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Tao Te Ching |
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A New English Version, |
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with Foreword and Notes, |
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by Stephen Mitchell |
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HARPERPERENNIAL |
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MODERNCLASSICS |
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NEW YORK • LONDON • TORONTO • SYDNEY |
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HflH |
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HARPERPERENN |
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AL^ |
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MODERNCLASSICS |
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A hardcover edition of this book was published in 1988 by Harper & Row. |
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P.S.™ is a trademark of HarperColiins Publishers. |
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TAO TE CHING. Translation copyright © 1988 by Stephen Mitchell. All |
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rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this |
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book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without writ¬ |
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ten permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical |
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articles and reviews. For information address HarperColiins Publishers, 10 |
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East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. |
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HarperColiins books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales |
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promotional use. For information please write: Special Markets Department, |
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HarperColiins Publishers, 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. |
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First Harper Perennial edition published 1991. |
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First Perennial Classics edition published 2000. |
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First Harper Perennial Modern Classics edition published 2006. |
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Designed by David Bullen |
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The Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover edition as follows: |
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Lao-tzu. |
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Tao te ching. |
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Translation of: Tao te ching. |
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ISBN 978-0-06-016001-2 |
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I. Mitchell, Stephen. |
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II. Title. |
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BL1900.L26E5 1988 299’.51482 88-45123 |
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ISBN-13: 978-0-06-114266-6 (pbk.) |
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09 RRD 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 |
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TO VICKI |
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Who can find a good woman? |
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She is precious beyond all things. |
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PROV. 31:10 |
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Foreword |
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Tao Te Ching (pronounced, more or less, Dow Deh Jing) can |
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be translated as The Book of the Immanence of the Way or The |
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Book of the Way and of How It Manifests Itself in the World or, |
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simply, The Book of the Way. Since it is already well known |
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by its Chinese title, I have let that stand. |
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About Lao-tzu, its author, there is practically nothing to |
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be said. He may have been an older contemporary of Confu¬ |
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cius (551-479 B.C.E.) and may have held the position of |
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archive-keeper in one of the petty kingdoms of the time. But |
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all the information that has come down to us is highly sus¬ |
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pect. Even the meaning of his name is uncertain (the most |
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likely interpretations: “the Old Master" or, more pictur¬ |
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esquely, “the Old Boy”). Like an Iroquois woodsman, he left |
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no traces. All he left us is his book: the classic manual on |
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the art of living, written in style of gemlike lucidity, radiant |
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with humor and grace and largeheartedness and deep wis¬ |
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dom: one of the wonders of the world. |
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People usually think of Lao-tzu as a hermit, a dropout |
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from society, dwelling serenely in some mountain hut, unvis¬ |
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ited except perhaps by the occasional traveler arriving from |
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a '60s joke to ask, “What is the meaning of life?” But it's |
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clear from his teachings that he deeply cared about society, |
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if society means the welfare of one’s fellow human beings; |
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his book is, among other things, a treatise on the art of |
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government, whether of a country or of a child. The misper¬ |
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ception may arise from his insistence on wet wu wei, literally |
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“doing not-doing,” which has been seen as passivity. Noth¬ |
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ing could be further from the truth. |
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/ |
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/ |
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A good athlete can enter a state of body-awareness in |
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which the right stroke or the right movement happens by |
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itself, effortlessly, without any interference of the conscious |
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will. This is a paradigm for non-action: the purest and most |
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effective form of action. The game plays the game; the poem |
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writes the poem; we can’t tell the dancer from the dance. |
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Less and less do you need to force things, |
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until finally you arrive at non-action. |
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When nothing is done, |
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nothing is left undone. |
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Nothing is done because the doer has wholeheartedly van¬ |
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ished into the deed; the fuel has been completely trans¬ |
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formed into flame. This "nothing" is, in fact, everything. It |
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happens when we trust the intelligence of the universe in |
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the same way that an athlete or a dancer trusts the superior |
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intelligence of the body. Hence Lao-tzu’s emphasis on soft¬ |
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ness. Softness means the opposite of rigidity, and is synony¬ |
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mous with suppleness, adaptability, endurance. Anyone who |
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has seen a t’ai chi or aikido master doing not-doing will |
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know how powerful this softness is. |
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Lao-tzu’s central figure is a man or woman whose life is |
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in perfect harmony with the way things are. This is not an |
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idea; it is a reality; I have seen it. The Master has mastered |
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Nature; not in the sense of conquering it, but of becoming |
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it. In surrendering to the Tao, in giving up all concepts, |
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judgments, and desires, her mind has grown naturally com¬ |
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passionate. She finds deep in her own experience the central |
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truths of the art of living, which are paradoxical only on |
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the surface: that the more truly solitary we are, the more |
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compassionate we can be; the more we let go of what we |
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viii |
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love, the more present our love becomes; the clearer our |
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insight into what is beyond good and evil, the more we can |
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embody the good. Until finally she is able to say, in all hu¬ |
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mility, "I am the Tao, the Truth, the Life.” |
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The teaching of the Tao Te Ching is moral in the deepest |
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sense. Unencumbered by any concept of sin, the Master |
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doesn’t see evil as a force to resist, but simply as an opaque¬ |
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ness, a state of self-absorption which is in disharmony with |
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the universal process, so that, as with a dirty window, the |
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light can t shine through. This freedom from moral catego¬ |
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ries allows him his great compassion for the wicked and the |
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selfish. |
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Thus the Master is available to all people |
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and doesn’t reject anyone. |
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He is ready to use all situations |
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and doesn’t waste anything. |
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This is called embodying the light. |
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What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher? |
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What is a bad man but a good man’s job? |
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If you don’t understand this, you will get lost, |
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however intelligent you are. |
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It is the great secret. |
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The reader will notice that in the many passages where |
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Lao-tzu describes the Master, I have used the pronoun "she" |
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at least as often as "he." The Chinese language doesn’t make |
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this kind of distinction; in English we have to choose. But |
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since we are all, potentially, the Master (since the Master is, |
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essentially, us), I felt it would be untrue to present a male |
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archetype, as other versions have, ironically, done. Ironically, |
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because of all the great world religions the teaching of |
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Lao-tzu is by far the most female. Of course, you should feel |
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free, throughout the book, to substitute “he” for ’’she” or |
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vice versa. |
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As to method: I worked from Paul Carus’s literal version, |
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which provides English equivalents (often very quaint ones) |
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alongside each of the Chinese ideograms. I also consulted |
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dozens of translations into English, German, and French. |
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But the most essential preparation for my work was a four¬ |
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teen-year-long course of Zen training, which brought me |
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face to face with Lao-tzu and his true disciples and heirs, the |
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early Chinese Zen Masters. |
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With great poetry, the freest translation is sometimes the |
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most faithful. “We must try its effect as an English poem,” |
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Dr. Johnson said; “that is the way to judge of the merit of a |
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translation.” I have often been fairly literal—or as literal as |
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one can be with such a subtle, kaleidoscopic book as the Tao |
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Te Ching. But I have also paraphrased, expanded, con¬ |
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tracted, interpreted, worked with the text, played with it, |
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until it became embodied in a language that felt genuine to |
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me. If 1 haven’t always translated Lao-tzu’s words, my inten¬ |
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tion has always been to translate his mind. |
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TaoTe Ching |
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1 |
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The tao that can be told |
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is not the eternal Tao. |
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The name that can be named |
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is not the eternal Name. |
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The unnamable is the eternally real. |
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Naming is the origin |
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of all particular things. |
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Free from desire, you realize the mystery. |
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Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. |
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Yet mystery and manifestations |
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arise from the same source. |
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This source is called darkness. |
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Darkness within darkness. |
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The gateway to all understanding. |
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2 |
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When people see some things as beautiful, |
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other things become ugly. |
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When people see some things as good, |
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other things become bad. |
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Being and non-being create each other. |
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Difficult and easy support each other. |
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Long and short define each other. |
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High and low depend on each other. |
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Before and after follow each other. |
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Therefore the Master |
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acts without doing anything |
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and teaches without saying anything. |
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Things arise and she lets them come; |
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things disappear and she lets them go. |
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She has but doesn’t possess, |
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acts but doesn’t expect. |
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When her work is done, she forgets it. |
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That is why it lasts forever. |
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If you overesteem great men, |
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people become powerless. |
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If you overvalue possessions, |
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people begin to steal. |
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The Master leads |
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by emptying people’s minds |
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and filling their cores, |
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by weakening their ambition |
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and toughening their resolve. |
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He helps people lose everything |
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they know, everything they desire, |
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and creates confusion |
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in those who think that they know. |
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Practice not-doing, |
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and everything will fall into place. |
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4 |
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The Tao is like a well: |
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used but never used up. |
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It is like the eternal void: |
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filled with infinite possibilities. |
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It is hidden but always present. |
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I don’t know who gave birth to it. |
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It is older than God. |
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5 |
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The Tao doesn’t take sides; |
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it gives birth to both good and evil. |
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The Master doesn’t take sides; |
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she welcomes both saints and sinners. |
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The Tao is like a bellows: |
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it is empty yet infinitely capable. |
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The more you use it, the more it produces; |
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the more you talk of it, the less you understand. |
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Hold on to the center. |
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6 |
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The Tao is called the Great Mother: |
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empty yet inexhaustible, |
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it gives birth to infinite worlds. |
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It is always present within you. |
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You can use it any way you want. |
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The Tao is infinite, eternal. |
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Why is it eternal? |
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It was never born; |
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thus it can never die. |
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Why is it infinite? |
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It has no desires for itself; |
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thus it is present for all beings. |
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The Master stays behind; |
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that is why she is ahead. |
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She is detached from all things; |
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that is why she is one with them. |
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Because she has let go of herself, |
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she is perfectly fulfilled. |
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8 |
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The supreme good is like water, |
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which nourishes all things without trying to. |
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It is content with the low places that people disdain. |
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Thus it is like the Tao. |
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In dwelling, live close to the ground. |
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In thinking, keep to the simple. |
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In conflict, be fair and generous. |
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In governing, don't try to control. |
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In work, do what you enjoy. |
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In family life, be completely present. |
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When you are content to be simply yourself |
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and don’t compare or compete, |
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everybody will respect you. |
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Fill your bowl to the brim |
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and it will spill. |
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Keep sharpening your knife |
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and it will blunt. |
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Chase after money and security |
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and your heart will never unclench. |
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Care about people’s approval |
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and you will be their prisoner. |
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Do your work, then step back. |
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The only path to serenity. |
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10 |
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Can you coax your mind from its wandering |
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and keep to the original oneness? |
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Can you let your body become |
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supple as a newborn child’s? |
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Can you cleanse your inner vision |
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until you see nothing but the light? |
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Can you love people and lead them |
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without imposing your will? |
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Can you deal with the most vital matters |
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by letting events take their course? |
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Can you step back from your own mind |
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and thus understand all things? |
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Giving birth and nourishing, |
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having without possessing, |
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acting with no expectations, |
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leading and not trying to control: |
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this is the supreme virtue. |
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We join spokes together in a wheel, |
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but it is the center hole |
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that makes the wagon move. |
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We shape clay into a pot, |
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but it is the emptiness inside |
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that holds whatever we want. |
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We hammer wood for a house, |
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but it is the inner space |
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that makes it livable. |
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We work with being, |
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but non-being is what we use. |
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12 |
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Colors blind the eye. |
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Sounds deafen the ear. |
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Flavors numb the taste. |
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Thoughts weaken the mind. |
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Desires wither the heart. |
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The Master observes the world |
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but trusts his inner vision. |
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He allows things to come and go. |
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His heart is open as the sky. |
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13 |
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Success is as dangerous as failure. |
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Hope is as hollow as fear. |
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What does it mean that success is as dangerous as failure? |
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Whether you go up the ladder or down it, |
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your position is shaky. |
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When you stand with your two feet on the ground, |
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you will always keep your balance. |
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What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear? |
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Hope and fear are both phantoms |
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that arise from thinking of the self. |
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When we don’t see the self as self, |
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what do we have to fear? |
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See the world as your self. |
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Have faith in the way things are. |
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Love the world as your self; |
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then you can care for all things. |
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14 |
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Look, and it can’t be seen. |
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Listen, and it can’t be heard. |
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Reach, and it can’t be grasped. |
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Above, it isn’t bright. |
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Below, it isn’t dark. |
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Seamless, unnamable, |
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it returns to the realm of nothing. |
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Form that includes all forms, |
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image without an image, |
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subtle, beyond all conception. |
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Approach it and there is no beginning; |
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follow it and there is no end. |
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You can’t know it, but you can be it, |
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at ease in your own life. |
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Just realize where you come from: |
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this is the essence of wisdom. |
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15 |
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The ancient Masters were profound and subtle. |
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Their wisdom was unfathomable. |
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There is no way to describe it; |
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all we can describe is their appearance. |
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They were careful |
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as someone crossing an iced-over stream. |
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Alert as a warrior in enemy territory. |
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Courteous as a guest. |
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Fluid as melting ice. |
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Shapable as a block of wood. |
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Receptive as a valley. |
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Clear as a glass of water. |
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Do you have the patience to wait |
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till your mud settles and the water is clear? |
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Can you remain unmoving |
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till the right action arises by itself? |
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The Master doesn’t seek fulfillment. |
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Not seeking, not expecting, |
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she is present, and can welcome all things. |
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16 |
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Empty your mind of all thoughts. |
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Let your heart be at peace. |
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Watch the turmoil of beings, |
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but contemplate their return. |
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Each separate being in the universe |
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returns to the common source. |
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Returning to the source is serenity. |
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If you don’t realize the source, |
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you stumble in confusion and sorrow. |
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When you realize where you come from, |
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you naturally become tolerant, |
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disinterested, amused, |
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kindhearted as a grandmother, |
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dignified as a king. |
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Immersed in the wonder of the Tao, |
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you can deal with whatever life brings you, |
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and when death comes, you are ready. |
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17 |
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When the Master governs, the people |
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are hardly aware that he exists. |
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Next best is a leader who is loved. |
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Next, one who is feared. |
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The worst is one who is despised. |
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If you don’t trust the people, |
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you make them untrustworthy. |
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The Master doesn’t talk, he acts. |
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When his work is done, |
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the people say, "Amazing: |
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we did it, all by ourselves!” |
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18 |
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When the great Tao is forgotten, |
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goodness and piety appear. |
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When the body’s intelligence declines, |
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cleverness and knowledge step forth. |
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When there is no peace in the family, |
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filial piety begins. |
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When the country falls into chaos, |
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patriotism is born. |
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19 |
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Throw away holiness and wisdom, |
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and people will be a hundred times happier. |
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Throw away morality and justice, |
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and people will do the right thing. |
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Throw away industry and profit, |
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and there won’t be any thieves. |
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If these three aren’t enough, |
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just stay at the center of the circle |
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and let all things take their course. |
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20 |
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Stop thinking, and end your problems. |
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What difference between yes and no? |
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What difference between success and failure? |
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Must you value what others value, |
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avoid what others avoid? |
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How ridiculous! |
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Other people are excited, |
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as though they were at a parade. |
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I alone don’t care, |
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I alone am expressionless, |
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like an infant before it can smile. |
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Other people have what they need; |
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I alone possess nothing. |
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I alone drift about, |
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like someone without a home. |
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I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty. |
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Other people are bright; |
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I alone am dark. |
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Other people are sharp; |
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1 alone am dull. |
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Other people have a purpose; |
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I alone don’t know. |
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I drift like a wave on the ocean, |
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I blow as aimless as the wind. |
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I am different from ordinary people. |
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I drink from the Great Mother’s breasts. |
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21 |
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The Master keeps her mind |
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always at one with the Tao; |
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that is what gives her her radiance. |
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The Tao is ungraspable. |
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How can her mind be at one with it? |
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Because she doesn't cling to ideas. |
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The Tao is dark and unfathomable. |
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How can it make her radiant? |
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Because she lets it. |
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Since before time and space were, |
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the Tao is. |
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It is beyond is and is not . |
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How do I know this is true? |
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I look inside myself and see. |
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22 |
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If you want to become whole, |
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let yourself be partial. |
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If you want to become straight, |
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let yourself be crooked. |
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If you want to become full, |
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let yourself be empty. |
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If you want to be reborn, |
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let yourself die. |
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If you want to be given everything, |
|
give everything up. |
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The Master, by residing in the Tao, |
|
sets an example tor all beings. |
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Because he doesn’t display himself, |
|
people can see his light. |
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Because he has nothing to prove, |
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people can trust his words. |
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Because he doesn’t know who he is, |
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people recognize themselves in him. |
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Because he has no goal in mind, |
|
everything he does succeeds. |
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When the ancient Masters said, |
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“If you want to be given everything, |
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give everything up,” |
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they weren’t using empty phrases. |
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Only in being lived by the Tao |
|
can you be truly yourself. |
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23 |
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Express yourself completely, |
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then keep quiet. |
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Be like the forces of nature: |
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when it blows, there is only wind; |
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when it rains, there is only rain; |
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when the clouds pass, the sun shines through. |
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If you open yourself to the Tao, |
|
you are at one with the Tao |
|
and you can embody it completely. |
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If you open yourself to insight, |
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you are at one with insight |
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and you can use it completely. |
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If you open yourself to loss, |
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you are at one with loss |
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and you can accept it completely. |
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Open yourself to the Tao, |
|
then trust your natural responses; |
|
and everything will fall into place. |
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24 |
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He who stands on tiptoe |
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doesn’t stand firm. |
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He who rushes ahead |
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doesn’t go far. |
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He who tries to shine |
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dims his own light. |
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He who defines himself |
|
can’t know who he really is. |
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He who has power over others |
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can’t empower himself. |
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He who clings to his work |
|
will create nothing that endures. |
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If you want to accord with the Tao, |
|
just do your job, then let go. |
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25 |
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There was something formless and perfect |
|
before the universe was born. |
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It is serene. Empty. |
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Solitary. Unchanging. |
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Infinite. Eternally present. |
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It is the mother of the universe. |
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For lack of a better name, |
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I call it the Tao. |
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It flows through all things, |
|
inside and outside, and returns |
|
to the origin of all things. |
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The Tao is great. |
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The universe is great. |
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Earth is great. |
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Man is great. |
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These are the four great powers. |
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Man follows the earth. |
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Earth follows the universe. |
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The universe follows the Tao. |
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The Tao follows only itself. |
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26 |
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The heavy is the root of the light. |
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The unmoved is the source of all movement. |
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Thus the Master travels all day |
|
without leaving home. |
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|
However splendid the views, |
|
she stays serenely in herself |
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|
Why should the lord of the country |
|
flit about like a fool? |
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|
If you let yourself be blown to and fro, |
|
you lose touch with your root. |
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If you let restlessness move you, |
|
you lose touch with who you are. |
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_ 27 _ |
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- |
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A good traveler has no fixed plans |
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and is not intent upon arriving. |
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A good artist lets his intuition ,! |
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|
lead him wherever it wants. |
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A good scientist has freed himself of concepts |
|
and keeps his mind open to what is. |
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|
Thus the Master is available to all people |
|
and doesn’t reject anyone. |
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|
He is ready to use all situations |
|
and doesn’t waste anything. |
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This is called embodying the light. |
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|
What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher? |
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What is a bad man but a good man’s job? |
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|
If you don’t understand this, you will get lost, |
|
however intelligent you are. |
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It is the great secret. |
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28 |
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Know the male, |
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|
yet keep to the female: |
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receive the world in your arms. |
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If you receive the world, |
|
the Tao will never leave you |
|
and you will be like a little child. |
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Know the white, |
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|
yet keep to the black: |
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|
be a pattern for the world. |
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|
If you are a pattern for the world, |
|
the Tao will be strong inside you |
|
and there will be nothing you can’t do. |
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|
Know the personal, |
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|
|
yet keep to the impersonal: |
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|
|
accept the world as it is. |
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|
If you accept the world, |
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|
the Tao will be luminous inside you |
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|
and you will return to your primal self. |
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|
The world is formed from the void, |
|
like utensils from a block of wood. |
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|
The Master knows the utensils, |
|
yet keeps to the block: |
|
thus she can use all things. |
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29 |
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|
Do you want to improve the world? |
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|
I don’t think it can be done. |
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|
The world is sacred. |
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|
It can’t be improved. |
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|
If you tamper with it, you’ll ruin it. |
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|
If you treat it like an object, you’ll lose it. |
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|
There is a time for being ahead, |
|
a time for being behind; |
|
a time for being in motion, |
|
a time for being at rest; |
|
a time for being vigorous, |
|
a time for being exhausted; |
|
a time for being safe, |
|
a time for being in danger. |
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|
The Master sees things as they are, |
|
without trying to control them. |
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|
She lets them go their own way, |
|
and resides at the center of the circle. |
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30 |
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Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men |
|
doesn’t try to force issues |
|
or defeat enemies by force of arms. |
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|
For every force there is a counterforce. |
|
Violence, even well intentioned, |
|
always rebounds upon oneself. |
|
|
|
The Master does his job |
|
and then stops. |
|
|
|
He understands that the universe |
|
is forever out of control, |
|
and that trying to dominate events |
|
goes against the current of the Tao. |
|
|
|
Because he believes in himself, |
|
he doesn’t try to convince others. |
|
|
|
Because he is content with himself, |
|
he doesn’t need others’ approval. |
|
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|
Because he accepts himself, |
|
the whole world accepts him. |
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31 |
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|
Weapons are the tools of violence; |
|
all decent men detest them. |
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|
|
Weapons are the tools of fear; |
|
a decent man will avoid them |
|
except in the direst necessity |
|
and, if compelled, will use them |
|
only with the utmost restraint. |
|
|
|
Peace is his highest value. |
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|
|
If the peace has been shattered, |
|
how can he be content? |
|
|
|
His enemies are not demons, |
|
but human beings like himself. |
|
|
|
He doesn’t wish them personal harm. |
|
Nor does he rejoice in victory. |
|
|
|
How could he rejoice in victory |
|
and delight in the slaughter of men? |
|
|
|
He enters a battle gravely, |
|
|
|
with sorrow and with great compassion, |
|
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|
as if he were attending a funeral. |
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32 |
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|
The Tao can’t be perceived, |
|
|
|
Smaller than an electron, |
|
it contains uncountable galaxies. |
|
|
|
If powerful men and women |
|
could remain centered in the Tao, |
|
all things would be in harmony. |
|
|
|
The world would become a paradise. |
|
|
|
All people would be at peace, |
|
|
|
and the law would be written in their hearts. |
|
|
|
When you have names and forms, |
|
know that they are provisional. |
|
|
|
When you have institutions, |
|
know where their functions should end. |
|
Knowing when to stop, |
|
you can avoid any danger. |
|
|
|
All things end in the Tao |
|
as rivers flow into the sea. |
|
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33 |
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|
|
Knowing others is intelligence; |
|
knowing yourself is true wisdom. |
|
Mastering others is strength; |
|
mastering yourself is true power. |
|
|
|
If you realize that you have enough, |
|
you are truly rich. |
|
|
|
If you stay in the center |
|
|
|
and embrace death with your whole heart, |
|
|
|
you will endure forever. |
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34 |
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|
The great Tao flows everywhere. |
|
All things are born from it, |
|
yet it doesn’t create them. |
|
|
|
It pours itself into its work, |
|
yet it makes no claim. |
|
|
|
It nourishes infinite worlds, |
|
yet it doesn’t hold on to them. |
|
Since it is merged with all things |
|
and hidden in their hearts, |
|
it can be called humble. |
|
|
|
Since all things vanish into it |
|
and it alone endures, |
|
it can be called great. |
|
|
|
It isn’t aware of its greatness; |
|
thus it is truly great. |
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35 |
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|
|
She who is centered in the Tao |
|
|
|
can go where she wishes, without danger. |
|
|
|
She perceives the universal harmony, |
|
|
|
even amid great pain, |
|
|
|
because she has found peace in her heart. |
|
|
|
Music or the smell of good cooking |
|
may make people stop and enjoy. |
|
|
|
But words that point to the Tao |
|
seem monotonous and without flavor. |
|
|
|
When you look for it, there is nothing to see. |
|
When you listen for it, there is nothing to hear. |
|
When you use it, it is inexhaustible. |
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36 |
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|
If you want to shrink something, |
|
you must first allow it to expand. |
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|
|
If you want to get rid of something, |
|
you must first allow it to flourish. |
|
|
|
If you want to take something, |
|
you must first allow it to be given. |
|
This is called the subtle perception |
|
of the way things are. |
|
|
|
The soft overcomes the hard. |
|
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|
The slow overcomes the fast. |
|
|
|
Let your workings remain a mystery. |
|
Just show people the results. |
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|
|
37 . |
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|
|
The Tao never does anything, |
|
yet through it all things are done. |
|
|
|
If powerful men and women |
|
could center themselves in it, |
|
the whole world would be transformed |
|
by itself, in its natural rhythms. |
|
|
|
People would be content |
|
with their simple, everyday lives, |
|
in harmony, and free of desire. |
|
|
|
When there is no desire, |
|
all things are at peace. |
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38 |
|
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|
|
The Master doesn’t try to be powerful; |
|
thus he is truly powerful. |
|
|
|
The ordinary man keeps reaching for power; |
|
thus he never has enough. |
|
|
|
The Master does nothing, |
|
yet he leaves nothing undone. |
|
|
|
The ordinary man is always doing things, |
|
yet many more are left to be done. |
|
|
|
The kind man does something, |
|
yet something remains undone. |
|
|
|
The just man does something, |
|
and leaves many things to be done. |
|
|
|
The moral man does something, |
|
|
|
and when no one responds |
|
|
|
he rolls up his sleeves and uses force. |
|
|
|
When the Tao is lost, there is goodness. |
|
When goodness is lost, there is morality. |
|
When morality is lost, there is ritual. |
|
|
|
Ritual is the husk of true faith, |
|
the beginning of chaos. |
|
|
|
Therefore the Master concerns himself |
|
with the depths and not the surface, |
|
with the fruit and not the flower. |
|
|
|
He has no will of his own. |
|
|
|
He dwells in reality, |
|
and lets all illusions go. |
|
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39 |
|
|
|
|
|
In harmony with the Tao, |
|
the sky is clear and spacious, |
|
the earth is solid and full, |
|
all creatures flourish together, |
|
content with the way they are, |
|
endlessly repeating themselves, |
|
endlessly renewed. |
|
|
|
When man interferes with the Tao, |
|
the sky becomes filthy, |
|
the earth becomes depleted, |
|
the equilibrium crumbles, |
|
creatures become extinct. |
|
|
|
The Master views the parts with compassion, |
|
because he understands the whole. |
|
|
|
His constant practice is humility. |
|
|
|
He doesn’t glitter like a jewel |
|
|
|
but lets himself be shaped by the Tao, |
|
|
|
as rugged and common as a stone. |
|
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|
40 |
|
|
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|
|
Return is the movement of the Tao. |
|
Yielding is the way of the Tao. |
|
|
|
|
|
All things are born of being. |
|
Being is born of non-being. |
|
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|
41 |
|
|
|
|
|
When a superior man hears of the Tao, |
|
he immediately begins to embody it. |
|
When an average man hears of the Tao, |
|
he half believes it, half doubts it. |
|
|
|
When a foolish man hears of the Tao, |
|
he laughs out loud. |
|
|
|
If he didn’t laugh, |
|
it wouldn’t be the Tao. |
|
|
|
Thus it is said: |
|
|
|
The path into the light seems dark, |
|
|
|
the path forward seems to go back, |
|
|
|
the direct path seems long, |
|
|
|
true power seems weak, |
|
|
|
true purity seems tarnished, |
|
|
|
true steadfastness seems changeable, |
|
|
|
true clarity seems obscure, |
|
|
|
the greatest art seems unsophisticated, |
|
|
|
the greatest love seems indifferent, |
|
|
|
the greatest wisdom seems childish. |
|
|
|
The Tao is nowhere to be found. |
|
|
|
Yet it nourishes and completes ail things. |
|
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42 |
|
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|
The Tao gives birth to One. |
|
|
|
One gives birth to Two. |
|
|
|
Two gives birth to Three. |
|
|
|
Three gives birth to all things. |
|
|
|
All things have their backs to the female |
|
and stand facing the male. |
|
|
|
When male and female combine, |
|
all things achieve harmony. |
|
|
|
Ordinary men hate solitude. |
|
|
|
But the Master makes use of it, |
|
embracing his aloneness, realizing |
|
he is one with the whole universe. |
|
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|
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I |
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43 |
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The gentlest thing in the world |
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overcomes the hardest thing in the world. |
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That which has no substance |
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enters where there is no space. |
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This shows the value of non-action. |
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Teaching without words, |
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performing without actions: |
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that is the Master’s way. |
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44 |
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Fame or integrity: which is more important? |
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Money or happiness: which is more valuable? |
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Success or failure: which is more destructive? |
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If you look to others for fulfillment, |
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you will never truly be fulfilled. |
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If your happiness depends on money, |
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you will never be happy with yourself |
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Be content with what you have; |
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rejoice in the way things are. |
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When you realize there is nothing lacking, |
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the whole world belongs to you. |
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45 |
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True perfection seems imperfect, |
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yet it is perfectly itself. |
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True fullness seems empty, |
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yet it is fully present. |
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True straightness seems crooked. |
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True wisdom seems foolish. |
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True art seems artless. |
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The Master allows things to happen. |
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She shapes events as they come. |
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She steps out of the way |
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and lets the Tao speak for itself. |
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46 |
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When a country is in harmony with the Tao, |
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the factories make trucks and tractors. |
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When a country goes counter to the Tao, |
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warheads are stockpiled outside the cities. |
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There is no greater illusion than fear, |
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no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself, |
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no greater misfortune than having an enemy. |
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Whoever can see through all fear |
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will always be safe. |
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47 . |
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Without opening your door, |
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you can open your heart to the world. |
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Without looking out your window, |
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you can see the essence of the Tao. |
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The more you know, |
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the less you understand. |
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The Master arrives without leaving, |
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sees the light without looking, |
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achieves without doing a thing. |
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48 |
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In the pursuit of knowledge, |
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every day something is added. |
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In the practice of the Tao, |
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every day something is dropped. |
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Less and less do you need to force things, |
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until finally you arrive at non-action. |
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When nothing is done, |
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nothing is left undone. |
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True mastery can be gained |
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by letting things go their own way. |
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It can’t be gained by interfering. |
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49 |
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The Master has no mind of her own. |
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She works with the mind of the people. |
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She is good to people who are good. |
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She is also good to people who aren’t good. |
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This is true goodness. |
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She trusts people who are trustworthy. |
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She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy. |
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This is true trust. |
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The Master's mind is like space. |
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People don’t understand her. |
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They look to her and wait. |
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She treats them like her own children. |
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50 |
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The Master gives himself up |
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to whatever the moment brings. |
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He knows that he is going to die, |
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and he has nothing left to hold on to: |
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no illusions in his mind, |
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no resistances in his body. |
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He doesn’t think about his actions; |
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they flow from the core of his being. |
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He holds nothing back from life; |
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therefore he is ready for death, |
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as a man is ready for sleep |
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after a good day’s work. |
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51 |
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Every being in the universe |
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is an expression of the Tao. |
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It springs into existence, |
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unconscious, perfect, free, |
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takes on a physical body, |
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lets circumstances complete it. |
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That is why every being |
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spontaneously honors the Tao. |
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The Tao gives birth to all beings, |
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nourishes them, maintains them, |
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cares for them, comforts them, protects them, |
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takes them back to itself, |
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creating without possessing, |
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acting without expecting, |
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guiding without interfering. |
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That is why love of the Tao |
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is in the very nature of things. |
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52 |
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In the beginning was the Tao. |
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All things issue from it; |
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all things return to it. |
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To find the origin, |
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trace back the manifestations. |
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When you recognize the children |
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and find the mother, |
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you will be free of sorrow. |
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If you close your mind in judgments |
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and traffic with desires, |
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your heart will be troubled. |
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If you keep your mind from judging |
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and aren’t led by the senses, |
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your heart will find peace. |
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Seeing into darkness is clarity. |
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Knowing how to yield is strength. |
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Use your own light |
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and return to the source of light. |
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This is called practicing eternity. |
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53 |
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The great Way is easy, |
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yet people prefer the side paths. |
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Be aware when things are out of balance. |
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Stay centered within the Tao. |
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When rich speculators prosper |
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while farmers lose their land; |
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when government officials spend money |
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on weapons instead of cures; |
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when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible |
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while the poor have nowhere to turn— |
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all this is robbery and chaos. |
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It is not in keeping with the Tao. |
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54 |
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Whoever is planted in the Tao |
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will not be rooted up. |
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Whoever embraces the Tao |
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will not slip away. |
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Her name will be held in honor |
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from generation to generation. |
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Let the Tao be present in your life |
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and you will become genuine. |
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Let it be present in your family |
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and your family will flourish. |
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Let it be present in your country |
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and your country will be an example |
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to all countries in the world. |
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Let it be present in the universe |
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and the universe will sing. |
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How do I know this is true? |
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By looking inside myself. |
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55 |
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He who is in harmony with the Tao |
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is like a newborn child. |
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Its bones are soft, its muscles are weak, |
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but its grip is powerful. |
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It doesn't know about the union |
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of male and female, |
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yet its penis can stand erect, |
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so intense is its vital power. |
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It can scream its head off all day, |
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yet it never becomes hoarse, |
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so complete is its harmony. |
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The Master’s power is like this. |
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He lets all things come and go |
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effortlessly, without desire. |
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He never expects results; |
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thus he is never disappointed. |
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He is never disappointed; |
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thus his spirit never grows old. |
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56 |
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Those who know don’t talk. |
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Those who talk don’t know. |
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Close your mouth, |
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block off your senses, |
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blunt your sharpness, |
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untie your knots, |
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soften your glare, |
|
settle your dust. |
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This is the primal identity. |
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Be like the Tao. |
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It can’t be approached or withdrawn from, |
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benefited or harmed, |
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honored or brought into disgrace. |
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It gives itself up continually. |
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That is why it endures. |
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57 . |
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If you want to be a great leader, |
|
you must learn to follow the Tao. |
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Stop trying to control. |
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|
Let go of fixed plans and concepts, |
|
and the world will govern itself. |
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The more prohibitions you have, |
|
the less virtuous people will be. |
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The more weapons you have, |
|
the less secure people will be. |
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The more subsidies you have, |
|
the less self-reliant people will be. |
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Therefore the Master says: |
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I let go of the law, |
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and people become honest. |
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I let go of economics, |
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|
and people become prosperous. |
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I let go of religion, |
|
and people become serene. |
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I let go of all desire for the common good, |
|
and the good becomes common as grass. |
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58 |
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If a country is governed with tolerance, |
|
the people are comfortable and honest. |
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If a country is governed with repression, |
|
the people are depressed and crafty. |
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When the will to power is in charge, |
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the higher the ideals, the lower the results. |
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|
Try to make people happy, |
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|
and you lay the groundwork for misery. |
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Try to make people moral, |
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|
and you lay the groundwork for vice. |
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Thus the Master is content |
|
to serve as an example |
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and not to impose her will. |
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|
She is pointed, but doesn’t pierce. |
|
Straightforward, but supple. |
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Radiant, but easy on the eyes. |
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59 |
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For governing a country well |
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|
|
there is nothing better than moderation. |
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|
The mark of a moderate man |
|
is freedom from his own ideas. |
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|
Tolerant like the sky, |
|
all-pervading like sunlight, |
|
firm like a mountain, |
|
supple like a tree in the wind, |
|
he has no destination in view |
|
and makes use of anything |
|
life happens to bring his way. |
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|
Nothing is impossible for him. |
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|
Because he has let go, |
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he can care for the people’s welfare |
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as a mother cares for her child. |
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60 |
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Governing a large country |
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is like frying a small fish. |
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|
You spoil it with too much poking. |
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|
Center your country in the Tao |
|
and evil will have no power. |
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|
Not that it isn’t there, |
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|
but you’ll be able to step out of its way. |
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Give evil nothing to oppose |
|
and it will disappear by itself. |
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61 |
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|
When a country obtains great power, |
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|
it becomes like the sea: |
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|
all streams run downward into it. |
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|
The more powerful it grows, |
|
the greater the need for humility. |
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|
Humility means trusting the Tao, |
|
thus never needing to be defensive. |
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|
A great nation is like a great man: |
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|
When he makes a mistake, he realizes it. |
|
Having realized it, he admits it. |
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|
Having admitted it, he corrects it. |
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|
He considers those who point out his faults |
|
as his most benevolent teachers. |
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|
He thinks of his enemy |
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|
as the shadow that he himself casts. |
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|
If a nation is centered in the Tao, |
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|
if it nourishes its own people |
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|
and doesn’t meddle in the affairs of others, |
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|
it will be a light to all nations in the world. |
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62 |
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|
The Tao is the center of the universe, |
|
the good man’s treasure, |
|
the bad man’s refuge. |
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|
Honors can be bought with fine words, |
|
respect can be won with good deeds; |
|
but the Tao is beyond all value, |
|
and no one can achieve it. |
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|
Thus, when a new leader is chosen, |
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|
|
don’t offer to help him |
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|
|
with your wealth or your expertise. |
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|
Offer instead |
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|
to teach him about the Tao. |
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|
|
Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Tao? |
|
Because, being one with the Tao, |
|
when you seek, you find; |
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|
and when you make a mistake, you are forgiven. |
|
That is why everybody loves it. |
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63 |
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|
Act without doing; |
|
work without effort. |
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|
Think of the small as large |
|
and the few as many. |
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|
Confront the difficult |
|
while it is still easy; |
|
accomplish the great task |
|
by a series of small acts. |
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|
The Master never reaches for the great; |
|
thus she achieves greatness. |
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|
When she runs into a difficulty, |
|
she stops and gives herself to it. |
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|
She doesn’t cling to her own comfort; |
|
thus problems are no problem for her. |
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64 |
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What is rooted is easy to nourish. |
|
What is recent is easy to correct. |
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|
What is brittle is easy to break. |
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|
What is small is easy to scatter. |
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|
Prevent trouble before it arises. |
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|
Put things in order before they exist. |
|
The giant pine tree |
|
grows from a tiny sprout. |
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|
The journey of a thousand miles |
|
starts from beneath your feet. |
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|
Rushing into action, you fail. |
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|
Trying to grasp things, you lose them. |
|
Forcing a project to completion, |
|
you ruin what was almost ripe. |
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|
Therefore the Master takes action |
|
by letting things take their course. |
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|
He remains as calm |
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|
at the end as at the beginning. |
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|
He has nothing, |
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|
thus has nothing to lose. |
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|
What he desires is non-desire; |
|
what he learns is to unlearn. |
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|
He simply reminds people |
|
of who they have always been. |
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|
He cares about nothing but the Tao. |
|
Thus he can care for all things. |
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65 |
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|
The ancient Masters |
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|
|
didn’t try to educate the people, |
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|
|
but kindly taught them to not-know. |
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|
When they think that they know the answers, |
|
people are difficult to guide. |
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|
When they know that they don’t know, |
|
people can find their own way. |
|
|
|
Jf you want to learn how to govern, |
|
avoid being clever or rich. |
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|
The simplest pattern is the clearest. |
|
|
|
Content with an ordinary life, |
|
you can show all people the way |
|
back to their own true nature. |
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66 |
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All streams flow to the sea |
|
because it is lower than they are. |
|
Humility gives it its power. |
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|
|
If you want to govern the people, |
|
you must place yourself below them. |
|
If you want to lead the people, |
|
you must learn how to follow them. |
|
|
|
The Master is above the people, |
|
and no one feels oppressed. |
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|
|
She goes ahead of the people, |
|
and no one feels manipulated. |
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|
The whole world is grateful to her. |
|
Because she competes with no one, |
|
no one can compete with her. |
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67 |
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|
Some say that my teaching is nonsense. |
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|
Others call it lofty but impractical. |
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|
But to those who have looked inside themselves, |
|
this nonsense makes perfect sense. |
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|
And to those who put it into practice, |
|
this loftiness has roots that go deep. |
|
|
|
I have just three things to teach: |
|
simplicity, patience, compassion. |
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|
These three are your greatest treasures. |
|
|
|
Simple in actions and in thoughts, |
|
you return to the source of being. |
|
|
|
Patient with both friends and enemies, |
|
you accord with the way things are. |
|
Compassionate toward yourself, |
|
you reconcile all beings in the world. |
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68 |
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|
The best athlete |
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|
wants his opponent at his best. |
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|
The best general |
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|
|
enters the mind of his enemy. |
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|
The best businessman |
|
serves the communal good. |
|
|
|
The best leader |
|
|
|
follows the will of the people. |
|
|
|
All of them embody |
|
|
|
the virtue of non-competition. |
|
|
|
Not that they don’t love to compete, |
|
but they do it in the spirit of play. |
|
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|
In this they are like children |
|
and in harmony with the Tao. |
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69 |
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|
The generals have a saying: |
|
|
|
“Rather than make the first move |
|
it is better to wait and see. |
|
|
|
Rather than advance an inch |
|
it is better to retreat a yard.” |
|
|
|
This is called |
|
|
|
going forward without advancing, |
|
pushing back without using weapons. |
|
|
|
There is no greater misfortune |
|
than underestimating your enemy. |
|
Underestimating your enemy |
|
means thinking that he is evil. |
|
|
|
Thus you destroy your three treasures |
|
and become an enemy yourself. |
|
|
|
When two great forces oppose each other, |
|
|
|
the victory will go |
|
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|
to the one that knows how to yield. |
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70 |
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My teachings are easy to understand |
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and easy to put into practice. |
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Yet your intellect will never grasp them, |
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and if you try to practice them, you’ll fail. |
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My teachings are older than the world. |
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How can you grasp their meaning? |
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If you want to know me, |
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look inside your heart. |
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71 |
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Not-knowing is true knowledge. |
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Presuming to know is a disease. |
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First realize that you are sick; |
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then you can move toward health. |
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The Master is her own physician. |
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She has healed herself of all knowing. |
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Thus she is truly whole. |
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72 |
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When they lose their sense of awe, |
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people turn to religion. |
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When they no longer trust themselves, |
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they begin to depend upon authority. |
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Therefore the Master steps back |
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so that people won’t be confused. |
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He teaches without a teaching, |
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so that people will have nothing to learn. |
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73 |
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The Tao is always at ease. |
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It overcomes without competing, |
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answers without speaking a word, |
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arrives without being summoned, |
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accomplishes without a plan. |
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Its net covers the whole universe. |
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And though its meshes are wide, |
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it doesn’t let a thing slip through. |
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74 |
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If you realize that all things change, |
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there is nothing you will try to hold on to. |
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If you aren’t afraid of dying, |
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there is nothing you can’t achieve. |
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Trying to control the future |
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is like trying to take the master carpenter’s place. |
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When you handle the master carpenter’s tools, |
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chances are that you’ll cut yourself. |
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75 |
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When taxes are too high, |
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people go hungry. |
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When the government is too intrusive, |
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people lose their spirit. |
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Act for the people’s benefit. |
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Trust them; leave them alone. |
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76 |
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Men are born soft and supple; |
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dead, they are stiff and hard. |
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Plants are born tender and pliant; |
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dead, they are brittle and dry. |
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Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible |
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is a disciple of death. |
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Whoever is soft and yielding |
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is a disciple of life. |
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The hard and stiff will be broken. |
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The soft and supple will prevail. |
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77 . |
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As it acts in the world, the Tao |
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is like the bending of a bow. |
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The top is bent downward; |
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the bottom is bent up. |
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It adjusts excess and deficiency |
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so that there is perfect balance. |
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It takes from what is too much |
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and gives to what isn’t enough. |
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Those who try to control, |
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who use force to protect their power, |
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go against the direction of the Tao. |
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They take from those who don’t have enough |
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and give to those who have far too much. |
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The Master can keep giving |
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because there is no end to her wealth. |
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She acts without expectation, |
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succeeds without taking credit, |
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and doesn’t think that she is better |
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than anyone else. |
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78 |
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Nothing in the world |
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is as soft and yielding as water. |
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Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, |
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nothing can surpass it. |
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The soft overcomes the hard; |
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the gentle overcomes the rigid. |
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Everyone knows this is true, |
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but few can put it into practice. |
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Therefore the Master remains |
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serene in the midst of sorrow. |
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Evil cannot enter his heart. |
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Because he has given up helping, |
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he is people’s greatest help. |
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True words seem paradoxical. |
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79 |
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Failure is an opportunity. |
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If you blame someone else, |
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there is no end to the blame. |
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Therefore the Master |
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fulfills her own obligations |
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and corrects her own mistakes. |
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She does what she needs to do |
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and demands nothing of others. |
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80 |
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If a country is governed wisely, |
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its inhabitants will be content. |
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They enjoy the labor of their hands |
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and don’t waste time inventing |
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labor-saving machines. |
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Since they dearly love their homes, |
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they aren’t interested in travel. |
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There may be a few wagons and boats, |
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but these don’t go anywhere. |
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There may be an arsenal of weapons, |
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but nobody ever uses them. |
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People enjoy their food, |
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take pleasure in being with their families, |
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spend weekends working in their gardens, |
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delight in the doings of the neighborhood. |
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And even though the next country is so close |
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that people can hear its roosters crowing and |
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its dogs barking, |
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they are content to die of old age |
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without ever having gone to see it. |
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81 |
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True words aren’t eloquent; |
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eloquent words aren’t true. |
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Wise men don t need to prove their point; |
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men who need to prove their point aren’t wise. |
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The Master has no possessions. |
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The more he does for others, |
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the happier he is. |
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The more he gives to others, |
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the wealthier he is. |
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The Tao nourishes by not forcing. |
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By not dominating, the Master leads. |
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