of　Unity。　There　will　then　neither　be　love　nor　hate；　profit　not　loss；　favour　or　disgrace。　It　follows　that　in　the　universe　there　is　nothing　nobler。
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  Rule　the　Empire　with　uprightness。　The　Empire　is　won　by　non…concern。　How　do　I　know　this？　Thus：　The　more　superstitious　restrictions　in　the　land　the　poorer　the　people；　the　more　the　people　are　concerned　with　the　administration　the　more　benighted　the　state　and　the　clans；　the　more　craftiness　is　displayed　the　greater　the
  number　of　novelties　which　arise。　The　more　legislation　there　is　the　more　thieves　and　robbers　increase。
  It　is　for　these　reasons　that　a　sage　has　said：　揑　do　nothing；　but　the　people　spontaneously　reform。　I　love　tranquility；　and　the　people　spontaneously　become　upright。　I　have　no　concerns；　and　the　people　naturally　grow　wealthy。　I　am　without　desire；　and　of　their　own　free　will　the　people　revert　to　primitive　simplicity。？br》
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  When　the　government　is　not　in　evidence　the　people　are　honest　and　loyal。
  When　the　government　is　meddlesome　the　people　are　in　want。
  Misery！　Happiness　lies　by　its　side！　Happiness！　Misery　lurks　underneath。　He　who　understands　the　end　has　progressed　beyond　limitations。
  The　regular　becomes　irregular；　the　good　becomes　unpropitious。　This　has　bewildered　men　from　time　immemorial！
  Hence　the　Holy　Man　is　a　square　which　has　not　been　cut；　and　whose　corners　have　not　been　planed；　he　is　straightforward　without　being　reckless；　and　bright　without　being　dazzling。
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  For　the　regulation　of　mankind　and　the　service　of　heaven　nothing　equals　reserve　power。　Reserve　power　means　a　speedy　submission。　Speedy　submission　implies　a　rich　store　of　energy。　A　rich　store　of　energy　means　the　subjugation　of　everything。　Everything　being　subdued　none　knows　his　limits。　His　limits　being
  unknown　his　sovereign　power　is　assured；　having　the　root　of　sovereignty　which　endures　for　long。
  This　may　be　described　as　a　揹eep　taproot；？and　a　揹urable　peduncle；？？the　perpetual　vitality　and　continued　manifestation　of　the　Tao。
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  Govern　a　great　state　as　you　would　fry　a　small　fish。
  Employ　the　Tao　to　establish　the　Empire　and　the　daemons　will　display　no　energy；　no　that　they　are　devoid　of　energy；　but　that　they　will　not　use　it　to　man抯　detriment；　（further）　not　only　will　man　suffer　no　hurt　from　the　daemons　but　he　will　not　be　injured　by　the　sages。
  When　neither　harm；　the　attributes　of　the　Tao　blend　and　converge。
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  A　great　country　is　lowly。　Everything　under　heaven　blends　with　it。　It　is　like　the　female；　which　at　all　times　and　in　every　place　overcomes　the　male　by　her　quietude。　Than　quietude　there　is　nothing　that　is　more　lowly。
  Therefore　a　great　state　gains　the　smaller　state　by　yielding；　while　the　smaller　state　wins　the　greater　by　submission。　In　the　one　case　lowliness　gains　adherents；　in　the　other　it　procures　favours。
  For　a　strong　state　there　is　no　safer　ambition　than　to　desire　to　gather　men　and　care　from　them；　and　for　the　weaker　state　there　is　nothing　better　than　the　ambition　to　become　an　indispensable　servant。
  When　each　obtains　what　each　desires　the　strongest　should　be　the　humblest。
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  The　Tao　has　of　all　things　the　most　honoured　place。
  It　is　the　good　man抯　treasure；　and　that　which　protects　the　bad　man。
  Its　excellent　words　may　be　displayed　before　all。　Its　noble　deeds　assist　all　men。
  Why　should　a　man　be　cast　aside　because　he　is　bad？
  Hence　when　the　sovereign　has　been　enthroned；　and　the　chief　ministers　have　been　appointed；　though　one　escorted　by　a　team　of　horses；　present　the　jade　symbol　of　office；　it　would　not　equal　the　stilling　of　the　heart；　and　entering　this　Tao。
  What　is　the　reason　that　this　Tao　has　been　held　in　such　esteem　from　the　beginning？　May　we　not　say　that　is　it　because　those　who　seek　receive；　and　those　who　are　guilty　escape　by　its　（help）？　Hence　it　becomes　the　most　valued　things　under　heaven。
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  Practice　non…action。　Be　concerned　with　non…concern。　Taste　the　flavourless。　Account　the　small　as　great；　and　the　few　as　many。　For　hatred　return　perfection。
  Manipulate　difficulties　while　they　are　easy。　Take　in　hand　great　things　while　they　are　insignificant。　Every　difficult　thing　in　the　world　had　its　origin　in　what　was　at　first　easy。　Every　great　thing　in　the　world　was　once　significant。　Therefore　the　Holy　Man　makes　no　distinctions　and　thus　he　is　able　to　accomplish　that　which　is　great。
  Small　faith　can　be　placed　in　promises　lightly　made。
  The　easier　a　matter　is　reckoned　the　more　difficult　it　proves　at　the　last；　for　this　reason　the　Holy　Man　sees　difficulties　in　everything；　and　therefore　he　encounters　no　difficulties。
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  Whatever　is　at　rest　can　easily　be　taken　in　hand；　while　yet　no　omens　have　appeared　plans　can　be　easily　formed。
  What　is　brittle　is　easily　broken；　what　is　minute　is　easily　scattered。
  Act　before　necessity　arises；　regulate　before　disorder　commences。
  The　trunk　that　can　scarcely　be　embraced　sprang　from　a　tiny　shoot；　the　tower　that　is　nine　stories　high　was　raised　from　a　mound　of　earth；　the　journey　of　a　thousand　li　commenced　when　the　foot　was　placed　on　the　ground。
  Who　makes；　mars；　who　grasps；　loses。
  The　Holy　man　practices　non…action；　hence　he　never　injures；　he　never　grasps；　hence　he　never　loses。　The　majority　are　too　eager　for　results　in　attending　to　their　affairs；　and　spoil　everything。　There　would　be　no　such　failures　were　they　as　cautious　at　the　end　as　at　the　beginning。
  Hence　the　Holy　Man　desires　passionlessness；　he　does　not　prize　articles　that　are　rare；　he　studies　to　be　unlearned；　he　reverts　to　that　which　the　masses　pass　by。　In　this　way　he　promotes　the　natural　development　of　things　without　venturing　to　interfere。
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  From　the　most　ancient　of　times　those　who　have　practiced　the　Tao　have　depended　on　the　simplicity　of　the　people　rather　than　on　their　adroitness。
  When　the　people　are　difficult　to　control　it　is　because　they　possess　too　much　worldly　wisdom。
  Who　governs　by　worldly　wisdom　is　a　robber　in　the　land；　who　governs　without　out　is　a　blessing　to　the　state。
  To　know　these　two　axioms　is　to　become　a　model。　To　understand　how　to　be　a　model　is　indeed　the　mystery　of　energy。
  Verily；　deep　and　far…reaching　is　this　mystery　of　energy。　It　is　the　opposite　of　all　that　is　visible；　but　it　leads　to　universal　concord。
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  That　which　enables　the　rivers　and　the　seas　to　become　the　rulers　of　all　the　water…courses　in　their　ability　to　remain　in　the　lowest；　it　is　on　this　account　that　they　are　the　rulers　of　them　all。　In　like　manner　the　Holy　Man；　if　he　wishes　to　direct　the　people　must　speak　of　himself　as　subject　to　them；　if　he　wishes　to　lead　them　he　must
  put　himself　in　the　background。　Hence　the　Sages　are　supreme；　but　the　people　are　not　burdened；　they　are　in　the　vanguard；　but　the　people　are　not　harmed。　For　this　reason　the　whole　Empire　delights　to　exalt　them；　and　no　one　feels　annoyance。　Because　they　do　to　strive　there　is　none　who　can　strive　with　them。
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  It　was　once　generally　affirmed　that　the　greater　the　Self　the　more　impossible　it　was　to　compare　it　with　anything　else。　Now　it　is　just　this　greatness　which　makes　it　incomparable；　should；　however；　a　comparison　be　demanded；　it　would　have　to　be　described　as　the　eternal；　which　is　imperceptible。　Now　the　Self　has　three
  treasures；　to　which　it　clings　as　to　inseparables：　the　first　is　compassion；　the　second；　self…restraint；　the　third；　nowhere　venturing　to　claim　precedence。
  Compassionate　？therefore　irresistible！
  Self…restrained　？therefore　enlarged！
  Nowhere　venturing　to　claim　precedence　？therefore　efficient！
  Nowadays　men　cast　compassion　on　one　side；　yet　expect　to　be　irresistible！　They　discard　self…restraint；　yet　look　for　enlargement；　they　forget　to　retire；　yet　demand　precedence！　？this　is　death。
  As　regards　compassion；　rely　on　it　when　you　would　contend；　and　you　will　overcome；　rely　on　it　when　you　would　protect；　and　you　will　succeed。　Heaven　is　ever　ready　to　deliver　because　of　the　protection　compassion　brings。
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  The　most　skillful　warriors　are　not　warlike；　the　best　fighters　are　not　wrathful；　the　mightiest　conquerors　never　strive；　the　greatest　masters　are　ever　lowly。
  This　is　the　glory　of　non…strife；　and　the　might　of　utilization；　these　equal　heaven；　they　were　the　goal　of　the　ancients
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  Military　commanders　have　a　saying：
  I　dare　not　act　as　host　but　only　as　a　guest；　rather　than　advance　an　inch　I　would　retire　a　foot。
  This　marching　without　moving；　bearing　the　invisible　arm；　regarding　the　enemy　as　if　he　were　not；　grasping　the　sword　that　is　not。
  There　is　no　calamity　greater　than　making　light　of　the　enemy；　to　make　light　of　the　enemy　is　to　endanger　my　retention　of　the　treasures。　Hence　once　the　opposing　forces　have　met　it　is　the　pitiful　who　conquer。
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  It　is　very　easy　to　comprehend　my　teachings　and　to　put　them　into　practice。　Yet　there　is　no　one　in　the　world　who　is　able　either　to　comprehend；　or　to　practice　them。
  There　is　an　originating　principle　for　speech；　an　authoritative　law　for　conduct；　but　because　this　knowledge　is　lacking　I　am　unknown。　Those　who　know　Me　are　few；　those　who　imitate　Me　are　worthy。　Hence　the　Holy　Man　wears　coarse　garments；　but　carries　a　jewel