esults　are　obtained　it　is　solely　because　therewas　no　other　way　out。　When　results　are　obtained　they　do　not　try　to　dominate。When　creatures　come　to　their　prime　they　begin　to　age。　That　is　spoken　ofas　the　Dao　（course）　of　retrograde　action。　What　is　on　the　retrograde　Daois　soon　finished。
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  Excellent　weapons　are　inauspicious　instruments。　Creatures　always　abhorthem。　So　those　who　have　the　Dao　do　not　become　involved　with　them。　Whenthe　ruler　resides　at　peace　he　values　the　left；　and　when　he　takes　up　armshe　values　the　right。　Arms　are　inauspicious　instruments；　not　the　instrumentsfit　for　a　noble　man。　Only　when　there　is　no　alternative　does　he　resort　tothem。＇And　then＇　placidity　and　blandness　are　the　best。　He　does　not　regardvictory　as　glorious。　Those　who　glorify　victory　exult　in　killing　people。Now　those　who　exult　in　killing　people　cannot　achieve　their　aspirationsin　this　world。　For　auspicious　affairs　one　elevates　the　left。　For　inauspiciousaffairs　one　elevates　the　right。　The　lieutenant　generals　take　their　stationson　the　left。　The　full　generals　reside　on　the　right。＇Because　the　rightis　the　side　of　mourning；　the　above　discussion＇　means　one　ought　to　treat＇military＇　affairs　with　the　rites　of　mourning。　Because　of　the　large　numbersof　people　who　are　killed；　they　are　to　be　wept　for　with　sorrow。　Victoryin　war　should　be　treated　with　the　rites　of　mourning。
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  The　Dao　is　always　nameless。　Although　the　Uncarved　Block　is　insignificant；nothing　in　the　world　can　subordinate　it。　If　the　lords　and　kings　can　holdfast　to　it；　then　the　myriad　creatures　will　come　to　be　their　vassals　oftheir　own　accord。
  Heaven　and　Earth　will　couple　in　order　to　let　the　sweet　dew　fall。　Althoughno　people　shall　so　command；　the　＇distribution　of　sweet　dew＇　will　be　equitableof　its　own　accord。
  Only　after　fabrication　occurs　are　there　names；　and　once　there　are　namespeople　ought　to　know　where　to　stop；　for　by　knowing　where　to　stop　they　canescape　danger。
  For　example；　the　Dao　in　relation　to　the　world　is　like　the　way　the　streamsand　valleys　supply　＇water　to＇　the　rivers　and　oceans。
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  Those　who　know　other　people　are　knowledgeable。
  Those　who　know　themselves　are　enlightened。
  Those　who　overcome　other　people　are　forceful。
  Those　who　overcome　themselves　are　strong。
  Those　who　know　when　they　have　enough　are　rich。
  Those　who　act　strongly　have　aspirations。
  Those　who　do　not　lose　their　positions　are　long　enduring。
  Those　who　die　and　yet　do　not　perish　have　life　everlasting。
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  The　great　Dao　reaches　everywhere　without　regard　to　direction。　The　myriadcreatures　depend　on　it　to　reproduce　themselves　and　be　born；　and　none　aredenied。　When　accomplishments　are　made　＇the　Dao＇　does　not　claim　them。　Itfeeds　and　clothes　the　myriad　creatures　and　does　not　act　as　their　master。Constantly　without　desire　＇in　regard　of　the　myriad　creatures＇　it　can　becalled　insignificant。　The　myriad　creatures　take　refuge　therein　and　yetit　does　not　act　as　their　master；　so　it　can　be　called　great。　Because　itnever　takes　itself　to　be　great　it　can　therefore　accomplish　its　own　greatness。
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  Grasp　the　great　Image　and　＇all　in＇　the　world　will　approach。　They　approachand　are　not　injured；　thus　great　is　their　peace　and　tranquility。　When　thereis　music　and　food；　the　passing　travellers　will　stop　in。＇But＇　the　Dao　whenexpressed　in　words　is　found　bland　and　flavorless；　when　looked　at　providesnothing　to　see；　when　listened　to　provides　nothing　to　hear。＇Yet＇　when　putinto　use；　there　is　no　way　to　exhaust　it。
  36
  If　one　would　contract　something；　then　one　must　first　resolutely　spreadit　out。　If　one　would　weaken　something；　then　one　must　first　resolutely　strengthenit。　If　one　would　have　a　thing　be　discarded　one　must　first　resolutely　causeit　to　flourish。　If　one　would　seize　something　one　must　first　resolutelygive　it　away。　This　＇approach＇　is　called　subtle　discernment。　The　pliantand　weak　overcome　the　rigid　and　strong。＇So＇　fish　cannot　leave　the　depthsand　the　sharp　instruments　of　the　state　cannot　be　shown　＇to　threaten＇　thepeople。
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  The　Dao　never　employs　forceful　action　yet　there　is　nothing　it　fails　todo。　If　the　lords　and　rulers　can　hold　to　it；　then　the　myriad　creatures　willtransform　themselves　of　their　own　accord。　Should　desire　rise　up　＇even＇after　they　have　transformed；　I　will　tranquilize　it　with　the　nameless　UncarvedBlock。＇By　reason　of＇　the　nameless　Uncarved　Block；　the　＇myriad　creatures＇too　will　in　future　become　desireless。　Their　having　been　stilled　by　desirelessness；the　world　will　become　settled　of　its　own　accord。
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  The　highest　virtue　is　not　virtuous　and　for　that　reason　has　＇true＇　virtue。The　lesser　virtue　does　not　lose　virtue　and　for　that　reason　does　not　have＇true＇　virtue。　The　highest　virtue　does　not　engage　in　＇forceful＇　activityand　so　uses　nothing　to　do　things。　The　highest　benevolence　does　things　and　doesso　by　means　of　nothing。　The　highest　righteousness　does　things　and　doesso　by　means　of　something。　The　highest　propriety　does　things　and　if　nothingresponds　to　what　it　does　then　it　thrusts　out　its　forearms　and　forces　them。So　after　the　Dao　is　lost　there　is　virtue。　After　virtue　is　lost；　there　isbenevolence。　After　benevolence　is　lost；　there　is　righteousness。　After　righteousnessis　lost；　there　is　propriety。　Now　propriety　is　the　husk　of　faithfulnessand　trust　and　the　beginning　of　disorder。　The　initial　discernments　are　thedetritus　of　the　Dao　and　the　beginnings　of　ignorance。　For　this　reason　thegreat　man　abides　in　the　substantial　parts　and　does　not　tarry　in　the　husk。He　abides　in　the　solid　parts　and　does　not　tarry　in　the　detritus。　So　herejects　that　and　accepts　this。
  39
  Of　those　in　ancient　times　who　attained　unity：　Heaven　attained　unity　inorder　to　be　pure。　Earth　attained　unity　in　order　to　be　stable。　Spirits　attainedunity　in　order　to　be　responsive。　The　valleys　attained　unity　in　order　tobe　full。　The　myriad　creatures　attained　unity　in　order　to　reproduce。　Thelords　and　kings　attained　unity　in　order　to　become　the　correct　ones　in　theworld。＇It　is　unity　that＇　brings　them　to　this　height。　If　Heaven　did　nothave　what　it　takes　to　be　pure；　it　would　probably　become　rent。　If　Earthdid　not　have　the　means　to　be　stable；　it　would　probably　quake。　If　the　spiritsdid　not　have　the　means　to　be　responsive；　they　would　probably　dissipate。If　the　valleys　did　not　have　the　means　to　be　filled；　they　would　probablybecome　exhausted。　If　the　myriad　creatures　did　not　have　the　means　to　reproduce；they　would　probably　become　extinct。　If　the　lords　and　kings　did　not　havethe　means　to　be　noble　and　exalted；　they　would　probably　fall。　So　the　nobletakes　the　ignoble　as　its　base；　and　the　high　takes　the　low　as　its　foundation。For　this　reason　the　lords　and　kings　speak　of　themselves　as　the　orphaned；the　bereaved；　and　the　unworthy。　Is　this　not　taking　the　ignoble　as　one'sbase？　Is　this　not　so？　So　the　highest　degree　of　good　repute　is　to　have　nogood　repute。　Be　not　glistening　like　jade　＇but＇　stony　like　rock。
  40
  Recirculation　is　＇characteristic　of＇　the　motion　of　the　Dao。　Weakness　is＇characteristic　of　＇　the　functioning　of　the　Dao。　The　myriad　creatures　ofthe　world　are　produced　out　of　things　that　exist。　Existence　is　producedfrom　non…existence。
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  When　the　superior　knight…scholar　hears　of　the　Dao；　he　diligently　puts　itinto　practice。　When　the　average　knight…scholar　hears　of　the　Dao；　it　ishalf　as　though　he　preserves　＇the　concept　of＇　it　in　his　mind　and　half　asthough　it　is　lost。　When　the　inferior　knight…scholar　hears　of　the　Dao；　helaughs　uproariously　at　the　notion。　If　such　a　one　did　not　laugh　at　it；　itwould　be　something　too　inadequate　to　be　the　Dao。　So　an　established　sayingstates　that　the　brightness　of　the　Dao　seems　like　darkness；　the　advanceof　the　Dao　seems　like　retreat；　the　level　Dao　seems　rough；　the　superiorvirtue　seems　like　a　gully；　the　whitest　white　seems　sullied；　ample　virtueseems　inadequate；　firmly　established　virtue　seems　stealthy；　pristine　virtueseems　polluted；　the　greatest　square　has　no　corners；　the　greatest　vesselsare　completed　late；　the　greatest　sound　is　inaudible；　the　greatest　imagehas　no　form。　The　Dao　hides　itself　in　namelessness。　Now　only　the　Dao　isgood　at　bestowing　＇things　upon　the　creatures　of　the　world＇　and　bringing＇them＇　to　completion。
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  The　Dao　produced　the　One。　The　One　produced　the　Two。　The　Two　produced　theThree。　And　the　Three　produced　the　myriad　creatures。　The　myriad　creaturesbear　Yin　on　their　backs　and　embrace　Yang。　They　blend　lifebreaths　in　orderto　create　a　harmony。　People　abominate　nothing　more　than　to　be　orphaned；bereaved；　and　unworthy；　yet　the　lords　and　kings　take　these　＇terms＇　as　theirappellations。　So　creatures　may　be　worn　away　and　thereby　augmented；　or　theymay　be　augmented　and　thereby　worn　away。
  What　other　people　teach　I　also　teach：　〃Ruffians　will　come　to　no　goodend。''　I　take　this　as　my　precept。
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  The　most　pliant　things　in　the　world　ride　roughshod　over　the　hardest。　Non…beingenters　even　where　there　is　no　fissure。　For　this　reason　I　know　the　benefitof　non…action。　Few　in　the　world　can　attain　to　＇comprehension　of＇　the　wordlessteaching　or　to　the　benefits　of　non…activity。
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  Which　is　dearer　to　you；　your　＇good＇　name　or　your　life？　Which　＇counts＇　morewith　you；　your　person　or　your　material　goods？　Which　is　the　more　inj