【正文】 , the Sage works anonymously. She achieves great things But does not wait around for praise. She does not want her talents to attract attention to her. 78 In the whole World nothing is softer or weaker than water. And yet even those who succeed when attacking the hard and the strong cannot overe it Because nothing can harm it. The weak overes the strong. The soft conquers the hard. No one in the World can deny this Yet no one seems to know how to put it into practice. Therefore the Sage says One who accepts a peoples shame is qualified to rule it. One who embraces a condemned people. is called the king of the Universe. True words seem paradoxical. 79 When enemies are reconciled, some resentment invariably remains. How can this be healed? Therefore the Sage makes good on his half of the deal And demands nothing of others. One who is truly good will keep his promise. One who is not good will take what he can. Heaven doesn39。s confusion has lasted a very long time. Therefore the Sage is honest, but not judgmental Strong, but not injurious to others Straightforward, but not reckless Bright, but not blinding. 59 In leading people and serving Heaven There is nothing better than moderation. In moderation, one is already following the Tao. When one follows the Tao, great goodness is abundant. When great goodness is in abundance, There is nothing that cannot be overe. When there is nothing that cannot be overe Then there are no limits. Having no limits, one can certainly govern a country. If you know the country39。s materia living. Do not despise their spiritua lives, either. If you respect them, you will be respected. Therefore the Sage knows himself, But he is not opinionated. He loves himself, but he is not arrogant. He lets go of conceit and opinion, and embraces selfknowledge and love. 73 A soldier who has the courage to fight will eventually be killed. But one who has the courage not to fight will live. In these two, one is good and the other harmful. Who knows why Heaven allows some things to happen? Even the Sage is stumped sometimes. The Way of Heaven Does not pete, but is good at winning。 long and short oppose in distance。 in the heart they love what is genuine。 do this without being possessive. Give help without obligation. Lead without dominating. This is the Mystic Virtue (Teh). 11 Thirty spokes unite at the hub but the ultimate use of the wheel depends on the part where nothing exists. Clay is molded into a vessel but the ultimate use of the vessel depends upon the part where nothing exists. Doors and windows are cut out of the walls of a house but the ultimate use of the house depends upon the parts where nothing exists. So, there is advantage in using what can be seen, what exists. And there is also advantage in using what cannot be seen, what is nonexistent. 12 The five colors blind the eye。 differences (tangles) are resolved (united)。 all we have are copies of copies. It is posed of eightyone sutras or 攕 trands of thought?in five thousand Chinese picturewords. Most translations list the sutras in strict numerical order despite the fact that, over the centuries, they appear to have bee disarranged. The present version is devided into four parts, with sutras arranged according to content. The traditional sutra number is listed in brackets at the end of each. The symbol of Tao is YinYang. The basic circle of this symbol denotes the universality of its application. The black portion (Yin) and the white portion (Yang) allude to the nature of conflict, of differences, of paradox. In it is the interrelationship of male and female, the interplay of winter and summer, day and night, right and wrong, liberal and conservative, simple and difficult, etc. In the darkest Yin there is a spot of Yang。s position And good deeds can win people over But if one39。s heart is not pure That is All the more reason to cling to the Tao! Therefore when a king is coronated, Crowned in ceremony, Presented with gifts of rare value, And escorted in luxury, All these things pale when pared to the humble gift of the Tao, offered in silence. Why did the Sages of old value the Tao so much? Because, when you seek, you find And when you sin, you are fiven. That is why the Tao is the greatest treasure of the Universe. 63 Do without doing. Work without forcing. Taste without seasonings. Recognize the Great in the small, And the many in the few. Repay hatred with kindness. Dea with the difficult while it is stil easy. Begin great works while they are small. Certainly the Earth does difficult work with ease, And acplishes great affairs from smal beginnings. So, the Sage, by not striving for greatness, Achieves greatness. A person who makes promises lightly Is not regarded as trustworthy. lIf you think everything is easy, You will find only difficulty. That is why the Sage considers All things difficult And finds nothing too difficult in the end. 64 What is at rest is easy to maintain. What has not yet happened is easy to plan. That which is fragile is easily shattered That which is tiny is easily scattered. Correct problems before they occur. Intervene before chaos erupts. A tree too big around to hug is produced from a tiny sprout. A ninestory tower begins with a mound of dirt. A thousandmile journey begins with your own two feet. Whoever tries will fail. Whoever clutches, loses. Therefore the Sage, not trying, cannot fail Not clutching, she cannot lose. When people try, They usually fail just on