One　who　gives　himself　to　Tao　surely　lives　forever
  34
  The　great　Tao　flows　everywhere
  It　fills　everything　to　the　left　and　to　the　right
  All　things　owe　their　existence　to　it　and　it　cannot　deny　any　one　of　them
  Tao　is　eternal
  It　does　not　favour　one　over　the　other
  It　brings　all　things　to　completion　without　their　even　knowing　it
  Tao　nourishes　and　protects　all　creatures　yet　does　not　claim　lordship　over　them
  So　we　class　it　with　the　most　humble
  Tao　is　the　home　to　which　all　things　return　yet　it　wants　nothing　in　return
  So　we　call　it　揟he　Greatest？br》　The　Sage　is　the　same　way　？br》　He　does　not　claim　greatness　over　anything
  He抯　not　eve　aware　of　his　own　greatness
  Tell　me；　what　could　be　greater　than　this？
  35
  Hold　fast　to　the　Great　Form　within　and　let　the　world　pass　as　it　may
  Then　the　changes　of　life　will　not　bring　pain　but　contentment；　joy；　and　well…being
  Music　and　sweets　are　passing　pleasures　yet　they　cause　people　to　stop
  How　bland　and　insipid　are　the　things　of　this　world　when　one　compares　them　with　Tao！
  One　tastes；　but　the　sweetness　turns　bitter
  One　sees；　but　the　colours　grow　faint
  One　hears；　but　the　sound　fades　into　silence
  One　may　look　for　fulfillment　in　this　world　but　his　longings　will　never　be　exhausted
  The　only　thing　he　ever　finds　is　that　he　himself　is　exhausted
  36
  Contraction　pulls　at　that　which　extends　too　far
  Weakness　pulls　at　that　which　strengthens　too　much
  Ruin　pulls　at　that　which　rises　too　high
  Loss　pulls　at　life　when　you　fill　it　with　too　much　stuff
  The　lesson　here　is　called　揟he　wisdom　of　obscurity？？br》　The　gentle　outlast　the　strong
  The　obscure　outlast　the　obvious
  Hence；　a　fish　that　ventures　from　deep　water　is　soon　snagged　by　a　net
  A　country　that　reveals　its　strength　is　soon　conquered　by　an　enemy
  37
  Tao　does　not　act　yet　it　is　the　root　of　all　action
  Tao　does　not　move　yet　it　is　the　source　of　all　creation
  If　princes　and　kings　could　hold　it　everyone　under　them　would　naturally　turn　within
  Should　a　doubt　or　old　desire　rise　up
  The　Nameless　Simplicity　would　push　it　down
  The　Nameless　Simplicity　frees　the　heart　of　desire　and　reveals　its　inner　silence
  When　there　is　silence　one　finds　peace
  When　there　is　silence　one　finds　the　anchor　of　the　universe　within　himself
  38
  To　give　without　seeking　reward
  To　help　without　thinking　it　is　virtuous　？therein　lies　the　great　virtue
  To　keep　account　of　your　action
  To　help　with　the　hope　of　gaining　merit　？therein　lies　no　virtue
  The　highest　virtue　is　to　act　without　a　sense　of　self
  The　highest　kindness　is　to　give　without　condition
  The　highest　justice　is　to　see　without　preference
  When　Tao　is　lost　one　must　learn　the　rules　of　virtue
  When　virtue　is　lost；　the　rules　of　kindness
  When　kindness　is　lost；　the　rules　of　justice
  When　justice　is　lost；　the　rules　of　conduct
  And　when　the　high…blown　rules　of　conduct　are　not　followed　people　are　seized　by　the　arm　and　it　is　forced　on　them
  The　rules　of　conduct　are　just　an　outer　show　of　devotion　and　loyalty　？quite　confusing　to　the　heart
  And　when　men　rely　on　these　rules　for　guidance　？br》　Oh；　what　ignorance　abounds！
  The　great　master　follows　his　own　nature　and　not　the　trappings　of　life
  It　is　said；　揌e　stays　with　the　fruit　and　not　the　fluff？揌e　stays　with　the　firm　and　not　the
  flimsy？揌e　stays　with　the　true　and　not　the　false？br》
  39
  From　ancient　times　till　now　the　One　has　been　the　source　of　all　attainments
  By　realizing　One　Heaven　becomes　clear；　Earth　becomes　still　spirits　gain　power　and　hearts　fill　up　with　joy
  By　realizing　the　One　kings　and　lords　become　instruments　of　peace　and　creatures　live　joyfully　upon　this　earth
  Without　the　One　Heaven　ahs　no　clarity　and　would　crack　Earth　has　no　peace　and　would　crumble　spirits　have　no　power　and　would　lose　their　charm
  Without　the　One　hearts　would　dry　up；　empires　would　fall；　all　things　would　go　lifelessly　upon　this　earth
  Long　ago　kings　and　lords　called　themselves　搊rphaned；？搇onely；？and　搖nworthy？br》　What　honour　can　there　be　without　humility？
  What　heights　can　be　reached　without　being　low？
  The　pieces　of　a　chariot　are　useless　unless　they　work　in　accordance　with　the　whole
  A　man抯　life　brings　nothing　unless　he　lives　in　accordance　with　the　whole　universe
  Playing　one抯　part　in　accordance　with　the　universe　is　true　humility
  So　whether　you抮e　a　gem　in　the　royal　court　or　a　stone　on　the　common　path
  If　you　accept　your　part　with　humility　the　glory　of　the　universe　will　be　yours
  40
  The　movement　of　Tao　is　to　return
  The　way　of　Tao　is　to　yield
  Heaven；　Earth；　and　all　things　are　born　of　the　existent　world
  The　existent　world　is　born　of　the　nothingness　of　Tao
  41
  When　the　best　seeker　hears　of　Tao　he　strives　with　great　effort　to　know　it
  When　an　average　seeker　hears　of　Tao　he　thinks　of　it　now　and　again
  When　the　poorest　seeker　hears　of　Tao　he　laughs　out　loud
  Tao　is　always　becoming　what　we　have　need　for　it　to　become
  If　it　could　not　do　this　it　would　not　be　Tao
  There　is　an　old　saying；
  The　clear　way　seems　clouded
  The　straight　way　seems　crooked
  The　sure　way　seems　unsteady
  The　greatest　power　seems　weak
  The　purest　white　seems　tainted
  The　abundant　seems　empty
  The　stable　seems　shaky
  The　certain　seems　false
  The　Great　Square　has　no　corners
  The　Great　Vessel　is　never　filled
  A　beginner　may　be　clumsy　but　after　practice　？what　talent！
  A　large　drum　may　sit　silently　but　when　banged　？what　noise！
  Tao　lies　hidden　yet　it　alone　is　the　glorious　light　of　this　world
  42
  Tao　gives　life　to　the　one
  The　one　gives　life　to　the　two
  The　two　gives　life　to　the　three
  The　three　give　life　to　ten　thousand　things
  All　beings　support　yin　and　embrace　yang　and　the　interplay　of　these　two　forces　fills　the　universe
  Yet　only　at　the　still…point；　between　the　breathing　in　and　the　breathing　out；　can　one　capture　these　two　in　perfect　harmony
  People　suffer　at　the　thought　of　being　without　parents；　without　food；　or　without　worth
  Yet　this　is　the　very　way　that　kings　and　lords　once　described　themselves
  Who　knows　what　fate　may　bring　？one　day　your　loss　may　be　your　fortune　one　day　your　fortune　may　be　your　loss
  The　age…old　lesson　that　others　teach；　I　also　teach　？揂s　you　plant；　so　you　reap？揂s　you　live；　so　you　die？br》　Know　this　to　be　the　foundation　of　my　teachings
  43
  The　most　yielding　thing　in　the　world　will　overcome　the　most　rigid
  The　most　empty　thing　in　the　world　will　overcome　the　most　full
  From　this　comes　a　lesson　？br》　Stillness　benefits　more　than　action
  Silence　benefits　more　than　words
  Rare　indeed　are　those　who　are　still
  Rare　indeed　are　those　who　are　silent
  And　so　I　say；
  Rare　indeed　are　those　who　obtain　the　bounty　of　this　world
  44
  One抯　own　reputation　？why　the　fuss？
  One抯　own　wealth　？why　the　concern？
  I　say；　what　you　gain　is　more　trouble　than　what　you　lose
  Love　is　the　fruit　of　sacrifice
  Wealth　is　the　fruit　of　generosity
  Be　content；　rest　in　your　own　fullness　？br》　You　will　not　suffer　from　loss
  You抣l　avoid　the　snare　of　this　world
  You抣l　have　long　life　and　endless　blessings
  45
  The　Great　Perfection　seems　imperfect　yet　this　world　it　creates　is　never　impaired
  The　Great　Fullness　seems　empty　yet　this　world　it　creates　is　never　lacking
  Great　truth　seems　false
  Great　skill　seems　clumsy
  Great　eloquence　seems　like　babble
  Keep　moving　and　you抣l　miss　the　cold
  Keep　silent　and　you抣l　beat　the　heat
  Be　tranquil　like　the　rain　of　spring
  Be　pure　like　the　sheen　of　silk
  Then　the　Great　Perfection　will　be　perfect　and　the　Great　Fullness　will　be　full
  46
  When　Tao　is　present　in　the　empire　men　follow　their　own　nature　and　riding　horses　work　the　fields
  When　Tao　is　absent　from　the　empire　men　go　astray　and　war　horses　breed　on　sacred　ground
  There　is　no　greater　loss　than　losing　Tao
  No　greater　curse　than　desire
  No　greater　tragedy　than　discontentment
  No　greater　fault　than　selfishness
  47
  Without　going　outside　one　can　know　the　whole　world
  Without　looking　out　the　window　one　can　see　the　ways　of　Heaven
  The　farther　one　goes　the　less　one　knows
  Thus　the　Sage　does　not　go；　yet　he　knows
  He　does　not　look；　yet　he　sees
  He　does　not　do；　yet　all　is　done
  48
  To　become　learned；　gain　daily
  To　obtain　Tao；　reduce　daily
  Reduce　and　reduce　again　until　all　action　is　reduced　to　non…action
  Then　no　one　is　left
  Nothing　is　done　yet　nothing　is　left　undone
  One　who　gives　freely　and　without　attachment　gets　a　full　life　in　return
  One　who　gives　with　the　secret　hope　of　getting　is　merely　engaged　in　business
  Truly；　they　neither　give　nor　receive　any　of　the　treasure　from　this　world　below　Heaven
  49
  The　Sage　has　no　fixed　heart　of　his　own
  Those　who　look　at　him　see　their　own　hearts
  Those　who　are　good　he　treats　with　goodness
  Those　who　are　bad　he　also　treats　with　goodness　b