This　is　called　making　use　of　people。
  This　is　called　matching　the　sublimity　of　Heaven。？
  1。　i。e。　he　overcomes　his　enemies　without　the　need　to　fight　them。
  2。　i。e。　accomplishing　things；　like　Heaven；　without　striving。
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  The　strategists　have　a　saying：
  慖　dare　not　take　the　offensive；　but　would　rather　take　the　defensive。？br》　慖　dare　not　advance　an　inch；　but　would　rather　retreat　a　foot。？br》
  This　is　called　marching　without　moving；
  Rolling　up　one抯　sleeve　without　showing　one抯　arm；
  Defeating　an　enemy　without　confrontation；
  Being　armed　without　weapons。
  No　misfortune　is　greater　than　underestimating　an　enemy。
  Underestimating　my　enemy　almost　makes　me　lose　my　treasures。？br》
  Therefore；　when　two　sides　takes　arms　against　each　other；
  It　is　the　side　with　the　most　reluctance　which　wins。
  1。　Strictly；　慖　dare　not　be　the　host；　but　would　rather　be　the　guest。？That　is；　the　host；　being　at　home；　must　take　the　initiative；　and　is　in　this　sense　active　whereas　the　guest　takes　the　passive　role。
  2。　Wang　Pi　says　that　these　three　treasures　are　those　mentioned　in　Chapter　67。　Underestimating　one抯　enemy；　one　runs　the　risk　of　resorting　to　force；　doing　this　is　to　憀ose　the　treasures？　（See　P。　J。　Lin　1977；　127）
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  Even　though　my　words　are　easy　to　understand　and　easy　to　put　into　practice；
  No　one　in　the　world　really　knows　them　or　lives　by　them。
  My　words　have　their　origin；　and　my　actions　receive　their　impetus；　in　the　source　of　all　things。
  If　this　is　not　understood；　then　I　am　not　understood。
  Because　so　few　understand　my　words；　they　are　prized　so　highly。
  Therefore；　the　Sage　appears　wearing　coarse　clothing；　concealing　the　true　treasure　in　his　heart。
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  To　know　that　you　do　not　know；　this　is　best。
  Not　to　know；　whilst　thinking　that　one　does　know；　this　is　to　be　flawed。
  Recognising　this　defect　as　a　defect
  Is　the　way　to　be　free　of　the　defect。
  The　Sage　is　not　flawed
  Because　he　recognises　the　flaw　as　a　flaw。
  Therefore　he　is　flawless。？
  1。　I　follow　Henricks　（1990；　168）　who　remarks；　慉lthough　ping　＇in　this　chapter＇　does　mean　揹isease？？here　it　is　best　translated；　I　feel；　as　揻law？（or　揻ault？or　揹efect？。？/span》
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  Unless　the　people　stand　in　awe　of　the　authority　over　them；
  A　greater　authority　will　soon　take　over。？br》
  Let　them　manage　their　own　domestic　affairs　for　themselves；
  Let　them　work　according　to　their　own　dispositions。
  If　you　do　not　oppress　them；　they　will　not　be　oppressed。？br》
  Therefore；　the　Sage　knows　himself
  But　does　not　reveal　himself。
  He　respects　himself
  Without　being　arrogant。
  Thus　he　discards　one　and　chooses　the　other。
  1。　or　The　people　may　not　stand　in　awe　of　their　ruler抯　authority；　But　an　authority　greater　than　this　＇Heaven　or　Tao＇　will　bring　them　to　an　end　they　deserve。
  2。　i。e。　if　the　people　are　not　oppressed；　and　are　left　to　conduct　their　affairs　for　themselves；　they　will　not　resist　or　resent　the　authority　of　the　state。
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  He　who　is　courageous　in　taking　action　is　soon　killed。
  He　who　is　courageous　in　remaining　passive　keeps　his　life。
  Of　the　two　kinds　of　courage；　one　is　harmful　and　the　other　is　advantageous。
  Who　knows　why　Heaven　disapproves　of　one　kind？
  Even　the　Sage　is　unsure　how　to　answer　this。
  The　Way　of　Heaven　accomplishes　without　competing；
  Without　declaring　its　will　it　receives　a　response；
  Without　summoning；　things　come　to　it　of　their　own　accord；
  It　accomplishes　slowly；　with　well…laid　plans。
  The　net　of　Heaven　is　vast；
  And　though　its　mesh　is　very　wide；
  Nothing　can　slip　through。
  74
  If　the　people　are　not　afraid　to　die；
  How　can　you　threaten　them　with　death？
  If　the　people　are　kept　in　constant　fear　of　death；
  And　if　it　were　possible　to　arrest　and　put　to　death　the　law…breakers；
  Who　would　dare　do　this？？br》
  It　is　the　master　executioner？who　does　the　killing。
  To　assume　the　role　of　the　master　executioner　and　do　the　killing　for　oneself
  Is　like　carving　wood　for　oneself
  Instead　of　leaving　it　to　the　master　carpenter。
  Those　who　carve　wood　for　themselves
  Instead　of　leaving　it　to　the　master　carpenter
  Rarely　escape　without　cutting　their　own　hands。
  1。　There　is　an　ambiguity　here　between　慦ho　would　dare　break　the　law？？and　慦ho　would　dare　put　to　death　the　law…breakers？？In　the　light　of　74c；　the　latter　interpretation　seems　to　make　more　sense。
  2。　i。e。　Heaven。
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  If　the　people　go　hungry
  It　is　because　the　rulers　take　too　much　in　taxes。
  This　is　why　they　go　hungry。
  If　the　people　prove　difficult　to　rule
  It　is　because　the　rulers　interfere　too　much。？br》　This　is　why　they　prove　difficult　to　rule。
  If　the　people　take　death　too　lightly
  It　is　because　they　are　engrossed　in　seeking　life抯　pleasures。
  This　is　why　the　people　take　death　too　lightly。
  It　is　only　by　ceasing　to　seek　after　life抯　pleasures　that　one　will　find　life　pleasurable。
  1。　i。e。　they　are　trying　to　do　too　many　things；　and　are　not　following　the　Taoist　way　of　non…action。
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  When　living；　a　man　is　supple　and　soft；
  But　dead；　he　is　hard　and　stiff。
  The　myriad　creatures；　including　grass　and　trees；　when　living；　are　pliant　and　frail；
  But　dead；　they　are　withered　and　dry。
  Therefore　the　hard　and　the　stiff　are　disciples　of　death；
  Whilst　the　supple　and　the　soft　are　disciples　of　life。
  An　inflexible　army　cannot　win。
  A　tree　that　cannot　bend　will　break。
  The　hard　and　inflexible　take　the　lower　position。
  The　soft　and　weak　take　the　higher　position。？
  1。　i。e。　hard　and　inflexible　is　inferior　to　soft　and　weak。
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  The　Way　of　Heaven　is　like　the　drawing　of　a　bow。
  What　is　high　is　brought　lower；　and　what　is　low　is　brought　higher。？br》　What　is　too　long　is　shortened；
  What　is　too　short　is　lengthened。？br》
  The　Way　of　Heaven　is　to　take　away　from　what　is　excessive
  And　to　replenish　what　is　deficient。
  But　the　Way　of　Man　is　different：
  It　takes　away　from　those　who　have　little；
  And　gives　to　those　who　already　have　plenty。
  Who　is　able　to　offer　the　world　whatever　he　has　in　excess？
  Only　the　man　of　Tao。
  Therefore　the　Sage　works　without　claiming　reward；
  Accomplishes　without　taking　credit。
  He　has　no　desire　to　display　his　excellence。
  1。　i。e。　when　the　string　of　a　bow　is　drawn　back；　the　top　of　the　bow；　as　it　bends；　is　pulled　down　（to　some　extent）　and　the　bottom　of　the　bow　is　pulled　up。　This　simile　is　meant　to　illustrate　the　way　Heaven　makes　things　equal；　and　evens　things　out。
  2。　The　simile　is　continued　by　referring　to　the　string　of　the　bow。　If　it　is　too　long　it　must　be　shortened；　and　vice　versa。
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  Under　Heaven；　nothing　is　softer　and　weaker　than　water。
  Yet　nothing　is　better　for　attacking　the　hard　and　the　strong。
  There　is　no　better　substitute。
  All　under　Heaven　know　that　the　weak　overcomes　the　strong
  And　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard。
  Yet　there　are　none　who　practise　this。
  Therefore　the　Sage　says：
  He　who　takes　upon　himself　the　disgrace　of　the　country
  Is　fit　to　be　lord　of　the　land。
  He　who　takes　upon　himself　the　misfortunes　of　the　country
  Is　fit　to　be　king　of　the　empire。
  True　words　seem　paradoxical。
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  When　a　bad　grudge　is　settled；
  Some　enmity　is　bound　to　remain。
  How　can　this　be　considered　acceptable？
  Therefore　the　Sage　keeps　to　his　side　of　the　contract
  But　does　not　hold　the　other　party　to　their　promise。
  He　who　has　Virtue　will　honour　the　contract；
  Whilst　he　who　is　without　Virtue　expects　others　to　meet　their　obligations。
  It　is　the　Way　of　Heaven　to　be　impartial；
  It　stays　always　with　the　good　man。
  80
  The　smaller　the　country；　the　fewer　the　people。？br》　Even　though　they　have　machines　which　can　do　the　work　of　ten；　or　a　hundred　men；　they　are　never　used。
  The　people　take　death　seriously；　so　do　not　travel　far。？br》　Even　though　they　have　boats　and　carriages；　no　one　rides　in　them。
  Even　though　they　have　armour　and　weapons；　no　one　displays　them。
  Let　the　people　return　to　knotting　cords。？br》　Let　them　find　their　plain　food　sweet；
  their　simple　clothes　fine；
  their　modest　dwellings　secure；
  And　they　would　be　happy　with　their　lifestyle。
  Although　the　two　peoples　of　the　neighbouring　countries　are　so　close
  That　they　can　see　each　other；　and　hear　each　other抯　cocks　crowing　and　dogs　barking；
  They　will　leave　each　other　alone　and　grow　old　and　die
  Without　ever　having　visited　each　other。
  1。　In　this　chapter；　Lao　Tzu　describes　an　ideal　society。
  2。　i。e。　the　more　one　travels；　the　more　one　risks　accident　and　injury。　Besides；　in　an　ideal　society；　affairs　would　be　conducted　in　such　a　way　that　need　for　travel　becomes　redundant。
  3。　historically；　a　practice　prior　to；　and　more　simple　than；　writing。
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  True　words　are　not　beautiful；
  Beautiful　words　are　not　true。
  Those　who　are　good　do　not　argue；
  Those　who　argue　are　not　good。
  Those　who　are　wise　are　not　learned；
  Those　who　are　learned　are　not　wise。
  The　Sa