For　the　Sage　goes　clothed　in　coarse　and　simple　garments；
  But　he　wears　a　jewel　hidden　in　his　bosom。
  71
  To　know　that　one　does　not　know　is　the　better　part。
  Not　to　recognize　true　knowledge　is　an　illness。
  Only　by　knowing　this　illness　to　be　illness　does　not　cease　to　be　ill。
  The　Sage　is　free　from　this　illness；
  For　having　recognized　his　illness　and　illness；
  He　is　no　longer　ill。
  72
  If　people　are　not　awestruck　by　that　authority　which　rightly　claims　their　awe；
  Be　sure　a　greater　fear；　the　fear　of　death；　will　not　let　them　escape。
  But　do　not　confine　them　within　narrow　walls；
  Not　interfere　with　their　lot；
  If　you　refrain　from　despising　htem；　you　will　not　be　despised　by　them。
  Thus　it　is　with　the　Sage：
  He　knows　himselfr；　yet　makes　no　parade　of　himself。
  He　loves　himself；　yet　does　not　overrate　himself。
  Indeed；　he　disregards　That　and　nurtures　This。
  73
  He　whose　courage　is　shown　in　rashly　daring　will　be　killed；
  He　whose　courage　is　shown　in　not　rashly　daring　will　live。
  Of　these　two　either　may　be　harmful；　either　may　be　beneficial；
  And　who　shall　say　which　of　them　is　hated　by　Heaven？
  （Even　the　Sage　sees　a　difficulty　here。）
  The　Tao　of　Heaven　does　not　contend；　yet　knows　the　way　to　win；
  It　does　not　speak；　yet　knows　how　to　get　the　right　answer；
  It　does　not　beckon；　yet　all　things　come　to　it　freely；
  In　stillness　and　without　haste；　it　carries　out　its　well…laid　plans。
  The　net　of　Heaven　is　vast；　but　though　its　mesh　is　wide；
  Nothing　escapes。
  74
  If　the　people　do　not　stand　in　awe　of　death；
  What　is　the　point　of　threatening　them　with　the　death　penalty？
  But　even　suppose　the　people　were　in　constant　fear　of　death；
  Who　would　dare　to　seize　the　evil…doers　and　slaughter　them？
  Leave　killing　to　the　Great　Slayer。
  He　who　usurps　the　place　of　the　Great　Slayer
  Is　like　one　who　seeks　to　assist　a　master　joiner　with　an　axe。
  Now　he　who　assists　a　master　joiner　with　an　axe
  Rarely　fails　to　injure　his　own　hands。
  75
  If　the　people　go　hungry　it　is　because　their　betters　ruin　them　with　taxes：
  That　is　why　they　must　grow　hungry。
  IF　the　people　are　hard　to　govern　it　is　because　their　betters　meddle　in　their　affairs：
  That　is　the　only　reason　why　they　are　hard　to　overn。
  If　the　peoplemake　light　of　death　it　is　because　they　are　so　absorbed　in　the　task　of　living：
  That　is　why　they　make　light　of　death。
  And　indeed　they　who　set　too　little　store　by　life　are　at　any　rate　wiser　than　they　who　value　it　too　dearly。
  76
  Men　at　birth　are　weak　and　tender；
  Men　in　death　are　rigid　and　hard。
  All　creatures；　trees　and　plants　are　soft　and　tender　in　their　early　growth；
  And　in　dying　become　withered　and　dry。
  Thus　we　may　say　that　rigidity　and　hardness　are　related　to　death；
  While　weakness　and　tenderness　are　related　to　life。
  Therefore；　the　soldier　who　depends　on　strength　will　not　conquer；
  The　tree　that　has　grown　too　hard　will　be　felled。
  For　the　tree　that　has　grown　too　hard　will　be　felled。
  For　the　place　of　the　strong　and　mighty　is　below；
  And　the　place　of　the　weak　and　tender　is　above。
  77
  Kapitel　nicht　vorhanden　/　chapter　not　available
  78
  Kapitel　nicht　vorhanden　/　chapter　not　available
  79
  When　reconciliation　follows　a　great　grievance；
  How　often　there　is　a　residue　of　grievance！
  That　can　scarcely　be　called　a　settlement！
  Therefore；　the　Sage；　while　himself　fulfilling　the　harder　part　of　a　bargain；
  Does　not　claim　his　due　from　the　other。
  He　who　uses　the　Virtue　of　the　Tao；　keeps　to　his　bond；
  He　who　does　not　use　the　Virtue　of　the　Tao　drives　a　hard　bargain。
  The　Tao　is　no　respecter　of　persons：
  Its　abundance　is　always　at　the　service　of　the　good。
  80
  Picture　my　little　country　with　its　few　inhabitants。
  Maybe　there　are　contraptions　in　it　for　reducing　labour　to　a　tenth；　a　hundredth；　but　why　should　they　be　used？
  I　would　have　my　people　take　death　seriously　and　not　go　abroad　to　seek　it；　though　they　be　ready　enough　to　die　wice
  over　to　defend　their　homes。
  Maybe　there　are　boats　and　carriages　in　my　little　country；　but　why　should　the　people　travel　in　them？
  Maybe　there　are　weapons　and　armour；　but　these　are　kept　in　the　background；　unused。
  I　would　let　my　people　jog　their　memories　with　knotted　cords　and　not　depend　on　writing。
  I　would　have　them　satisfied　with　their　food；　their　clothing　should　be　pleasant；　their　homes　comfortable；　and　they
  would　take　delight　in　the　performance　of　the　daily　round。
  The　neighbouring　country　might　be　so　near　that　my　people　would　hear　the　cocks　crow　and　the　dogs　bark　over　there；
  but　old　age　might　come　and　even　death　itself；　and　yet　my　people　would　have　felt　no　need　to　cross　the　border。
  81
  Truth　has　no　need　for　fine　words；
  Fine　words　may　not　be　true　words。
  The　man　of　Tao　does　not　try　to　convince　by　argument：
  He　who　argues　is　not　a　man　of　Tao。
  Wisdom　does　not　consist　in　knowing　everything；
  The　know…alls　do　not　know　the　Tao。
  The　Sage　does　not　hoard。　The　more　he　spends　himself　for　others；　the　more　he　enriches　himself。
  The　more　he　fives；　the　more　he　gains。
  For　the　Tao　of　Heaven　penetrates　all　things　but　harms　none。
  This；　too；　is　the　Tao　of　the　Sage；　who　acts　without　contending。
  English_RedPine_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  Chinese　…　English　by
  Red　Pine　（Bill　Porter）；　1996
  1
  The　way　that　becomes　a　way　is　not　the　Immortal　Way
  the　name　that　becomes　a　name　is　not　the　Immortal　Name
  the　maiden　of　Heaven　and　Earth　has　no　name
  the　mother　of　all　things　has　a　name
  thus　in　innocence　we　see　the　beginning
  in　passion　we　see　the　end
  two　different　names　for　one　and　the　same
  the　one　we　call　dark　the　dark　beyond　dark　the　door　to　all　beginnings
  2
  All　the　world　knows　beauty　but　if　that　becomes　beautiful　this　becomes　ugly
  all　the　word　knows　good　but　if　that　becomes　good　this　becomes　bad
  the　coexistence　of　have　and　have　not　the　coproduction　of　hard　and　easy　the　correlation　of　long　and　short
  the　codependence　of　high　and　low　the　correspondence　of　note　and　noise　the　coordination　of　first　and　last　is　endless
  thus　the　sage　performs　effortless　deeds　and　teaches　wordless　lessons
  he　doesn't　start　all　things　he　begins　he　doesn't　presume　on　what　he　does　he　doesn't　claim　what　he　achieves
  and　because　he　makes　no　claim　he　suffers　no　loss
  3
  Bestowing　no　honours　keeps　people　from　fighting
  prizing　no　treasures　keeps　people　from　stealing
  displaying　no　attractions　keeps　people　from　making　trouble
  thus　the　rule　of　the　sage　empties　the　mind　but　fills　the　stomach　weakens　the　will　but　strengthens　the　bones
  by　keeping　the　people　from　knowing　or　wanting　and　those　who　know　from　daring　to　act
  he　thus　governs　them　all
  4
  The　Tao　is　so　empty　those　who　use　it　never　become　full　again
  and　so　deep　as　if　it　were　the　ancestor　of　us　all
  dulling　our　edges　untying　our　tangles　softening　our　light　merging　our　dust
  and　so　clear　as　if　it　were　present
  I　wonder　whose　child　it　is　it　seems　it　was　here　before　the　Ti
  5
  Heaven　and　Earth　are　heartless　treating　creatures　like　straw　dogs
  heartless　is　the　sage　treating　people　like　straw　dogs
  between　Heaven　and　Earth　how　like　a　bellows　empty　but　inexhaustible　each　movement　produces　more
  taking　only　wastes　it　better　to　keep　it　inside
  6
  The　valley　spirit　that　doesn't　die　we　call　the　dark　womb
  as　real　as　gossamer　silk　and　yet　we　can't　exhaust　it。
  The　valley　spirit　that　doesn't　die　we　call　the　dark　womb　the　dark　womb's　mouth　we　call　the　source　of　creation　as　real　as　gossamer　silk　and　yet　we　can't　exhaust　it。
  7
  Heaven　is　eternal　and　Earth　is　immortal
  the　reason　they're　eternal　and　immortal　is　because　they　don't　live　for　themselves　hence　they　can　live　forever
  thus　the　sage　pulls　himself　back　but　ends　up　in　front
  he　lets　himself　go　but　ends　up　safe
  selflessness　must　be　the　reason　whatever　he　seeks　he　finds
  8
  The　best　are　like　water　bringing　help　to　all　without　competing　choosing　what　others　avoid　hence　approaching　the　Tao
  dwelling　with　earth　thinking　with　depth　helping　with　kindness　speaking　with　truth
  governing　with　peace　working　with　skill　moving　with　time
  and　because　they　don't　compete　they　aren't　maligned
  9
  Instead　of　pouring　in　more　better　stop　while　you　can
  making　it　sharper　won't　help　it　last　longer
  houses　full　of　treasure　can　never　be　safe
  the　vanity　of　success　invites　its　own　failure
  retire　when　your　work　is　done　this　is　the　Way　of　Heaven
  10
  Can　you　hold　fast　your　crescent　soul　and　not　let　it　wander
  can　you　make　your　breath　as　soft　as　a　baby's
  can　you　wipe　your　Dark　Mirror　free　of　dust
  can　you　love　people　and　lead　them　without　imposing　your　will？　can　you　serve　and　govern　without　effort
  can　you　be　the　female　at　Heaven's　Gate
  can　you　light　up　the　world　without　knowl