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But when discord is born
Everything must have a name
Keep in mind that when everything has a name；
You抣l have to stop all that
Because one who stops will bounce off danger
Compared to the twisted tributaries of mistake
The straight and simple road is like a powerful stream
33
One who sees trough the other is clever
One knowing oneself is wise
One who conquers the other is powerful
One conquering oneself is inviolable
One who is satisfied is rich
One that wants a lot is busy all the time
One who stays oneself； is a four…square fellow
One who dies before dying； lives in the present forever
34
That which makes everything exist； is present everywhere
It spreads itself throughout the entire Creation
Everything owes its existence to It； everything to its own nature
It gives everything for nothing
It cherishes and guards everything and everyone； but expects nothing in return
Because It does not wish for anything； It seems to be important
It makes everything appear and disappear again
But Itself is eternal
Therefore the one who is wise is modest
And because he is modest；
His actions are grand
35
For one who beholds the perfect arrangement of things
Everything falls in its rightful place
Nothing can harm him； and rest and peace will fall to him
Along the way there are travellers who yield music and feasts
Because the road to self…knowledge is acrid and unpleasant
Not pleasant to face
Painful to hear
But giving an inexhaustible strength
36
Only what抯 stretched out can be pulled together
Only what抯 fortified can be weakened
Only what抯 increased can be decreased
Only one who has； can lose
That must be clear
Soft overcomes hard
Weak overcomes strong
Fishes belong in water
Weapons have to be destroyed
37
The Eternal Creating does nothing
And yet it does everything
If leaders would give in to it
The aspect of the world would change of itself
But since people have so much to wish for
Only I can be an example
The example of true simplicity
And when the people decide to follow me
The whole world will be in peace
38
True virtues are not from this world；
Therefore they are true virtues
The so…called 搗irtues？in this world
Serve only self…interest
Therefore those are not true virtues
One who only serves the general interest； is truthfully adequate
One who is called charitable in this world；
Expects thankfulness in return
One who is called honest in this world；
Has a hidden agenda
Those who have been adapted to this world
Demand that others do the same
And if not they threaten you and get angry
Therefore； when people stray from the straight and simple road
Then they start to act virtuously； but they are not virtuous
They pretend to be honest； but they are not fair
They act decently； but they are not decent
Civilization is just a thin crust across unfaithfulness and dishonesty
It is also the source of disorder and chaos
A wise man never hides behind a mask
He trusts what抯 inside of him； not in appearances
Therefore he rejects appearance and embraces the essence
39
About the men of old that had reached perfection
We know that they felt one with the whole creation
That they saw the earth not as chaos but as a unity
That they felt like gods and spiritual beings
That emptiness was no longer empty； but filled
And they saw that the whole creation was inspired
Thanks to their wholeness the world returned to its original order
For one who doesn抰 see clearly； the creation is splintered
For one who places oneself outside nature； the earth is chaos
One who doesn抰 experience oneself as divine anymore； feels powerless
One who does not experience one's perfection anymore； feels empty
People who deny their true nature； go to rack and ruin
Therefore they say：
Humility is the source of truthfulness
Smallness the source of grandeur
One who feels elevated over ones fellow men
Isn抰 right； is unworthy and small
After all； they climbed up high over other people抯 backs
Therefore their richness is poverty
And their gold just tinsel
40
One who deviates from the right and simple road
Will be pulled towards it again
This occurs with a mild touch
The whole creation comes into existence
The existing out of the unnameable unexisting
41
When the most sincere hear about the road to self…knowledge；
They will devote themselves to bringing it into practice
When the fairly sincere hear about the road to self…knowledge
They will only get out of it what suits their purposes
When the hardened hear about the road to self…knowledge
They will roar with laughter
If they didn抰 roar； it would not be true
Therefore there are some aphorisms to it：
The road to light appears to be dark
Going forward sometimes feels like going back
The way to the simple road is a hard way to take
But also：
The greatest personality turns out to be vain
The purest white turns out to be grey
The most righteous proves to be unfair
Kindness seems but a thin layer
With the truth one can go in all directions
Like a square circle
Like an inexhaustible barrel
Like singing without words
Like a sculpture with no shadow
In that way the road is hidden and not captured in words
Only the road to self…knowledge has a beginning and an end
42
The unspeakable gives birth to one
One to a second
And out of the second arises the third
The third brings the whole creation to life
Everything is carried by the dark and comes to light
The breath of Emptiness creates order
People hate to be alone； unimportant and useless
And yet that is what a true man takes pleasure in
One who becomes smaller； becomes bigger
One who becomes bigger； becomes smaller
I only tell what everybody already knows：
One who lives in a complicated way； dies in a complicated way
That is what it抯 all about
43
The softest is stronger than the very hardest
That which makes everything be what it is； penetrates everything
Therefore I know that it抯 wise to leave and not do anything
That one doesn抰 need lessons for it
That of all doings； leaving is where true happiness lies
In this world only a few understand this
44
What comes first； life or status？
What抯 more important to you； yourself or your possessions？
What抯 worse； having or losing？
One who wants a lot pays a high price
One who has a lot； has a lot to lose
But one who is satisfied knows neither fear nor disgrace
And one who has stopped playing a part in the game will never be afraid again and will live happily ever after
45
Perfection seems unfinished to this worl