The　Sage　puts　his　own　views　behind　so　ends　up　ahead
  He　stays　a　witness　to　life　so　he　endures
  What　could　he　grab　for　that　he　does　not　already　have？
  What　could　he　do　for　himself　that　the　universe　itself　has　not　already　done？
  8
  The　best　way　to　life　is　to　be　like　water
  For　water　benefits　all　things　and　goes　against　none　of　them
  It　provides　for　all　people　and　even　cleanses　those　places　a　man　is　loath　to　go
  In　this　way　it　is　just　like　Tao
  Live　in　accordance　with　the　nature　of　things
  Build　your　house　on　solid　ground
  Keep　your　mind　still
  When　giving；　be　kind
  When　speaking；　be　truthful
  When　ruling；　be　just
  When　working；　be　one…pointed
  When　acting；　remember　？timing　is　everything
  One　who　lives　in　accordance　with　nature　does　not　go　against　the　way　of　things
  He　moves　in　harmony　with　the　present　moment　always　knowing　the　truth　of　just　what　to　do
  9
  Grabbing　and　stuffing　？there　is　no　end　to　it
  Sharpen　a　blade　too　much　and　its　edge　will　soon　be　lost
  Fill　a　house　with　gold　and　jade　and　no　one　can　protect　it
  Puff　yourself　with　honour　and　pride　and　no　one　can　save　you　from　a　fall
  Complete　the　task　at　had
  Be　selfless　in　your　actions
  This　is　the　way　of　Heaven
  This　is　the　way　to　Heaven
  10
  Hold　fast　to　the　Power　of　the　One
  It　will　unify　the　body　and　merge　it　with　the　spirit
  It　will　cleanse　the　vision　and　reveal　the　world　as　flawless
  It　will　focus　the　life…force　and　make　one　supple　as　a　newborn
  As　you　love　the　people　and　rule　the　state　can　you　be　free　of　self…interest？
  As　the　gates　of　Heaven　open　and　close　can　you　remain　steadfast　as　the　mother　bird　who　sits　on　her　nest？
  As　your　wisdom　reaches　he　four　corners　of　the　world　can　you　keep　the　innocence　of　a　beginner？
  Know　this　Primal　Power　that　guides　without　forcing　that　serves　without　seeking　that　brings　forth　and　sustains　life　yet　does　not　own　or　possess　it。
  One　who　holds　this　Power　brings　Tao　to　this　very　Earth
  He　can　triumph　over　a　raging　fire　or　the　freeze　of　winter　weather
  Yet　when　he　comes　to　rule　the　world　it抯　with　the　gentleness　of　a　feather
  11
  Wu　is　nothingness；　emptiness；　no…existence
  Thirty　spokes　of　a　wheel　all　join　at　at　a　common　hub　yet　only　the　hole　at　the　center　allows　the　wheel　to　spin
  Clay　is　molded　to　form　a　cup　yet　only　the　space　within　allows　the　cup　to　hold　water
  Walls　are　joined　to　make　a　room　yet　only　by　cutting　out　a　door　and　a　window　can　one　enter　the　room　and　live　there
  Thus；　when　a　thing　has　existence　alone　it　is　mere　dead…weight
  Only　when　it　has　wu；　does　it　have　life
  12
  The　five　colours　blind　the　eye
  The　five　tones　deafen　the　ear
  The　five　flavours　dull　the　palate
  Racing；　hunting；　and　galloping　about　only　disturb　the　mind
  Wasting　energy　to　obtain　rare　objects　only　impedes　one抯　growth
  So　the　Sage　is　led　by　his　inner　truth　not　his　outer　eye
  He　holds　to　what　is　deep　and　not　what　lies　on　the　surface
  13
  揃e　wary　of　both　honour　and　disgrace？br》　揈ndless　affliction　is　bound　to　the　body？br》　What　does　it　mean；　揃e　wary　of　both　honour　and　disgrace？？br》　Honour　is　founded　on　disgrace　and　disgrace　is　rooted　in　honour
  Both　should　be　avoided
  Both　bind　a　man　to　this　world
  That抯　why　it　says；　揃e　wary　of　both　honour　and　disgrace？br》　What　does　it　mean；　揈ndless　affliction　is　bound　to　the　body？？br》　Man抯　true　self　is　eternal；　yet　he　thinks；　揑　am　this　body；　I　will　soon　die？br》　This　false　sense　of　self　is　the　cause　of　all　his　sorrow
  When　a　person　does　not　identify　himself　with　the　body　tell　me；　what　troubles　could　touch　him？
  One　who　sees　himself　as　everything　is　fit　to　be　guardian　of　the　world
  One　who　loves　himself　as　everyone　is　fit　to　be　teacher　of　the　world。
  14
  Eyes　look　but　cannot　see　it
  Ears　listen　but　cannot　hear　it
  Hands　grasp　but　cannot　touch　it
  Beyond　the　senses　lies　the　great　Unity　？invisible；　inaudible；　intangible
  What　rises　up　appears　bright
  What　settles　down　appears　dark
  Yet　there　is　neither　darkness　nor　light　just　an　unbroken　dance　of　shadows
  From　nothingness　to　fullness　and　back　again　to　nothingness
  This　formless　form
  This　imageless　image　cannot　be　grasped　by　mind　or　might
  Try　to　face　it
  In　what　place　will　you　stand？
  Try　to　follow　it
  To　what　place　will　you　go？
  Know　That　which　is　beyond　all　beginnings　and　you　will　know　everything　here　and　now
  Know　everything　in　this　moment　and　you　will　know　the　Eternal　Tao
  15
  The　masters　of　this　ancient　path　are　mysterious　and　profound
  Their　inner　states　baffle　all　inquiry
  Their　depths　go　beyond　all　knowing
  Thus；　despite　every　effort；　we　can　only　tell　of　their　outer　signs　？br》　Deliberate；　as　if　treading　over　the　stones　of　a　winter　brook
  Watchful；　as　if　meeting　danger　on　all　sides
  Reverent；　as　if　receiving　an　honoured　guest
  Selfless；　like　a　melting　block　of　ice
  Pure；　like　an　uncarved　block　of　wood
  Accepting；　like　an　open　valley
  Through　the　course　of　Nature　muddy　water　becomes　clear
  Through　the　unfolding　of　life　man　reaches　perfection
  Through　sustained　activity　that　supreme　rest　is　naturally　found
  Those　who　have　Tao　want　nothing　else
  Though　seemingly　empty　they　are　ever　full
  Though　seemingly　old　they　are　beyond　the　reach　of　birth　and　death
  16
  Become　totally　empty
  Quiet　the　restlessness　of　the　mind
  Only　then　will　you　witness　everything　unfolding　from　emptiness
  See　all　things　flourish　and　dance　in　endless　variation
  And　once　again　merge　back　into　perfect　emptiness　？br》　Their　true　repose
  Their　true　nature
  Emerging。　Flourishing；　dissolving　back　again
  This　is　the　eternal　process　of　return
  To　know　this　process　brings　enlightenment
  To　miss　this　process　brings　disaster
  Be　still
  Stillness　reveals　the　secret　of　eternity
  Eternity　embraces　the　all…possible
  The　all…possible　leads　to　a　vision　of　oneness
  A　vision　of　oneness　brings　about　universal　love
  Universal　love　supports　the　great　truth　of　Nature
  The　great　truth　of　Nature　is　Tao
  Whoever　knows　this　truth　lives　forever
  The　body　may　perish；　deeds　may　be　forgotten
  But　he　who　has　Tao　has　all　eternity
  17
  To　know　Tao　alone；　without　trace　of　your　own　existence；　is　the　highest
  Next　comes　loving　and　praising　it
  Then　fearing　it
  Then　despising　it
  If　one　doesn抰　trust　himself　how　can　he　trust　anyone　else？
  The　great　ruler　speaks　little　and　his　words　are　priceless
  He　works　without　self…interest　and　leaves　no　trace
  When　all　is　finished；　the　people　say；　揑t　happened　by　itself？br》
  18
  When　the　greatness　of　Tao　is　present　action　arises　from　one抯　own　heart
  When　the　greatness　of　Tao　is　absent　action　comes　from　the　rules　of　搆indness？and　搄ustice？br》　If　you　need　rules　to　be　kind　and　just；　if　you　act　virtuous；　this　is　a　sure　sign　that　virtue　is　absent
  Thus　we　see　the　great　hypocrisy
  Only　when　the　family　loses　its　harmony　do　we　hear　of　揹utiful　sons？br》　Only　when　the　state　is　in　chaos　do　we　hear　of　搇oyal　ministers？br》
  19
  Abandon　holiness
  Discard　cleverness　and　the　people　will　benefit　a　hundredfold
  Abandon　the　rules　of　搆indness？br》　Discard　搑ighteous？action　and　the　people　will　return　to　their　own　natural　affections
  Abandon　book　learning
  Discard　the　rules　of　behaviour　and　the　people　will　have　no　worries
  Abandon　plots　and　schemes
  Discard　profit…seeking　and　the　people　will　not　become　thieves
  These　lessons　are　mere　elaborations
  The　essence　of　my　teachings　is　this：
  See　with　original　purity
  Embrace　with　original　simplicity
  Reduce　what　you　have
  Decrease　what　you　want
  20
  The　difference　between　a　formal　搚es？and　a　casual　搚eah？？how　slight！
  The　difference　between　knowing　Truth　and　not　knowing　it　？how　great！
  Must　I　fear　what　others　fear？
  Should　I　fear　desolation　when　there　is　abundance？
  Should　I　fear　darkness　when　that　light　is　shining　everywhere？
  Nonsense！
  The　people　of　this　world　are　steeped　in　their　merrymaking　as　if　gorging　at　a　great　feast　or　watching　the　sights　of　springtime
  Yet　here　I　sit；　without　a　sign；　staring　blank…eyed　like　a　child
  I　am　but　a　guest　in　this　world
  While　others　rush　about　to　get　things　done
  I　accept　what　is　offered
  Oh；　my　mind　is　like　that　of　a　fool　aloof　to　the　clamour　of　life　around　me
  Everyone　seems　so　bright　and　alive　with　the　sharp　distinctions　of　day
  I　appear　dark　and　dull　with　the　blending　of　differences　by　night
  I　am　drifting　like　an　ocean；　floating　like　the　winds
  Everyone　is　so　rooted　in　this　world　yet　I　have　no　place　to　lay　my　head
  Indeed　I　am　different。　。　。　。
  I　have　no　treasures　but　the　Eternal　Mother
  I　have　no　food　but　what　comes　from　her　breast
  21
  Perfect　action；
  Rue　virtue；
  Supreme　power；
  This　is　how　the　Tao　is　revealed　through　those　who　follow　it　completely
  Though　formless　and　intangible
  It　gives　rise　to　form
  Though