The　more　he　gives　to　others；
  the　more　he　experiences　peace。
  Infinity　manifests；　nourishes　and　disintegrates
  forever。
  The　sage　flows　in　the　peace　and　harmony
  of　oneness　with　all　things。
  English_Wrigley_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  English　interpretation　by
  Ted　Wrigley
  Thanks　to　Ted！　Visit　his　site　for　his　comments　on　his　version
  or　send　him　an　e…mail：　twrigley@ea。oac。uci。edu
  1
  A　path　is　just　a　path；　a　name　is　just　a　name
  What　is；　is；　without　sense　or　differentiation
  And　only　divides　itself　into　things　when　we　give　names
  Forget　the　names　of　things　and　you　sense　fit　and　flow
  Use　their　names　and　you　see　uniqueness；　significance
  Each　perspective　is　as　true　as　the　other
  How　can　something　be　both　fragmentary　and　complete？
  There's　a　mystery　here　calling　for　a　deeper　perception
  A　perception　from　which　all　spirituality　springs
  2
  Recognize　beauty　in　the　world　and　other　things　become　ugly
  Recognize　goodness　and　other　things　become　evil
  Is　and　isn't　create　each　other
  Difficult　and　easy　complete　each　other
  Long　and　short　form　each　other
  High　and　low　fill　each　other
  Tone　and　word　define　each　other
  Front　and　back　follow　each　other
  All　this　is　inescapable
  Therefore　the　taoist　acts　without　a　plan；　teaches　without　a　text
  She　creates；　but　doesn't　define
  Nurtures；　but　doesn't　lay　claim
  Accomplishes；　but　walks　away
  Because　he　walks　away；　what　he　does；　lasts
  3
  Give　rewards；　and　someone　will　fight　for　them
  Prize　rarities；　and　someone　will　try　to　steal　them
  Offer　all　that　anyone　could　desire；　and　someone　will　be　confused　andangry
  When　one　must　lead；　one　must　lead　people　back　to　themselves
  Fill　their　needs　but　drain　their　compulsions
  Harden　their　bones　but　soften　their　opinions
  Where　they　feel　the　need　to　chase　after　fashion　or　stand　for　some　cause
  Be　quiet　and　listen；　so　they　will　speak　cautiously　and　hesitant　toact
  So　long　as　they　are　cautious；　all　things　will　fall　into　place
  4
  The　way　is　emptiness；
  Yet　practice　it　and　it　seems　inexhaustible
  Fathomless　and　still；
  Yet　all　life　seems　to　spring　from　it
  It　blunts　sharp　edges
  Unravels　knots
  Softens　glare
  Settles　the　dust
  It　moves　beneath　all　things；　seen　only　in　its　effects
  Where　it　came　from　no　one　can　say
  It　was　always　there；　the　potential　in　nothingness
  5
  Nature　is　not　well　mannered
  It　watches　creatures　be　born　and　die　without　comment
  Nor　is　the　taoist　well　mannered
  People　are　born　and　they　die；　and　that's　as　it　should　be
  Life　is　like　a　fan
  So　long　as　it　moves　the　breeze　continues
  But　stop　the　one　so　you　can　master　the　other；　and　what's　left　to　master？
  Don't　try　to　answer；　you'll　only　frustrate　yourself
  Who　can　define　life　or　death？？Knowing　they　are　is　enough。
  6
  Nature　is　perpetually　fertile；　like　a　river　valley
  This　is　the　feminine　principle；　ever　capable　of　producing
  It　expresses　itself　in　the　world　in　uncountable　ways
  It　is　the　root　of　all　life
  Subtle；　so　subtle；　who　can　see　it　come　and　go？
  Yet　it　always　renews　itself。
  7
  Heaven　and　earth　endure　forever
  They　last；　because　they　do　not　live　for　themselves
  But　to　nurture　the　creatures　of　the　world
  Following　this；　the　taoist　effaces　herself　but　finds　that　she　is　heard
  Cares　only　for　others　but　finds　his　own　needs　met
  How　else　can　you　be　nurtured　by　the　tao
  Except　to　give　yourself　up　to　it？
  8
  True　goodness　is　like　water
  It　gives　itself　to　all　without　argument
  It　lives　in　the　lowest　places　that　most　scorn
  And　therefore　it　is　close　to　the　tao
  So。。。
  Live　modestly
  Reason　deeply
  Give　wholeheartedly
  Speak　sincerely
  Govern　modestly
  Work　skillfully
  Move　in　rhythm　with　the　flow　of　life
  Be　in　these　ways　like　water；　and　you　can　never　go　wrong
  9
  Fill　a　bowl　to　the　rim；？will　it　spill？
  Force　something　to　fit；？will　it　break？
  Amass　great　wealth；？will　you　be　robbed？
  Achieve　fame　and　status；？will　you　be　laughed　at？
  Better　to　avoid　the　questions：
  Accomplish　your　ends；　then　walk　away
  Such　is　the　road　of　peace
  10
  Feed　your　emotions；　but　balance　them
  Breathe　fully　and　effortlessly；　like　a　child
  See　who　you　are；　without　distortion
  Love　your　nation　and　your　people；　without　prejudgment
  Live　the　feminine　principle；　so　the　tao　possesses　you
  See　the　world　as　it　is；　without　interpretation
  Be　a　womb　to　things；　and　a　breast
  Give　them　life；　but　let　them　be
  Nurture　them　without　demands
  This　is　virtue
  11
  We　fire　clay　to　make　a　cup；
  But　we　use　the　empty　space　in　the　center
  We　build　walls　to　make　a　room；
  But　we　use　the　empty　space　they　surround
  We　form　a　wheel　to　spin；
  But　we　need　the　axle　hole　to　use　it
  The　point：
  Having　something　is　good　only　to　the　extent
  That　it　makes　nothingness　usable
  12
  Brilliance　and　splendors　blind　the　eye
  Competition　and　the　hunt　for　fulfillment　madden　the　mind
  Grasping　wealth　leaves　the　hand　useless　for　all　else
  Louder；　faster；　brighter：　these　things　drown　the　senses
  The　tao　is　subtle；　quiet；　soft
  A　thread　easily　lost　in　the　tumult
  Therefore　a　wise　leader　feeds　the　belly　and　not　the　senses
  Brings　the　people　back　rather　than　driving　them　on
  13
  Status　is　a　cold；　damp　wind　to　the　spirit
  It　can　lead　to　fevers
  The　more　status　you　gain；　the　more　afraid　you　are　to　lose　it
  The　more　you　lose；　the　more　afraid　you　are　to　show　your　face
  And　this　fear　is　like　any　other　sickness；　it　limits　you
  It　debilitates　you　and　risks　being　spread　to　others
  To　earn　the　trust　of　a　society　you　must　care　for　its　health
  And　so　you　must　guard　yourself　against　the　ill　effects　of　status
  Care　for　the　spirit　of　society　as　you　would　for　the　health　of　yourbody
  Whoever　can　do　that；　is　worthy　to　lead
  14
  You　can　look　at　it；　but　you　can't　see　it；？it　has　no　color；　nosize
  You　can　listen　to　it；　but　you　can't　hear　it；？it　has　no　tone；no　words
  You　can　grasp　it；　but　you　can't　hold　it；？it　has　no　texture；　noshape
  These　three　senses　can　not　measure　its　depths
  It　passes　beyond　where　they　mingle　and　become　one
  One　…　there　is　nothing　greater　around　it
  Nothing　smaller　inside
  It　has　no　edge；　no　definition；　no　name
  And　it　is　constantly　returning　to　itself
  It　is　the　form　of　formlessness
  The　image　of　imagelessness
  Subtle　and　hidden
  How　can　you　follow　what　has　no　back
  How　can　you　lead　what　has　no　front
  Stay　with　it；　here　and　now；　and　you　will　find
  The　thread　that　runs　unbroken　from　the　ancient　past
  15
  Those　ancient　masters　who　once　walked　the　way
  Were　subtle；　wise；　profound；　penetrating
  Unfathomable；？they　can　only　be　described；　not　known
  They　were　cautious；　as　though　wading　a　winter…swollen　river
  Hesitant　as　though　fearing　to　offend
  Moderate　as　a　guest
  Difficult　to　grasp　as　melting　ice
  Supple　in　mind　and　body　as　a　green　branch
  Fertile　as　a　valley
  Opaque　as　muddy　water
  If　you　take　muddy　water　and　still　it；　it　gradually　becomes　clear
  Let　it　come　to　rest；　and　it　gradually　comes　alive
  Hold　to　this　way；　nurture　that　hidden　life
  And　you　will　never　desire　to　be　finished
  And　thus　will　never　wear　yourself　out
  16
  Be　completely　empty；？be　tranquil　to　the　core
  The　creatures　of　the　world　are　all　born
  And　by　this　I　see　their　deaths
  Things　pour　forth　from　the　earth　and　each　returns　to　it
  Know　this　and　you　know　tranquility；　for　your　own　fate　is　clear
  See　what　is；　accept　it；　and　you　are　free　of　all　burdens
  No　good　can　come　from　rejecting　this
  Without　such　burdens　you　have　no　prejudice
  Without　prejudice　you　give　to　all　equally　and　fully
  Giving　equally　and　fully　is　a　step　along　the　way
  And　being　so；　you　will　fear　nothing　to　the　end　of　your　days
  17
  The　greatest　leaders　are　never　seen；　their　presence　is　never　felt
  Lesser　rulers　are　loved　and　praised
  Lesser　still　are　hated；　and　obeyed　through　fear
  And　the　least　are　despised　and　ignored
  If　you　would　lead　people；　trust　them　to　do　the　right　thing
  When　a　leader　accomplishes　something　using　the　tao
  He　steps　back；　moves　on　to　something　else
  And　lets　the　people　praise　themselves
  18
  What　happens　when　the　nation　wanders　from　the　tao？
  The　people　first　try　to　be　polite；　assuming　things　will　balance　themselves
  Then　they　try　to　be　informed；　or　clever；　or　wise；　and　search　for　solutions
  Then　they　turn　to　morality；　like　drowning　men　clinging　to　driftwood
  And　only　after　that；　when　the　whole　land　is　in　turmoil
  Do　they　throw　up　their　hands　and　cry　for　strong　and　loyal　leaders
  19
  Without　morality　and　ethics；　they　will　thrive
  Without　clev