21.1 For the countenance of great virtue, only the Way is to be followed.
21.2 As a thing, the Way is abstract and elusive; elusive and abstract, there are images in it; abstract and elusive, there is something there. Recondite, hidden, it has vitality therein: that vitality is very real; it has truth therein.
21.3 From ancient times to now, its name is the undeparting; thereby are seen all beauties.
21.4 How do I know all beauties are thus? By this.
22.1 Be tactful and you remain whole; bend and you remain straight. The hollow is filled, the old is renewed. Economy is gain, excess is confusion..
22.2 Therefore sages embrace unity as model for the world.
22.3 Not seeing themselves, they are therefore clear. Not asserting themselves, they are therefore outstanding. Not congratulating themselves, they are therefore meritorious. Not taking pride in themselves, they last long.
22.4 It is just because they do not contend that no one in the world can contend with them.
22.5 Is it empty talk, the old saying that tact keeps you whole? When truthfulness is complete, it still resorts to this.
23.1 To speak rarely is natural. That is why a gusty wind doesn't last the morning, a downpour of rain doesn't last the day.
23.2 Who does this? Heaven and earth. If heaven and earth cannot go on forever, how much less can human beings!
23.3 Therefore those who follow the Way assimilate to the Way; the virtuous assimilate to virtue, those who have lost assimilate to loss.
23.4 Those who assimilate to the Way are happy to gain it, those who assimilate to virtue too are happy to gain it, and those who assimilate to loss are also happy to gain it.
23.5 When trust is insufficient, there is distrust.
24.1 Those on tiptoe don't stand up, those who take long strides don't walk;
24.2 those who see themselves are not perceptive, those who assert themselves are not illustrious;
24.3 those who glorify themselves have no merit, those who are proud of themselves do not last.
24.4 On the Way, these are called overconsumption and excess activity. Some people disdain them, so those with the Way abstain.
25.1 Something undifferentiated was born before heaven and earth; still and silent, standing alone and unchanging, going through cycles unending, able to be mother to the world.
25.2 I do not know its name; I label it the Way. Imposing on it a name, I call it Great.
25.3 Greatness means it goes; going means reaching afar; reaching afar means return.
25.4 Therefore the Way is great, heaven is great, earth is great, and kingship is also great. Among domains are four greats, of which kingship is one.
25.5 Humanity emulates earth, earth emulates heaven, heaven emulates the Way, the Way emulates nature.
26.1 Gravity is the root of lightness; calm is the master of excitement.
26.2 Thereby do exemplary people travel all day without leaving their equipment. Though they have a look of prosperity, their resting place is transcendent.
26.3 What can be done about heads of state who take the world lightly in their own self-interest?
26.4 Lack of gravity loses servants of state; insanity loses heads of state.
27.1 Good works are trackless, good words are flawless, good planning isn't calculating.
27.2 What is well closed has no bolt locking it, but cannot be opened. What is well bound has no rope confining it, but cannot be untied.
27.3 Therefore sages always consider it good to save people, so that there are no wasted humans; they always consider it good to save beings, so that there are no wasted beings.
27.4 So good people are teachers of people who are not good. People who are not good are students of people who are good.
27.5 Those who do not honor teachers or care for students are greatly deluded, even in knowledgeable. This is called an essential subtlety.
28.1 Know the male, keep to the female; be humble toward the world. Be humble toward the world, and eternal power never leaves, returning again to innocence.
28.2 Knowing the white, keep the black; be an exemplar for the world. Be an exemplar for the world, and eternal power never goes awry, returning again to infinity.
28.3 Knowing thee glorious, keep the ignominious; be open to the world. Be open to the world, and eternal power suffices, returning again to simplicity.
28.4 Simplicity is lost to make instruments, which sages employ as functionaries. Therefore the great fashioner does no splitting.
29.1 Should you want to take the world, and contrive to do so, I see you won't manage to finish.
29.2 The most sublime instrument in the world cannot be contrived. Those who contrive spoil it; those who cling lose it.
29.3 So creatures sometimes go and sometimes follow, sometimes puff and sometimes blow, are sometimes strong and sometimes weak, begin sometime and end sometime;
29.4 Therefore sages remove extremes, remove extravagance, remove arrogance.
30.1 Those who assist human leaders with the Way do not coerce the world with weapons, for these things are apt to backfire.
30.2 Brambles grow where an army has been; there are always bad years after a war.
30.3 Therefore the good are effective, that is all; they do not presume to grab power thereby:
30.4 they are effective but not conceited, effective but not proud, effective but not arrogant. They are effective when they have to be, effective but not coercive.
30.5 If you peak in strength, you then age; this, it is said, is unguided. The unguided soon come to an end.
31.1 Fine weapons are instruments of ill omen: people may despise them, so those with the Way do not dwell with them.
31.2 Therefore the place of honor for the cultured is on the left, while the honored place for the martialist is on the right.
31.3 Weapon, being instruments of ill omen, are not the tools of the cultures, who use them only when unavoidable.
31.4 They consider it best to be aloof; they win without beautifying it. Those who beautify it enjoy killing people. Those who enjoy killing cannot get their will of the world.
31.5 The left is favored for auspicious things, the right for things of ill omen: so the subordinate general is on the left, the top general on the right. That means when you are in ascendancy of power you handle it as you would a mourning.
31.6 When you have killed many people, you weep for them in sorrow. When you win a war, you celebrate by mourning.
32.4 Start fashioning, and there are names; once names also exist, you should know when to stop. By knowing when to stop, you are not endangered.
32.1 The Way is eternally nameless, Though simplicity is small, the world cannot subordinate it.
32.2 If lords and monarchs can keep to it, all beings will naturally resort to them.
32.3 Heaven and earth combine, thus showering sweet dew. No humans command it; it is even by nature.
32.5 The Way is to the world as rivers and oceans to valley streams.
33.1 Those who know others are wise; those who know themselves are enlightened.
33.2 Those who overcome others are powerful; those who overcome themselves are strong.
33.3 Those who are contented are rich; those who act strongly have will.
33.4 Those who do not lose their place endure; those who die without perishing live long.
34.1 The Great Way is universal; it can apply to the left or the right.
34.2 All beings depend on it for life, and it does not refuse. Its accomplishments fulfilled, it does not dwell on them. It lovingly nurtures all beings, but does not act as their ruler.
34.3 As it has no desire, it can be called small.
34.4 All beings take to it, yet it does not act as their ruler, it can be called great.
34.5 Therefore sages never contrive greatness; that is why they can become so great.
35.1 When holding the Great Image, the world goes on and on without harm, peaceful, even, tranquil.
35.2 When there is music and dining, passing travelers stop;
35.3 but the issue of the Way is so plain as to be flavorless. When you look at it, it is invisible; when you listen to it, it is inaudible; when you use it, it cannot be exhausted.
36.1 Should you want to contain something, you must first deliberately let it expand. Should you want to weaken something, you must deliberately let it grow strong. Should you want to eliminate something, you must deliberately allow it to flourish.
36.2 This is called subtle illumination. Flexible and yielding overcome adamant coerciveness.
36.3 Fish shouldn't be taken from the depths; the effective tools of the nation shouldn't be shown to others.
37.1 The Way is always uncontrived, yet there's nothing it doesn't do.
37.2 If lords and monarchs could keep to it, all beings would evolve spontaneously. When they have evolved and want to act, I would stabilize them with nameless simplicity.
37.3 Even nameless simplicity would not be wanted. By not wanting, there is calm, and the world will straighten itself.
38.1 Higher virtue is not ingratiating; that is why it ha virtue. Lower virtue does not forget about reward; that is why it is virtueless.
38.2 Higher virtue is uncontrived; and there is no way to contrive it. Lower virtue is created, and there is a way to do it.
38.3 Higher humanity is created, but there is no way to contrive it. Higher duty is done, and there is a way to do it. Higher courtesy is done, but no one responds to it; so there is forced repetition.
38.4 Therefore virtue comes after the loss of the Way; humanity comes after the loss of virtue, duty comes after the loss of humanity, courtesy comes after the loss of duty.
38.5 Manners mean loyalty and trust are thin, and disarray's beginning. Foresight is a flower of the Way, and the beginning of ignorance too.
38.6 Therefore great people dwell in the thick, not the thin. They abide in the substance, not the flower. So they leave the latter and take the former.
39.1 When unity was attained of old, heaven became clear by attaining unity, earth became steady by attaining unity, spirit was quickened by attaining unity,
39.2 valley streams were filled by attaining unity, all beings were born by attaining unity; and by attaining unity lords acted rightly for the sake of the world. What brought this about was unity:
39.3 without means of clarity, heaven may burst; without means of steadiness, earth may erupt; without mens of quickening, spirit may be exhausted; without means of filling,
39.4 valley streams may dry up; without means of birth, all beings may perish; without means of acting rightly, lords may stumble.
39.5 Therefore nobility is rooted in humility, loftiness is based on lowliness.
39.6 Thais is why noble people refer to themselves as alone, lacking, and unworthy. Is this not being rooted in humility? So there is no praise in repeated praise; they don't want to be like jewels or like stones.
39.7 So there is no praise in repeated praise;
39.8 they don't want to be like jewels or like stones.
40.1 Return is the movement of the Way; yielding is the function of the Way.
40.2 All things in the world are born of being; being is born of nonbeing.
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