ing　the　moral　entity）。　In　many　the　right　measure　is　lacking。　In　some　an　exaggerated　righteousness　degenerates　into　a　mania。　In　others　an　exaggerated　goodness　becomes　extravagance。　（Points　of　view　changing　in　consequence。　For　a　long　time　now；　men　have　thus　been　crazy。
  The　Sage　takes　them　as　they　are）。　Taking　them　to　task；　he　is　not　sharp　or　cutting。　Straight；　he　is　not　rude。　Enlightened；　he　does　not　humiliate。
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  The　essential　for　co…operation　with　heaven　in　the　government　of　men；　is　to　moderate　one's　action。
  This　moderation　should　be　the　prime　care。　It　procures　perfect　efficacy；　which　succeeds　in　everything；　even　the　governing　of　the　empire。
  He　who　possesses　this　mother　of　the　empire　（wise　moderation）；　will　last　a　long　time。
  It　is　called　the　pivoting　root；　the　solid　trunk。　It　is　the　principle　of　perpetuity。
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  To　govern　a　great　state；　one　should　act　like　someone　cooking　a　very　small　fish　（very　delicately；　otherwise　they　break　up）。
  When　a　state　is　governed　according　to　the　Principle；　phantoms　do　not　appear　there　to　harm　the　people；　because　the　Sage　who　governs　does　not　harm　the　people。
  Not　that　the　spirits　have　no　more　powers；　But　their　powers　will　not　harm　men。/　Neither　will　they　harm　men；　Nor　will　the　Sage　harm　the　people。
  The　merit　of　this　double　tranquility　（on　the　part　of　the　living　and　the　dead）　comes　back；　therefore；　to　the　Sage。
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  If　a　great　state　lowers　itself；　like　those　holes　in　which　water　accumulates；　everyone　will　come　to　it。　It　will　belike　the　universal　female。　In　her　apparent　passivity　and　inferiority；　the　female　is　superior　to　the　male　（for　it　is　she　who　gives　birth）。
  On　condition　of　knowing　how　to　lower　itself；　a　great　state　will　win　over　lesser　states；
  which　in　their　turn；　will　lower　themselves；　seeking　its　protection。
  For　this　to　be　realized；　only　one　thing　is　needed；　but　it　is　essential。　It　is　that　the　great　state　deigns　to　lower　itself　before　the　lesser　ones。　（if　it　is　proud　and　hard；　there　is　no　hope）。
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  The　Principle　is　the　palladium　of　all　beings。　It　is　the　treasure　of　the　good　（that　by　which　they　are　good）；　and　the　salvation　of　the　wicked　（that　which　prevents　them　from　perishing）。
  It　is　to　it　that　one　should　be　grateful　from　affectionate　words；　and　the　noble　conduct　of　good　people。　It　is　with　regard　to　it；　that　the　wicked　should　not　be　rejected。
  It　is　for　that　reason　（for　the　conservation　and　development　of　the　part　of　the　Principle　which　is　in　all　beings）　that　the　emperor　and　the　great　ministers　were　instituted。　Not　so　that　they　should　become　complacent　with　their　sceptre　and　their　ancient　four…horsed　chariot；　but　in　order　that　they　should　meditate　on　the　Principle　（advancing　themselves　in　their　knowledge；　and　in　the　development　of　others）。
  Why　did　the　ancients　make　so　much　of　the　Principle？　is　it　not　because　it　is　the　source　of　all　good　and　the　remedy　for　all　evil？　It　is　the　most　noble　thing　in　the　world。
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  To　act　without　acting；　to　be　busy　without　being　busy；　to　taste　without　tasting；
  to　look　equally　on　the　great；　the　small；　the　many　and　the　few；　to　be　indifferent　to　thanks　and　reproaches；　this　is　how　the　Sage　acts。
  He　only　sets　about　difficult　complications　through　their　easiest　details；　and　only　applies　himself　to　great　problems　in　their　weak　beginnings。
  The　Sage　never　undertakes　anything　great；　and　that　is　why　he　makes　great　things。
  He　who　promises　much；　cannot　keep　his　word；　he　who　embarrasses　himself　with　too　many　things；　even　easy　things；　never　succeeds　in　anything。
  The　Sage　keeps　clear　of　difficulty；　therefore　he　never　has　any　difficulties。
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  Peaceful　situations　are　easily　controlled；　problems　are　easily　forestalled　before　they　arise；　weak　things　are　easily　broken；　small　things　are　easily　dispersed。
  One　should　take　one's　measures　before　something　happens；　and　protect　order　before　disorder　bursts　out。
  A　tree　which　one's　arms　can　barely　embrace　comes　from　a　shoot　as　fine　as　a　hair；　a　nine…storey　tower　begins　with　a　pile　of　earth；　a　long　journey　begins　with　a　single　step。
  Those　who　make　too　much　of　things；　spoil　their　affairs。　Those　who　grip　too　strongly；　end　up　by　letting　go。　The　Sage　who　does　not　act；　does　not　spoil　any　affair。　Since　he　holds　on　to　nothing；　nothing　escapes　him。
  When　the　common　people　have　affairs；　they　often　fail　at　the　moment　when　they　should　have　succeeded；　（nervousness　at　the　beginning　of　success　making　them　lose　propriety　and　make　clumsy　mistakes）。　For　success；　the　circumspection　of　the　beginning　should　last　until　the　final　achievement。
  The　Sage　desires　nothing。　He　does　not　prize　any　object　because　it　is　rare。　He　does　not　attach　himself　to　any　system；　but　instructs　himself　by　the　faults　of　others。　In　order　to　co…operate　with　universal　evolution；　he　does　not　act；　but　lets　things　go。
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  In　antiquity；　those　who　conformed　themselves　to　the　Principle　did　not　seek　to　make　the　people　clever；　but　aimed　at　keeping　them　simple。
  When　people　are　difficult　to　govern；　it　is　because　they　know　too　much。　Those　who　claim　to　procure　the　good　of　a　country　by　disseminating　instruction；　are　wrong；　and　ruin　the　country。
  This　is　the　formula　of　mysterious　action；　of　great　profundity；　of　great　bearing。
  It　is　not　to　the　taste　of　（the　curious）　but；　thanks　to　it；　everything　turns　out　well；　peacefully。
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  Why　are　the　oceans　and　rivers　kings　of　all　the　valleys？　（receiving　all　the　watercourses　in　tribute）。　Because　they　are　benevolently　the　inferiors　of　all　the　valleys　（with　regard　to　levels）。　That　is　why　all　the　water　flows　towards　them。
  Following　this　example；　the　Sage　who　wishes　to　become　superior　to　the　common　people　should　speak　in　words　beneath　himself　（speak　very　humbly　of　himself）。　If　he　wishes　to　become　the　first；　he　should　put　himself　in　last　place；　（and　continue　to　do　so；　after　he　has　been　exalted）。
  He　could　then　be　elevated　to　the　highest　peak　without　the　people　feeling　oppressed　by　him；　he　could　be　the　first　without　the　people　complaining　about　him。　The　whole　empire　would　serve　him　with　joy；　without　becoming　weary　of　him。
  For；　not　being　opposed　to　anyone；　no　one　would　be　opposed　to　him。
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  Everyone　says　the　Sage　is　noble；　despite　his　common　air；　an　air　which　he　gives　himself　because　he　is　noble　（to　hide　his　nobility　and　not　to　attract　envy　to　himself）。　Everyone　knows；　on　the　contrary；　how　much　those　who　pose　as　nobles　are　men　of　little　worth。
  The　Sage　prizes　three　things　and　holds　on　to　them：　charity；　simplicity；　and　humility。
  Being　charitable；　he　will　be　brave　（within　just　limits；　without　cruelty）。　Being　simple；　he　will　be　liberal　（within　just　limits；　without　waste）。　Being　humble；　he　will　govern　men　without　tyranny。
  The　men　of　today　have　forgotten　charity；　simplicity；　and　humility。　They　prize　war；　ostentation；　and　ambition。　This　is　like　wishing　not　to　succeed。　It　is　like　wishing　to　perish。
  For　it　is　the　charitable　aggressor　who　wins　the　battle　（not　the　savage　aggressor）；　it　is　the　charitable　defender　who　is　impregnable　（and　not　the　pitiless　warrior）。　Those　whom　heaven　wishes　well；　are　thereby　made　charitable。
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  He　who　commands　should　not　think　that　tactics；　valour；　and　effort　give　victory。
  It　is　by　putting　oneself　at　the　service　of　men　that　one　subdues　them。　That　is　the　correct　procedure。
  It　is　sometimes　formulated　as　follows：　art　of　not　struggling　（of　accommodating　oneself；　of　winning　be　making　oneself　everything　to　everyone）；　of　ability　to　manage　men；　of　action　conforming　to　that　of　heaven。　All　these　formulae　designate　the　same　thing。　They　show　the　greatness　of　the　ancients。
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  Rather　be　on　the　defensive　than　the　offensive；　rather　retreat　a　step　than　advance　an　inch；　are　current　principles　of　military　art。　It　is　worth　more　to　yield　than　to　triumph。　Prevention　（of　war）　through　diplomacy　is　worth　even　more。
  That　is　the　meaning　of　certain　abstruse　formulae　of　military　art；　such　as：　advancing　without　marching；　defending　oneself　without　moving　an　arm；　status　quo　without　fighting；　holding　on　without　weapons；　and　others。
  There　is　no　worse　curse　than　a　war　waged　with　little　or　no　reason；　（which　is　sought…after　deliberately；　and　pushed　beyond　necessary　limits）。
  He　who　does　that；　exposes　his　own　goods　to　loss；　and　causes　great　mourning。
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  What　I　（Lao　Zi）　teach　is　easy　to　understand　and　to　practice；　and　yet　the　world　neither　understands　or　practices　it。
  My　precepts　and　procedures　derive　from　a　superior　principle　and　procedure；　the　Principle　and　its　Virtue。　The　world　does　not　recognize　the　Principle　which　directs　me；　that　is　why　it　does　not　know　me。　Very　few　understand　me。　That　makes　my　glory。
  It　befalls　me　to　be　like　the　Sage　who　is　unrecognized　from　amongst　the　common　people　because　of　his　humble　appearance；　even　though　his　interior　is　filled　with　jewels。
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  Knowing　all　and　believing　that　one　knows　nothing；　is　true　knowledge　（of　a　superior　kind）。　Knowing　nothing　and　believing　that　one　knows　everything；　is　the　common　evil　of　humans。　Seeing　this　evil　as　an　evil；　keeps　one　away　from　it。
  The　Sage　is　exempt　from　self…conceit；