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Restlessness defeats the cold；
but stillness overcomes the heat。
Serenity and calmness set the standard for the world。
46
When the world lives in accord with DAO；
galloping horses fertilise the fields。
When the world ignores the DAO；
horses for war breed in the countryside。
There is no greater curse than discontent；
no crueller curse than gaining your desires。
Know when enough is enough；
and you'll always have enough。
47
Without stepping outside your door；
you can know the world。
Without looking out of your window；
you can see heaven。
The further you go； the less you will know。
So those who are enlightened know without going；
understand without seeing；
accomplish without acting。
48
Students of knowledge learn more each day；
students of the DAO do less each day。
Less and less is done until non…action is achieved。
When nothing is done；
there is nothing that is left undone。
To win the world； you must not interfere；
if you interfere； you will never win the world。
49
Those who are enlightened have no fixed heart or mind。
The hearts and minds of ordinary people
become their heart and mind。
Those who are good they treat as good；
those who are not good they also treat as good。
This is the true DE。
Those who are sincere they treat as sincere；
those who are not sincere they also treat as sincere。
This is the true DE。
Those who are enlightened live in the world harmoniously；
blending heart and mind into the world。
The people fix their eyes and ears on them。
To those who are enlightened； all are children。
50
Between their birth and death；
a third of people will be followers of life；
a third will be followers of death；
and a third will be just passing from life to death。
Why？ Because they cling to life too much。
It is said that whoever excels in preserving their life
can wander through the land
and not meet tiger or wild buffalo；
can cross a battlefield
and not wear armour。
In them； a buffalo will find no place to thrust its horn；
a tiger no place to sink its claws；
a weapon no place to lodge its blade。
Why is this so？ Because for them； there is no realm of death。
51
The DAO gives life to everything；
DE nurtures it；
the world of matter gives it shape；
circumstances make it complete。
So everything that is reveres the DAO
and honours DE。
But the DAO is revered and DE honoured；
not because of a command； but naturally。
So the DAO gives life to everything；
and DE nurtures it；
raises it； and brings it up；
matures and completes it；
feeds and shelters it。
To give life without possessing；
to act without expecting gratitude；
to foster growth without controlling it …
this is called the secret DE。
52
The world has a beginning；
which can be called the mother of the world。
Know the mother；
and you will know the child。
Know the child；
then go back and hold fast to the mother；
and until the end of life； you will not meet with harm。
Block up all the openings； *
bolt firm all the doors；
and throughout your life； you will never be exhausted。Unblock the openings；
be busy with your affairs；
and throughout your life； you will never be redeemed。
To see the small is called enlightenment。
To hold to gentleness is called strength。
Use the light to go home to enlightenment；
and you will be saved from harm。
This is known as following the changeless。
* se qui dui： block up all the openings
dui has the meaning of 憁outh/opening/passage/aperture/hole？ and in this context refers to the physical and metaphorical openings through which the senses operate。 Dui is paralleled in the next line by men （gate/door）； a similar image of the passage…way of the senses。
53
Had I the smallest grain of understanding；
I would follow the great DAO；
my only fear would be to stray from it。
The great DAO is very smooth and straight；
and yet some people prefer the by…roads。
The royal court is kept immaculate；
and yet the fields are overgrown with weeds
and the granaries are empty。
They're dressed in finery；
with fine swords at their side；
they gorge themselves on food and drink；
and have more wealth by far than they can use。
This is the arrogance of thieves。 *
What could be further from the DAO？
* shi wei dao yu： this is the arrogance of thieves
there is a pun here on the word dao （or tao）； which can mean 憆obber？or 憈hief？ as well as the unnameable 慦ay？ The play on words occurs on three other occasions in the text （sections 3； 19 and 57）； though arguably with a lesser emphasis than here。
54
What is firmly planted cannot be uprooted；
what is firmly held cannot slip loose。
Your children and your grand…children
will worship it for generations without end。
Cultivate the DE within yourself
and the DE will be genuine。
Cultivate it in your family
and the DE will overflow。
Cultivate it in your village
and the DE will long endure。
Cultivate it in your country
and the DE will then spread wide。
Cultivate it in the world
and the DE will be everywhere。
Look at yourself as a self；
your family as a family；
your village as a village；
your country as a country；
your world as a world。
How do I know the world is like this？
By means of it。 *
* yi ci： by means of it
see section 21 above。
55
Whoever is filled with DE
is like a new…born child。
Wasps and scorpions will not sting it；
snakes and serpents will not bite it；
wild animals will not attack it；
birds of prey will not swoop down on it。
Its bones are soft； its muscles weak；
and yet its grip is firm。
It does not know of male and female union
and yet its organ stirs；
its vital energy is at its height。
It cries throughout the day
and yet is never hoarse；
its harmony is at its height。
To know harmony is to know the eternal。
To know the eternal is to know enlightenment。
To speed the growth of life is an omen of disaster； *
to control the breath by will…power is to overstrain it；
to grow too much is to decay。
All this is against the DAO
and whatever is against the DAO soon dies。
* xiang： an omen of disaster
xiang is particularly ambiguous character； since it can also mean the exact opposite of 慸isaster？ 慴lessing/good omen/propitious/beneficial？ All depends upon how the three characters immediately preceding （yi sheng yue） are translated。 If positively （for example； 憈o increase life？ 憈hat which is beneficial to life？ 慽mprovement in health？； the obvious choice of apposition is 慽s a blessing？ But if the characters are rendered negatively （憈o force the growth of things？ 憈o hast