He　assists　the　ten　thousand　things　in　their　natural　development；　but　he　does　not　venture　to　interfere。
  65
  The　Virtue　of　Simplicity
  The　ancients　who　were　well　versed　in　Reason　did　not　thereby　enlighten　the　people；　they　intended　thereby　to　make　them　simple…hearted。
  If　people　are　difficult　to　govern；　it　is　because　they　are　too　smart。　To　govern　the　country　with　smartness　is　the　country's　curse。　To　govern　the　country　without　smartness　is　the　country's　blessing。　He　who　knows　these　two　things　is　also　a　model　＇like　the　ancients＇。　Always　to　know　the　model　is　called　profound　virtue。
  Spiritual　virtue；　verily；　is　profound。　Verily；　it　is　far…reaching。　Verily；　it　is　to　everything　reverse。　But　then　it　will　procure　great　recognition。
  66
  Putting　Oneself　Behind
  That　rivers　and　oceans　can　of　the　hundred　valleys　be　kings　is　due　to　their　excelling　in　lowliness。　Thus　they　can　of　the　hundred　valleys　be　the　kings。
  Therefore　the　holy　man；　when　anxious　to　be　above　the　people；　must　in　his　words　keep　underneath　them。　When　anxious　to　lead　the　people；　he　must　with　his　person　keep　behind　them。
  Therefore　the　holy　man　dwells　above；　but　the　people　are　not　burdened。　He　is　ahead；　but　the　people　suffer　no　harm。
  Therefore　the　world　rejoices　in　exalting　him　and　does　not　tire。　Because　he　strives　not；　no　one　in　the　world　will　strive　with　him。
  67
  The　Three　Treasures
  All　in　the　world　call　me　great；　but　I　resemble　the　unlikely。　Now　a　man　is　great　only　because　he　resembles　the　unlikely。　Did　he　resemble　the　likely；　how　lasting；　indeed；　would　his　mediocrity　be！
  1　have　three　treasures　which　I　cherish　and　prize。　The　first　is　called　compassion。　The　second　is　called　economy。　The　third　is　called　not　daring　to　come　to　the　front　in　the　world。
  The　compassionate　can　be　brave；　the　economical　can　be　generous；　those　who　dare　not　come　to　the　front　in　the　world　can　become　perfect　as　chief　vessels。
  Now；　if　people　discard　compassion　and　are　brave；　if　they　discard　economy　and　are　generous；　if　they　discard　modesty　and　are　ambitious；　they　will　surely　die。
  Now；　the　compassionate　will　in　attack　be　victorious；　and　in　defence　firm。　Heaven　when　about　to　save　one　will　with　compassion　protect　him。
  68
  Complying　With　Heaven
  He　who　excels　as　a　warrior　is　not　warlike。　He　who　excels　as　a　fighter　is　not　wrathful。　He　who　excels　in　conquering　the　enemy　does　not　strive。　He　who　excels　in　employing　men　is　lowly。
  This　is　called　the　virtue　of　not…striving。　This　is　called　utilizing　men's　ability。　This　is　called　complying　with　heaven…since　olden　times　the　highest。
  69
  The　Function　of　the　Mysterious
  A　military　expert　used　to　say：　'I　dare　not　act　as　host　＇who　takes　the　initiative＇　but　act　as　guest　＇with　reserve＇。　I　dare　not　advance　an　inch；　but　I　withdraw　a　foot。〃
  This　is　called　marching　without　marching；　threatening　without　arms；　charging　without　hostility；　seizing　without　weapons。
  No　greater　misfortune　than　making　light　of　the　enemy！　When　we　make　light　of　the　enemy；　it　is　almost　as　though　we　had　lost　our　treasure＇compassion＇。
  Thus；　if　matched　armies　encounter　one　another；　the　one　who　does　so　in　sorrow　is　sure　to　conquer。
  70
  Difficult　to　Understand
  My　words　are　very　easy　to　understand　and　very　easy　to　practise；　but　in　the　world　no　one　can　understand；　no　one　can　practise　them。
  Words　have　an　ancestor；　Deeds　have　a　master　＇viz。；　Reason＇。　Since　he　is　not　understood；　therefore　I　am　not　understood。　Those　who　understand　me　are　few；　and　thus　I　am　distinguished。
  Therefore　the　holy　man　wears　wool；　and　hides　in　his　bosom　his　jewels。
  71
  The　Disease　of　Knowledge
  To　know　the　unknowable；　that　is　elevating。　Not　to　know　the　knowable；　that　is　sickness。
  Only　by　becoming　sick　of　sickness　can　we　be　without　sickness。
  The　holy　man　is　not　sick。　Because　he　is　sick　of　sickness；　therefore　he　is　not　sick。
  72
  Holding　Oneself　Dear
  If　the　people　do　not　fear　the　dreadful；　the　great　dreadful　will　come；　surely。
  Let　them　not　deem　their　lives　narrow。　Let　them　not　deem　their　lot　wearisome。　When　it　is　not　deemed　wearisome；　then　it　will　not　be　wearisome。
  Therefore　the　holy　man　knows　himself　but　does　not　display　himself。　He　holds　himself　dear　but　does　not　honor　himself。　Thus　he　discards　the　latter　and　chooses　the　former。
  73
  Daring　to　Act
  Courage；　if　carried　to　daring；　leads　to　death；　courage；　if　not　carried　to　daring；　leads　to　life。　Either　of　these　two　things　is　sometimes　beneficial；　sometimes　harmful。
  〃Why　抰　is　by　heaven　rejected；
  Who　has　the　reason　detected？〃
  Therefore　the　holy　man　also　regards　it　as　difficult。
  The　Heavenly　Reason　strives　not；　but　it　is　sure　to　conquer。　It　speaks　not；　but　it　is　sure　to　respond。　It　summons　not；　but　it　comes　of　itself。　It　works　patiently；　but　is　sure　in　its　designs。
  Heaven's　net　is　vast；　so　vast。　It　is　wide…meshed；　but　it　loses　nothing。
  74
  Overcome　Delusion
  If　the　people　do　not　fear　death；　how　can　they　be　frightened　by　death？　If　we　make　people　fear　death；　and　supposing　some　would　＇still＇　venture　to　rebel；　if　we　seize　them　for　capital　punishment；　who　will　dare？
  There　is　always　an　executioner　who　kills。　Now　to　take　the　place　of　the　executioner　who　kills　is　taking　the　place　of　the　great　carpenter　who　hews。　If　a　man　takes　the　place　of　the　great　carpenter　who　hews；　he　will　rarely；　indeed；　fail　to　injure　his　hand。
  75
  Harmed　Through　Greed
  The　people　hunger　because　their　superiors　consume　too　many　taxes；　therefore　they　hunger。　The　people　are　difficult　to　govern　because　their　superiors　are　too　meddlesome；　therefore　they　are　difficult　to　govern。　The　people　make　light　of　death　on　account　of　the　intensity　of　their　clinging　to　life；　therefore　they　make　light　of　death。
  He　who　is　not　bent　on　life　is　worthier　than　he　who　esteems　life。
  76
  Beware　of　Strength
  Man　during　life　is　tender　and　delicate。　When　he　dies　he　is　stiff　and　stark。
  The　ten　thousand　things；　the　grass　as　well　as　the　trees；　while　they　live　are　tender　and　supple。　When　they　die　they　are　rigid　and　dry。
  Thus　the　hard　and　the　strong　are　the　companions　of　death。　The　tender　and　the　delicate　are　the　companions　of　life。
  Therefore　he　who　in　arms　is　strong　will　not　conquer。
  When　a　tree　has　grown　strong　it　is　doomed。
  The　strong　and　the　great　stay　below。　The　tender　and　the　delicate　stay　above。
  77
  Heaven's　Reason
  Is　not　Heaven's　Reason　truly　like　stretching　a　bow？　The　high　it　brings　down；　the　lowly　it　lifts　up。　Those　who　have　abundance　it　depleteth；　those　who　are　deficient　it　augmenteth。
  Such　is　Heaven's　Reason。　It　depleteth　those　who　have　abundance　but　completeth　the　deficient。
  Man's　Reason　is　not　so。　He　depleteth　the　deficient　in　order　to　serve　those　who　have　abundance。
  Where　is　he　who　would　have　abundance　for　serving　the　world？
  Indeed；　it　is　the　holy　man　who　acts　but　claims　not；　merit　he　acquires　but　he　does　not　dwell　upon　it；　and　does　he　ever　show　any　anxiety　to　display　his　excellence？
  78
  Trust　in　Faith
  In　the　world　nothing　is　tenderer　and　more　delicate　than　water。　In　attacking　the　hard　and　the　strong　nothing　will　surpass　it。　There　is　nothing　that　herein　takes　its　place。
  The　weak　conquer　the　strong；　the　tender　conquer　the　rigid。　In　the　world　there　is　no　one　who　does　not　know　it；　but　no　one　will　practise　it。
  Therefore　the　holy　man　says：
  〃Him　who　the　country's　sin　makes　his；
  We　hail　as　priest　at　the　great　sacrifice。
  Him　who　the　curse　bears　of　the　country's　failing。
  As　king　of　the　empire　we　are　hailing。〃
  True　words　seem　paradoxical。
  79
  Keep　Your　Obligations
  When　a　great　hatred　is　reconciled；　naturally　some　hatred　will　remain。　How　can　this　be　made　good？
  Therefore　the　sage　keeps　the　obligations　of　his　contract　and　exacts　not　from　others。　Those　who　have　virtue　attend　to　their　obligations；　those　who　have　no　virtue　attend　to　their　claims。
  Heaven's　Reason　shows　no　preference　but　always　assists　the　good　man。
  80
  Remaining　in　Isolation
  In　a　small　country　with　few　people　let　there　be　aldermen　and　mayors　who　are　possessed　of　power　over　men　but　would　not　use　it。　Induce　people　to　grieve　at　death　but　do　not　cause　them　to　move　to　a　distance。　Although　they　had　ships　and　carriages；　they　should　find　no　occasion　to　ride　in　them。　Although　they　had　armours　and　weapons；　they　should　find　no　occasion　to　don　them。
  2　Induce　people　to　return　to　＇the　old　custom　of＇　knotted　cords　and　to　use　them　＇in　the　place　of　writing＇；　to　delight　in　their　food；　to　be　proud　of　their　clothes；　to　be　content　with　their　homes；　and　to　rejoice　in　their　customs：　then　in　a　neighboring　state　within　sight；　the　voices　of　the　cocks　and　dogs　would　be　within　hearing；　yet　the　people　might　grow　old　and　die　before　they　visited　one　another。
  81
  Propounding　the　Essential
  True　words　are　not　pleasant；　pleasant　words　are　not　true。　The　good　are　not　contentious；　the　contentious　are　not　good。　The　wise　are　not