few；　those　who　imitate　Me　are　worthy。　Hence　the　Holy　Man　wears　coarse　garments；　but　carries　a　jewel　in　his　bosom。
  71
  The　highest　attainment　is　to　know　non…knowledge。　To　regard　ignorance　as　knowledge　is　a　disease。　Only　be　feeling　the　pain　of　this　disease　do　we　cease　to　be　diseased。　The　perfected　man；　because　h　eknows　the　pain　of　it；　is　free　from　this　disease。　It　is　for　this　reason　that　he　does　not　have　it。
  72
  The　limits　of　the　greatest　fear　have　been　reached　when　the　people　cease　to　fear　that　which　is　to　be　feared。
  Neither　regard　your　lot　as　mean；　nor　despise　the　conditions　of　your　birth；　for　that　which　is　not　despised　arouses　no　disgust。
  Hence　although　the　Holy　Man　knows　himself　he　makes　no　display；　although　he　loves　himself　he　seeks　no　reputation。　On　this　account　he　rejects　the　one　while　clinging　to　the　other。
  73
  The　recklessly　rash　die。　The　cautiously　courageous　live。　Of　these　two　courses　it　is　uncertain　which　is　advantageous　and　which　is　disadvantageous；　for　who　can　explain　why　heaven　disapproves？　Therefore　even　the　Holy　Man　feels　a　difficulty　here。　This　is　the　way　of　heaven：
  Goodwill；　which　surely　overcomes。
  Silence；　which　certainly　responds。
  Without　being　summoned；　spontaneously　arriving。
  Acting　leisurely；　but　planning　effectively。
  Heaven抯　net　spreads　everywhere；　wide　in　mesh；　yet　losing　nothing。
  74
  Why　use　death　as　a　deterrent；　when　the　people　have　no　fear　of　death？
  Even　supposing　they　shrank　from　death　as　from　a　monster；　and　by　playing　on　their　terror　I　could　slay　them；　should　I　dare？
  There　is　one　who　inflicts　sentence　of　death。　To　usurp　his　functions　and　to　kill　would　be　to　assume　the　role　of　Master…Carpenter。　There　are　few　who　can　act　as　Master…Carpenter　without　cutting　their　hands。
  75
  The　people　suffer　from　famine　because　of　the　multitude　of　taxes　consumed　by　their　superiors。　Because　of　this　they　suffer　from　famine。　The　people　are　difficult　to　govern　because　of　the　officiousness　of　their　superiors；　because　of　this　they　are　difficult　to　govern。　Men　are　continually　dying　because　they　lust　after　life；　because　of　this　they　frequently　die。
  It　is　only　those　with　whom　life　is　no　object　who　truly　value　life。
  76
  At　birth　man　is　supple　and　weak；　at　death　rigid　and　strong。　So　with　inanimate　nature　？say　the　vegetable　creation　？in　its　early　growth　it　is　pliable　and　brittle；　at　death　it　is　decayed　and　withered。　It　follows　that　rigidity　and　strength　are　the　way　to　death；　pliability　and　gentleness　the　way　to　life。
  Hence　a　soldier　who　is　arrogant　cannot　conquer；　the　tree　which　is　strong　is　doomed。
  The　firm　and　the　great　occupy　the　lower　place；　the　pliable　and　the　meek　the　higher。
  77
  The　Divine　Way　is　like　the　drawing　of　a　bow；　it　brings　down　the　high　and　exalts　the　low。　Where　there　is　superfluity　it　takes　away；　where　there　is　deficiency　it　imparts。　It　is　the　way　of　heaven　to　diminish　abundance；　and　supplement　deficiency。
  The　way　of　man　is　not　so。　He　depletes　the　deficient；　that　he　may　supplement　the　superfluous。
  Who　is　able　to　have　a　superabundance　for　the　service　of　the　world？　Only　the　possessor　of　the　Tao！　Hence　the　Holy　Man　acts　without　priding　himself　on　his　actions；　completes　his　work　without　lingering　on　it；　he　has　no　desire　to　display　his　superiority。
  78
  Nothing　is　so　flexible　as　water；　yet　for　attacking　that　which　is　hard　nothing　surpasses　it。　There　is　nothing　which　supplants　it。
  The　weak　overcomes　the　strong；　the　soft　control　the　hard。　Everyone　knows　this；　but　no　one　practices　it。
  Hence　a　Sage　has　said　？揥ho　bears　his　country抯　reproach　is　hailed　as　the　lord　of　his　nation抯　altars。　Who　bears　his　country抯　misfortunes　is　called　the　Empire抯　chief。？br》　Truth；　when　expressed　in　speech；　appears　paradoxical。
  79
  To　compromise　a　great　hate　leaves　ill…will　behind；　that　is　only　a　bleeding　which　produces　tranquility。
  Therefore　the　Holy　Man　does　not　pry　into　other　people's　affairs；　even　when　he　holds　the　left…hand　bond；　possessing　the　attributes　of　the　Tao；　he　quietly　holds　his　own；　he　who　lacks　the　qualities　of　Tao　strives　to　put　everybody　right。
  It　is　heaven抯　way　to　be　without　favourites；　and　to　be　always　on　the　side　of　the　good　man。
  80
  A　state　may　be　small；　and　the　population　sparse；　yet　the　people　should　be　taught　not　to　rely　on　force；　they　should　be　made　to　comprehend　the　gravity　of　death；　and　the　futility　of　emigration。　Then；　though　they　had　boats　and　carts；　they　would　have　no　use　for　them；　though　they　had　armour　and　weapons　they　would　not　display　them。　They　should　be　taught　to　return　to　the　use　of　the　quippo；　to　be　content　with　their　food；　their　clothing；　their　dwellings；　and　to　be　happy　in　their　traditions。　Though　neighbouring　states　were　within　sight；　and　the　people　should　hear　the　barking　of　their　dogs　and　the　crowing　of　their　cocks；　they　would　grow　old　and　die　without　visiting　them。
  81
  Sincere　words　are　not　（necessarily）　pleasant；　nor　are　pleasant　words　（necessarily）　sincere。
  The　good　are　not　（necessarily）　skillful　debaters；　not　are　skillful　debaters　（necessarily）　good　men。
  The　wise　are　not　（necessarily）　well　informed；　nor　are　the　well　informed　（necessarily）　wise。
  The　Holy　Man　does　not　accumulate。　He　works　for　others；　yet　ever　has　abundance　for　himself；　he　gives　to　others；　yet　himself　ever　possesses　superabundance。
  The　divine　way　is　advantageous；　without　danger；　the　way　of　the　Sages　is　effective　without　struggle。
  English_Merel1_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  English　interpolation　by
  Peter　Merel
  1
  Tao
  The　Tao　that　can　be　known　is　not　Tao。
  The　substance　of　the　World　is　only　a　name　for　Tao。
  Tao　is　all　that　exists　and　may　exist；
  The　World　is　only　a　map　of　what　exists　and　may　exist。
  One　experiences　without　Self　to　sense　the　World；
  And　experiences　with　Self　to　understand　the　World。
  The　two　experiences　are　the　same　within　Tao；
  They　are　distinct　only　within　the　World。
  Neither　experience　conveys　Tao
  Which　is　infinitely　greater　and　more　subtle　than　the　World。
  2
  Qualities
  When　Beauty　is　recognised　in　the　World
  Ugliness　has　been　learned；
  When　Good　is　recognised　in　the　World
  Evil　has　been　learned。
  In　this　way：
  Alive　and　dead　are　abstracted　from　growth；
  Difficult　and　easy　are　abstracted　from　progress；
  Far　and　near　are　abstracted　from　position；
  Strong　and　weak　are　abstracted　from　control；
  Song　and　speech　are　abstracted　from　harmony；
  After　and　before　are　abstracted　from　sequence。
  The　sage　controls　without　authority；
  And　teaches　without　words；
  He　lets　all　things　rise　and　fall；
  Nurtures；　but　does　not　interfere；
  Gives　without　demanding；
  And　is　content。
  3
  Control
  Not　praising　the　worthy　prevents　cheating
  Not　esteeming　the　rare　prevents　theft
  Not　flaunting　beauty　prevents　lust
  So　the　sage　controls　people　by：
  Emptying　their　hearts；
  Filling　their　bellies；
  Weakening　their　ambitions；
  And　strengthening　their　bodies。
  If　people　lack　knowledge　and　desire
  The　crafty　among　them　can　not　act；
  If　no　action　is　taken
  Then　all　live　in　peace。
  4
  Properties　of　Tao
  Properties　of　Tao
  Tao　is　a　depthless　vessel；
  Used　by　the　Self；　it　is　not　filled　by　the　World；
  It　cannot　be　cut；　knotted；　dimmed　or　stilled；
  Its　depths　are　hidden；　ubiquitous　and　eternal；
  I　don't　know　where　it　came　from；
  It　came　before　Nature。
  5
  Nature
  Nature
  Nature　is　not　kind；
  It　treats　all　things　impartially。
  The　Sage　is　not　kind；
  And　treats　all　people　impartially。
  Nature　is　like　a　bellows
  Empty；　yet　supplying　all　needs；
  The　more　it　moves；　the　more　it　yields；
  The　sage　draws　upon　Tao　in　the　same　way
  And　can　not　be　exhausted。
  6
  The　Heart
  Like　a　riverbed；　the　heart　is　never　filled
  It　is　an　ineffable　female
  Whose　entrance　is　the　source　of　the　World；
  Tao　is　ever　present　within　it：
  Draw　upon　it　and　it　will　never　fail。
  7
  Self
  Nature　is　everlasting　because　it　does　not　have　a　Self。
  In　this　way　the　sage：
  Serves　his　Self　last　and　finds　it　served　first；
  Sees　his　body　as　accidental　and　finds　it　endures。
  Because　he　does　not　serve　his　Self；　he　is　content。
  8
  Intimacy
  The　best　of　man　is　like　water；
  Which　benefits　all　things；　and　does　not　contend　with　them；
  Which　flows　in　places　that　others　disdain；
  Where　it　holds　fast　to　Tao。
  So　the　sage：
  In　dwelling　holds　fast　to　the　land；
  In　governing　holds　fast　to　order；
  In　talking　holds　fast　to　truth；
  In　dealing　holds　fast　to　men；
  In　acting　holds　fast　to　opportunity；
  In　crafting　holds　fast　to　competence；
  In　feeling　holds　fast　to　the　heart；
  He　does　not　contend；　and　so　is　without　blame。
  9
  Hubris
  Stretch　a　bow　to　its　limit　and　it　is　soon　broken；
  Temper　a　blade　to　its　sharpest　and　it　is　soon　blunted；
  Amass　the　greatest　treasure