nt　can　they　endure。
  Therefore
  The　holy　man　puts　his　person　behind　and　his　person　comes　to　the　front。　He　surrenders　his　person　and　his　person　is　preserved。　Is　it　not　because　he　seeks　not　his　own？　For　that　reason　he　can　accomplish　his　own。
  8
  Easy　By　Nature
  Superior　goodness　resembleth　water。　The　water's　goodness　benefiteth　the　ten　thousand　things；　yet　it　quarreleth　not。
  Water　dwelleth　in　the　places　which　the　multitudes　of　men　shun；　therefore　it　is　near　unto　the　eternal　Reason
  The　dwelling　of　goodness　is　in　lowliness。　The　heart　of　goodness　is　in　commotion。　When　giving；　goodness　showeth　benevolence。　In　words；　goodness　keepeth　faith。　In　government　goodness　standeth　for　order。　In　business　goodness　exhibiteth　ability。　The　movements　of　goodness　keep　time。
  It　quarreleth　not。　Therefore　it　is　not　rebuked。
  9
  Practising　Placidity
  Grasp　to　the　full；　are　you　not　likely　foiled？　Scheme　too　sharply；　can　you　wear　long？　If　gold　and　jewels　fill　the　hall　no　one　can　protect　it。
  Rich　and　high　but　proud；　brings　about　its　own　doom。　To　accomplish　merit　and　acquire　fame；　then　to　withdraw；　that　is　Heaven's　Way。
  10
  What　Can　Be　Done？
  Who　by　unending　discipline　of　the　senses　embraces　unity　cannot　be　disintegrated。　By　concentrating　his　vitality　and　inducing　tenderness　he　can　become　like　a　little　child。　By　purifying；　by　cleansing　and　profound　intuition　he　can　be　free　from　faults。
  Who　loves　the　people　when　administering　the　country　will　practise　nonassertion。
  Opening　and　closing　the　gates　of　heaven；　he　will　be　like　a　mother…bird；　bright；　and　white；　and　penetrating　the　four　quarters；　he　will　be　unsophisticated。　He　quickens　them　and　feeds　them。　He　quickens　but　owns　not。　He　acts　but　claims　not。　He　excels　but　rules　not。　This　is　called　profound　virtue。
  11
  The　Function　of　the　Non…Existent
  Thirty　spokes　unite　in　one　nave　and　on　that　which　is　non…existent　＇on　the　hole　in　the　nave＇　depends　the　wheel's　utility。　Clay　is　moulded　into　a　vessel　and　on　that　which　is　non…existent　＇on　its　hollowness＇　depends　the　vessel's　utility。　By　cutting　out　doors　and　windows　we　build　a　house　and　on　that　which　is　non…existent　＇on　the　empty　space　within＇　depends　the　house's　utility。
  Therefore；　existence　renders　actual　but　non…existence　renders　useful。
  12
  Abstaining　From　Desire
  〃The　five　colors　＇combined＇　the　human　eye　will　blind；
  The　five　notes　＇in　one　sound＇　the　human　ear　confound；
  The　five　tastes　＇when　they　blend＇　the　human　mouth　offend。〃
  〃Racing　and　hunting　will　human　hearts　turn　mad；
  Treasures　high…prized　make　human　conduct　bad。〃
  Therefore
  The　holy　man　attends　to　the　inner　and　not　to　the　outer。　He　abandons　the　latter　and　chooses　the　former。
  13
  Loathing　Shame
  〃Favor　bodes　disgrace；　it　is　like　trembling。
  Rank　bodes　great　heartache。　It　is　like　the　body。〃
  What　means　〃Favor　bodes　disgrace；　it　is　like　trembling？〃
  Favor　humiliates。　Its　acquisition　causes　trembling；　its　loss　causes　trembling。　This　is　meant　by　〃Favor　bodes　disgrace；　it　is　like　trembling。〃
  What　means　〃Rank　bodes　great　heartache；　it　is　like　the　body？〃
  I　suffer　great　heartache　because　I　have　a　body。　When　I　have　no　body；　what　heartache　remains？
  Therefore　who　administers　the　empire　as　he　takes　care　of　his　body　can　be　entrusted　with　the　empire。
  14
  Praising　the　Mysterious
  We　look　at　Reason　and　do　not　see　it；　its　name　is　Colorless。　We　listen　to　Reason　and　do　not　hear　it；　its　name　is　Soundless。　We　grope　for　Reason　and　do　not　grasp　it；　its　name　is　Bodiless。
  These　three　things　cannot　further　be　analyzed。　Thus　they　are　combined　and　conceived　as　a　unity　which　on　its　surface　is　not　clear　and　in　its　depth　not　obscure。
  Forever　and　aye　Reason　remains　unnamable；　and　again　and　again　it　returns　home　to　non…existence。
  This　is　called　the　form　of　the　formless；　the　image　of　the　imageless。　This　is　called　the　transcendentally　abstruse。
  In　front　its　beginning　is　not　seen。　In　the　rear　its　end　is　not　seen。
  By　holding　fast　to　the　Reason　of　the　ancients；　the　present　is　mastered　and　the　origin　of　the　past　understood。　This　is　called　Reason's　clue。
  15
  The　Revealers　of　Virtue
  Those　of　yore　who　have　succeeded　in　becoming　masters　are　subtile；　spiritual；　profound；　and　penetrating。　On　account　of　their　profundity　they　can　not　be　understood。　Because　they　can　not　be　understood；　therefore　I　endeavor　to　make　them　intelligible。
  How　cautious　they　are！　Like　men　in　winter　crossing　a　river。　How　reluctant！　Like　men　fearing　in　the　four　quarters　their　neighbors。　How　reserved！　They　behave　like　guests。　How　elusive！　They　resemble　ice　when　melting。　How　simple！　They　resemble　rough　wood。　How　empty！　They　resemble　the　valley。　How　obscure！　They　resemble　troubled　waters。
  Who　by　quieting　can　gradually　render　muddy　waters　clear？　Who　by　stirring　can　gradually　quicken　the　still？
  He　who　cherishes　this　Reason　is　not　anxious　to　be　filled。　Since　he　is　not　filled；　therefore　he　may　grow　old；　without　renewal　he　is　complete。
  16
  Returning　to　the　Root
  By　attaining　the　height　of　abstraction　we　gain　fulness　of　rest。
  All　the　ten　thousand　things　arise；　and　I　see　them　return。　Now　they　bloom　in　bloom　but　each　one　homeward　returneth　to　its　root。
  Returning　to　the　root　means　rest。　It　signifies　the　return　according　to　destiny。　Return　according　to　destiny　means　the　eternal。　Knowing　the　eternal　means　enlightenment。　Not　knowing　the　eternal　causes　passions　to　rise；　and　that　is　evil。
  Knowing　the　eternal　renders　comprehensive。　Comprehensiveness　renders　broad。　Breadth　renders　royal。　Royalty　renders　heavenly。　Heaven　renders　Reason…like。　Reason　renders　lasting。　Thus　the　decay　of　the　body　implies　no　danger。
  17
  Simplicity　In　Habits
  Of　great　rulers　the　subjects　do　not　notice　the　existence。　To　lesser　ones　people　are　attached；　they　praise　them。　Still　lesser　ones　people　fear；　and　the　meanest　ones　people　despise。
  For　it　is　said：
  〃If　your　faith　be　insufficient；　verily；　you　will　receive　no　faith。〃
  How　reluctantly　they　＇the　great　rulers＇　considered　their　words！　Merit　they　accomplished；　deeds　they　performed；　and　the　hundred　families　thought：　〃We　are　independent。〃
  18
  The　Palliation　of　Vulgarity
  When　the　great　Reason　is　obliterated；　we　have　benevolence　and　justice。　Prudence　and　circumspection　appear；　and　we　have　much　hypocrisy。
  When　family　relations　no　longer　harmonize；　we　have　filial　piety　and　paternal　devotion。　When　the　country　and　the　clans　decay　through　disorder；　we　have　loyalty　and　allegiance。
  19
  Returning　to　Simplicity
  Abandon　your　saintliness；　put　away　your　prudence；　and　the　people　will　gain　a　hundredfold！
  Abandon　your　benevolence；　put　away　your　justice；　and　the　people　will　return　to　filial　piety　and　paternal　devotion。
  Abandon　smartness；　give　up　greed；　and　thieves　and　robbers　will　no　longer　exist。
  These　are　three　things　for　which　culture　is　insufficient。　Therefore　it　is　said：
  〃Hold　fast　to　that　which　will　endure；
  Show　thyself　simple；　preserve　thee　pure；
  And　lessen　self　with　desires　fewer。〃
  20
  Different　from　the　Vulgar
  Abandon　learnedness；　and　you　have　no　vexation。　The　〃yes〃　compared　with　the　〃yea；〃　how　little　do　they　differ！　But　the　good　compared　with　the　bad；　how　much　do　they　differ！
  If　what　the　people　dread　cannot　be　made　dreadless；　there　will　be　desolation；　alas！　and　verily；　there　will　be　no　end　of　it。
  The　multitudes　of　men　are　happy；　so　happy；　as　though　celebrating　a　great　feast。　They　are　as　though　in　springtime　ascending　a　tower。　I　alone　remain　quiet；　alas！　like　one　that　has　not　yet　received　an　omen。　I　am　like　unto　a　babe　that　does　not　yet　smile。
  Forlorn　am　I；　O　so　forlorn！　It　appears　that　I　have　no　place　whither　I　may　return　home。
  The　multitude　of　men　all　have　plenty　and　I　alone　appear　empty。　Alas！　I　am　a　man　whose　heart　is　foolish。
  Ignorant　am　I；　O；　so　ignorant！　Common　people　are　bright；　so　bright；　I　alone　am　dull。
  Common　people　are　smart；　so　smart；　I　alone　am　confused；　so　confused。
  Desolate　am　I；　alas！　like　the　sea。　Adrift；　alas！　like　one　who　has　no　place　where　to　stay。
  The　multitude　of　men　all　possess　usefulness。　I　alone　am　awkward　and　a　rustic　too。　I　alone　differ　from　others；　but　I　prize　seeking　sustenance　from　our　mother。
  21
  Emptying　the　Heart
  〃Vast　virtue's　form
  Follows　Reason's　norm。
  〃And　Reason's　nature
  Is　vague　and　eluding。
  〃How　eluding　and　vague
  All　types　including！
  How　vague　and　eluding；
  All　beings　including！
  How　deep　and　how　obscure。
  It　harbors　the　spirit　pure；
  Whose　truth　is　ever　sure；
  Whose　faith　abides　for　aye
  From　of　yore　until　to…day。
  〃Its　name　is　never　vanishing；
  It　heeds　the　good　of　everything。〃
  Through　what　do　I　know　that　〃it　heeds　the　good　of　everything〃？　In　this　way；　verily：　Through　IT。
  22
  Humility's　Increase
  〃The　crooked　shall　be　straight；
  Crushed　ones　recuperate；
  The　empty　find　th