arms　to　coerce　the　state。　Such　methods　easily　react。
  When　military　camps　are　established。　Briers　and　thorns　flourish。　When　great　armies　have　moved　through　the　land　calamities　are　sure　to　follow。
  The　capable　are　determined；　but　no　more。　They　will　not　venture　to　compel；　determined；　but　not　conceited；　determined；　but　not　boastful；　determined；　but　not　arrogant；　determined　because　it　cannot　be　helped；　determined；　but　not　forceful。
  When　things　reach　their　prime；　they　begin　to　age。　This　cannot　be　said　to　be　the　Tao。　What　is　Not　the　Tao　soon　ends。
  31
  The　magnificence　of　the　army　cannot　make　it　an　auspicious　weapon。　It　is　possible　that　even　inanimate　Nature　detests　it。　Hence；　one　who　possesses　Tao　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。
  The　Master　Thinker　（the　Sage）　when　at　home　honours　the　left。　When　leading　troops　he　honours　the　right。
  Soldiers　are　instruments　of　ill　omen。　They　are　not　agents　for　a　Master　Thinker。　Only　when　inevitable　will　he　employ　them。　What　he　most　prizes　is　quiet　and　peace　He　will　not　praise　a　victory。　To　do　so　would　show　delight　in　the　slaughter　of　men。　As　for　those　who　delight　in　the　slaughter　of　men；　the　world　is　too　small　for　the　gratification　of　their　desires。
  When　affairs　are　felicitous　the　left　is　honoured；　but　when　they　are　inauspicious　the　right　is　honoured。　The　Second　Officer　is　placed　on　the　left；　but　the　Commander…in…Chief　is　placed　on　the　right。　That　is　to　say；　his　position　is　as　if　he　were　attending　a　funeral。　The　slayer　of　multitudes　should　bitterly　weep　and　lament。
  Having　fought　and　won　it　is　as　if　he　were　presiding　at　a　funeral。
  32
  Tao　？the　Eternally　Nameless。
  Though　primordial　simplicity　is　infinitesimal；　none　dare　make　it　a　public　servant。
  Were　princes　and　monarchs　able　to　maintain　it；　all　creation　would　spontaneously　submit。
  Heaven　and　earth　harmonized；　there　would　be　an　abundance　of　nourishing　agencies；　the　people　unbidden；　would　cooperate　of　their　own　accord。
  Names　arose　when　differentiation　commenced；　once　there　were　names　it　became　important　to　know　where　to　stop。　This　being　known；　danger　ceased。
  The　Tao　spread　throughout　the　world；　may　be　compared　to　mountain　rivulets　and　streams　flowing　toward　the　sea。
  33
  Who　knows　men　has　discernment；　who　knows　himself　has　illumination。
  Who　overcomes　men　has　strength；　who　overcomes　himself　has　determination。　Who　knows　contentment　has　wealth。
  Who　acts　vigourously　has　will。
  Who　never　departs　from　his　base；　endures　long；　he　dies；　but　does　not　perish；　he　lives　eternally。
  34
  Supreme　is　the　Tao！　All　pervasive；　it　can　be　on　the　left　hand　and　on　the　right。
  All　things　depend　on　it　for　life；　and　it　denies　none。
  Its　purposes　accomplished；　it　claims　no　credit。
  It　clothes　and　fosters　all　things；　but　claims　no　lordship。
  Ever　desireless；　it　may　be　named　揟he　Indivisible。？br》　All　things　revert　to　it；　but　it　claims　no　lordship。　It　may　be　named　揟he　Supreme。？br》　Because　to　the　end　it　does　not　seek　supremacy；　it　is　able　to　accomplish　great　things。
  35
  Apprehend　the　inimitable　conception；　you　attract　the　world；　coming　it　receives　no　harm；　but　it　tranquil；　peaceful；　satisfied。
  Like　transient　guests；　music　and　dainties　pass　away。
  The　Tao　entering　the　mouth　is　insipid　and　without　flavour；　when　looked　at　it　evades　sight；　when　listened　for　it　escapes　the　ear　？（yet）　its　operations　are　interminable。
  36
  When　about　to　inhale　it　is　certainly　necessary　to　open　the　mouth；　when　about　to　weaken　it　is　certainly　necessary　to　strengthen；　when　about　to　discard　it　is　certainly　necessary　to　promote；　when　about　to　take　away　it　is　certainly　necessary　to　impart　…　this　is　atomic　perception。
  The　weak　overcome　the　strong。
  Fish　cannot　leave　the　deeps。
  The　innerness　of　the　government　cannot　be　shown　to　the　people。
  37
  The　Tao　？eternally　actionless　and　the　cause　of　all　action！
  Were　princes　and　monarchs　able　to　acquiesce　the　myriad　existences　would　by　degrees　spontaneously　transform。　Transforming　and　wishing　to　function　I　would　immediately　guide　by　the　simplicity　of　the　nameless。
  The　simplicity　of　the　nameless　is　akin　to　desirableness。
  Desireless　and　at　rest　the　world　would　naturally　become　peaceful。
  38
  Superior　energy　is　non…action；　hence　it　is　energy。
  Inferior　energy　will　not　resign　action；　hence；　it　is　not　energy。
  Superior　energy　is　actionless　because　motiveless。
  Inferior　energy　acts　from　motive。
  Superior　magnanimity　is　active　but　motiveless。
  Superior　equity　is　active　from　motive。
  Superior　propriety　is　active；　is　bares　its　arm　and　asserts　itself　when　it　meets　with　no　response。
  Thus　as　the　Tao　recedes　there　are　energies；　as　the　energies　recede　there　is　magnanimity；　as　magnanimity　recedes　there　is　equity；　as　equity　recedes　there　is　propriety。
  Inasmuch　as　propriety　is　the　attenuation　of　conscientiousness　it　is　the　origin　of　disorder。
  The　beginnings　of　consciousness　are　flower　of　Tao；　but　the　commencement　of　delusion。
  Therefore　the　men　who　are　great　live　with　that　which　is　substantial；　they　do　not　abide　with　realities；　they　do　not　remain　with　what　is　showy。　The　one　they　discard；　the　other　they　hold。
  39
  The　things　which　from　of　old　harmonized　with　the　One　are：　The　heavens；　which　through　the　One　are　clear；　the　earth；　which　through　the　One　is　reposeful；　the　gods；　which　through　the　One　are　spiritual；　space；　which　through　the　One　is　full；　whatever　has　form；　which　through　the　One　develops；　princes　and　monarchs；