The　tallest　tree　springs　from　a　tiny　shoot。　The　tallest　tower　is　built　from　a　pile　of　dirt。　A　journey　of　a　thousand　miles　begins　at　your　feet。
  Interfere　with　things；　and　you'll　be　defeated　by　them。　Hold　on　to　things；　and　you'll　lose　them。　The　sage　doesn't　interfere；　so　he　doesn't　fail；　doesn't　hold　on；　so　he　doesn't　lose。
  Because　projects　often　come　to　ruin　just　before　completion；　he　takes　as　much　care　at　the　end　as　he　did　at　the　beginning；　and　thereby　succeeds。
  His　only　desire　is　to　be　free　of　desire。　Fancying　nothing；　learning　not　to　know；　electing　not　to　interfere；　he　helps　all　beings　become　themselves。
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  In　ancient　times　those　who　practiced　Tao　didn't　want　to　enlighten　people；　but　to　keep　them　natural　and　simple。
  When　cleverness　and　intellect　abound；　people　don't　do　well。　A　leader　who　governs　with　cleverness　cheats　his　people。　A　leader　who　governs　with　simplicity　is　a　blessing　to　his　people。
  These　are　the　two　alternatives。　Understanding　them　is　subtle　insight。
  The　use　of　subtle　insight　brings　all　things　back　into　the　oneness。
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  The　sea　is　king　of　the　valleys　and　streams　because　it　is　willing　to　be　beneath　them。
  One　who　wishes　to　guide　the　people　should　be　humble　in　her　speech　toward　them。　One　who　wishes　to　lead　the　people　must　learn　the　art　of　following　them。
  The　sage　is　above　the　people；　but　they　don't　feel　her　weight。　She　stays　ahead　of　the　people；　and　no　harm　comes　to　them。　She　has　the　affection　of　the　whole　world。
  Because　she　contends　with　no　one；　no　one　can　contend　with　her。
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  Everyone　under　heaven　says　that　my　Tao　is　great；　but　inconceivable。　It　is　its　very　greatness　that　makes　it　inconceivable！　If　it　could　be　conceived　of；　how　small　it　would　be！
  I　have　three　treasures　to　hold　and　protect：　The　first　is　motherly　love。　The　second　is　economy。　The　third　is　daring　not　to　be　first　in　the　world。
  With　motherly　love　one　can　be　courageous。　With　economy　one　can　be　expansive。　With　humility　one　can　lead。
  To　be　courageous　without　motherly　love；　To　be　expansive　without　practicing　economy；　To　go　to　the　front　without　humility　…　this　is　courting　death。
  Venture　with　love　and　you　win　the　battle。　Defend　with　love　and　you　are　invulnerable。　Heaven's　secret　is　motherly　love。
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  A　good　general　doesn't　show　off　his　power。　a　good　warrior　doen't　get　angry。
  A　good　conqueror　doesn't　attack　people。　A　good　employer　puts　himself　below　his　employees。
  This　is　called　the　power　of　noncontention。　This　is　called　using　the　strength　of　others。　This　is　called　perfect　emulation　of　heaven。
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  In　conflict　it　is　better　to　be　receptive　than　aggressive；　better　to　retreat　a　foot　than　advance　an　inch。
  This　is　called　moving　ahead　without　advancing；　capturing　the　enemy　without　attacking　him。
  There　is　no　greater　misfortune　than　underestimating　your　opponent。　To　underestimate　your　opponent　is　to　forsake　your　three　treasures。
  When　opposing　forces　are　engaged　in　conflict；　the　one　who　fights　with　sorrow　will　triumph。
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  My　words　are　very　easy　to　understand；　very　easy　to　put　into　practice。　But　you　can't　〃understand〃　them；　can't　put　them　into　〃practice。〃
  Words　have　their　ruler。　Eventshave　their　origins。　People　who　can't　understand　this　can't　understand　me。　Those　who　do　are　few。
  They　wear　coarse　cloth　and　carry　jade　in　their　breasts。
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  Moving　from　knowing　to　not　knowing　…　this　is　good。　Moving　from　not　knowing　to　knowing　…　this　is　sickness。　You　have　to　become　sick　of　your　sickness　before　you　can　get　rid　of　it。
  The　sage　isn't　sick。　He's　sick　of　his　sickness。　Therefore　he's　not　sick。
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  If　people　fear　your　power；　then　you　don't　really　have　any。
  Leave　them　alone　in　their　homes。　Respect　them　in　their　lives；　and　they　won't　grow　weary　of　you。
  The　sage　knows　herself；　but　doesn't　dwell　on　herself；　Loves　herself；　but　no　more　than　she　loves　everyone　else。　She　adopts　the　concerns　of　heaven　as　her　own。
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  Those　who　are　courageous　out　of　daring　are　killed。　Those　who　are　courageous　out　of　love　survive。
  The　first　is　harmful；　the　second　beneficial。　Heaven　prohibits　some　things；　but　who　knows　the　reason？　Not　even　the　sage　knows　the　answer　to　this。
  This　is　the　way　of　heaven：　It　doesn't　contend；　but　easily　overcomes。　It　doesn't　speak；　but　always　responds。　It　can't　be　summoned；　but　comes　of　its　own　volition。　Utterly　without　haste；　it　plans　for　everything。
  The　net　of　heaven　is　vast。　Though　its　meshes　are　wide；　nothing　slips　through。
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  If　people　don't　love　life；　they　won't　fear　death；　and　threatening　them　with　it　won't　work。
  If　people　have　lives　worth　living；　then　the　threat　of　death　is　meaningful；　and　they'll　do　what　is　right　to　avoid　it。
  But　killing　itself　should　be　the　province　of　the　great　executioner　alone。　Trying　to　take　his　place　and　kill　is　like　cutting　wood　in　the　place　of　the　master　carpenter：　The　odds　are　you'll　hurt　your　own　hand。
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  What　makes　people　go　hungry？　Rulers　eating　up　all　their　money　in　taxes。
  What　makes　people　rebellious？　Rulers　who　can't　stop　interfering。
  What　makes　people　take　death　so　lightly？　People　taking　life　too　seriously。　Those　who　enjoy　life　are　wiser　than　those　who　employ　life。
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  At　birth　a　person　is　soft　and　yielding；　at　death　stiff　and　hard。
  All　beings；　the　grass；　the　trees：　alive；　soft；　and　yielding；　dead；　stiff；　and　hard。
  Therefore　the　hard　and　inflexible　are　friends　of　death。　The　soft　and　yielding　are　friends　of　life。
  An　unyielding　army　is　destroyed。　An　unbending　tree　breaks。
  The　hard　must　humble　itself　or　be　otherwise　humbled。　The　soft　will　ultimately　ascend。
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  The　way　of　heaven　is　like　the　bending　of　a　bow。　What　is　high　up　gets　pulled　down。　What　is　low　down　gets　pulled　up。
  Heaven　takes　from　what　has　too　much　and　gives　to　what　doesn't　have　enough。　Man　is　different：　he　takes　from　those　who　have　too　little　and　gives　to　those　who　have　too　much。
  Who　has　a　genuine　abundance　to　give　to　the　world？　Only　a　person　of　Tao。
  He　acts　without　expectation；　accomplishes　without　taking　credit；　and　has　no　desire　to　display　his　merit。
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  Nothing　under　heaven　is　as　soft　and　yielding　as　water。　Yet　for　attacking　the　hard　and　strong；　nothing　can　compare　with　it。
  The　weak　overcomes　the　strong。　The　soft　overcomes　the　hard。　Everyone　knows　this；　but　none　have　the　ability　to　practice　it。
  Therefore　the　sage　says：　One　who　accepts　the　dung　of　the　nation　becomes　the　master　of　soil　and　sustenance。　One　who　deals　with　the　evils　of　the　nation　becomes　king　under　heaven。　True　words　seem　paradoxical。
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  In　the　reconciling　of　resentments；　ill　will　often　lingers。　What's　the　good　in　that？
  The　person　who　is　truly　good　concerns　herself　always　with　what　she　owes　others；　never　with　what　they　owe　her。
  The　Tao　of　heaven　is　impartial。　If　you　perpetuate　it；　it　perpetuates　you。
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  Let　there　be　small　countries　with　few　people。　Let　the　people　have　no　use　for　complicated　machinery。　Let　them　be　mindful　of　death　so　that　they　don't　move　too　far　from　their　birthplaces。
  If　there　be　boats　and　carriages；　let　there　be　nowhere　to　take　them　to。　If　there　are　weapons；　let　there　be　no　occasion　to　display　them。
  Let　the　people's　responsibilities　be　few　enough　that　they　may　remember　them　by　knotting　a　string。　Let　them　enjoy　their　food；　be　content　with　their　clothes；　be　satisfied　with　their　homes；　and　take　pleasure　in　their　customs。
  Though　the　next　country　may　be　close　enough　to　hear　the　barking　of　dogs　and　the　crowing　of　its　rooster；　let　the　people　grow　old　and　die　without　feeling　compelled　to　visit　it。
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  True　words　aren't　elaborate。　Elaborate　words　aren't　true。
  Good　people　don't　argue。　People　who　argue　aren't　good。
  People　who　know　aren't　full　of　facts。　People　who　are　full　of　facts　don't　know。
  The　sage　doesn't　hoard。　She　increases　her　treasure　by　working　for　her　fellow　human　beings。　She　increases　her　abundance　by　giving　herself　to　them。
  The　way　of　heaven：　benefit　all；　harm　none。　The　way　of　the　sage：　work　for　all；　contend　with　none。
  English_Welch_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  Chinese　（Mawang　Dui）　…　English　by
  Khiron　（Jerry　C。　Welch）；　1998
  1
  The　Finite　cannot　be　all　of　the　Infinite！
  THOU　by　any　specific　name　is　not　all　there　is　to　THOU。
  The　un…nameable　is　the　Father　of　the　myriads　of　things。
  The　nameable　is　the　Mother　of　it's　own　myriads　of　things。
  Therefore；　never　wanting；　one　may　observe　the　wondrously　subtle；
  Desiring；　one　may　witness　the　manifestations。
  Both　of　these　are　attributes　of　the　same　Source。
  They　have　different　'nameabilities'　but　the　same　designation：
  Mystery　of　Mysteries；
  the　Gate　of　all　wonders！
  2
  The　recognition　of　an　'ideal'　of　Beauty
  requires　'Ugliness'　to　compare　it　with。
  The　'ideal'　of　Goodness　require　'Badness'　to　compare　it　to。
  Bodily　Life　and　Bodiless　Life　give　birth　to　each　other。
  Difficult　and　Easy　give　birth　to　each　other；　in　turn。
  Long　and　Short；？High　and　Low；？Tone　and　Voice；？Frontand　B