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s） at the mercy of； at best； a secondhand understanding of what Lao Tzu said。
Once I thought I had a rough idea what was behind the words； though； I went about rephrasing the chapters in my own voice。 My guiding principle was to take out as much of the 〃poetry〃 as possible； to make the text sound like dialogue； so the reader could imagine someone telling him or her what Tao's all about。 You can't take the 〃poetry〃 out completely； because the TTC is always going to have those lines about Tao being an 〃eternal mystery〃 and whatnot。
But the beauty of the book isn't in its language； at least not for meit's in the practical advice Lao Tzu offers us about how to live a productive； meaningful life on a day to day basis。 What I wanted to do was to make that advice as clear to a modern American reader as it would have been to the guard who first asked Lao Tzu to write it down。
I worked through the first twenty chapters； then put the rough draft up on my website under a pseudonym I used online back in those days。 A bunch of fan mail came in； so I kept plugging away at the text； then my hard drivecollapsed and all my files were completely erased。 I was freelancing pretty steadily then； and what little free time I had I spent building my own website； so the TTC went on hold。 I got an occasional email asking about the other chapters； and I developed a stock answer。 When it was time for me to finish the job； I told people； I would。
Years went by。 I'd left LA for San Francisco； then moved up to Seattle； chasing after big dotcom money。 It was great for a while； but as Lao Tzu says； 〃If you give things too much value； you're going to get ripped off。〃 In the middle of the worst of the frustration； I rediscovered the Tao Te Ching； and realized I needed to finish what I started。
I dug out all my old copies of the TTC and went shopping for more versions； some of which were even better than the ones I'd found the first time。 Brian Browne Walker's translation comes close to the modern oral quality I was striving for； though his voice is still much more of an 〃Eastern sage〃 voice than mine。 David Hinton is somewhat more poetic； but I think he does a wonderful job of capturing what Lao Tzu may have actually sounded like to his contemporaries。 And Ursula K。 LeGuin strikes a balance between the modern and classical voices that gave me a new perspective on Tao； her commentaries on several chapters are enlightening as well。
I wish I could say that I wrote the remaining sixty…one chapters in a hurried creative frenzy； but things took a little longer than I thought。 I got distracted by the decision to move to New York City； and though I did get some work done on the book； it was a little over a year later； when （and； yes； I know how cliched this sounds） the planes crashed into the World Trade Center and I realized I'd still been wasting too much of my life on things that didn't pan out。 Instead of talking about getting serious about my life； it was time to actually do it。 （Living through the following two and a half years has also made me appreciate chapters 30 and 31 a lot more； for reasons that will become readily apparent。）
So here you arewith my own name attached； as the pseudonym has long since fallen away。 From a scholar's point of view； this TTC is unfaithful to the original text on more than one occasion； if not in every single line。 Case in point： in chapter 20； Lao Tzu didn't exactly say； 〃Don't spend too much time thinking about stupid shit。〃 For all the liberties I've taken with his words； however； I've made every attempt to stay true to his message； and I hope you'll find something useful in my efforts。
1
If you can talk about it；
it ain't Tao。
If it has a name；
it's just another thing。
Tao doesn't have a name。
Names are for ordinary things。
Stop wanting stuff；
it keeps you from seeing what's real。
When you want stuff；
all you see are things。
Those two sentences
mean the same thing。
Figure them out；
and you've got it made。
2
If something looks beautiful to you；
something else must be ugly。
If something seems good；
something else must seem bad。
You can't have
something without nothing。
If no job is difficult；
then no job is easy。
Some things are up high
because other things are down low。
You know you're listening to music
because it doesn't sound like noise。
All that came first；
so this must be next。
The Masters get the job done
without moving a muscle
and get their point across
without saying a word。
When things around them fall apart；
they stay cool。
They don't own much；
but they use whatever's at hand。
They do the work
without expecting any favors。
When they're done；
they move on to the next job。
That's why their work is so damn good。
3
If you toss compliments around freely；
people will waste your time
trying to impress you。
If you give things too much value；
you're going to get ripped off。
If you try to please people；
you'll just make them pissed。
The Master leads
by clearing the crap
out of people's heads
and opening their hearts。
He lowers their aspirations
and makes them suck in their guts。
He shows you how to forget
what you know and what you want；
so nobody can push you around。
If you think you've got the answers；
he'll mess with your head。
Stop doing stuff all the time；
and watch what happens。
4
How much Tao is there？
More than you'll ever need。
Use all you want；
there's plenty more
where that came from。
You can't see Tao； but it's there。
Damned if I know where it came from。
It's just always been around。
5
Tao's neutral：
it doesn't worry about good or evil。
The Masters are neutral：
they treat everyone the same。
Lao Tzu said Tao is like a bellows：
It's empty；
but it could help set the world on fire。
If you keep using Tao； it works better。
If you keep talking about it；
it won't make any sense。
Be cool。
6
Tao is an eternal mystery；
and everything starts with Tao。
Everybody has Tao in them。
They just have to use it。
7
Tao never stops。 Why？
Because it isn't trying to accomplish anything。
The Masters hang back。
That's why they're ahead of the game。
They don't hang on to things。
That's how they manage to keep them。
They don't worry
about what they can't control。
That's why they're always satisfied。
8
〃Doing the right thing〃 is like water。
It's good for all living things；and flows without thinking about where it's going
。。。just like Tao。
Keep your feet on the ground。
Remember what's important。
Be there when people need you。
Say what you mean。
Be prepared for anything。
Do whatever you can；
whenever it needs doing。
If you don't
compare yourself to others；
nobody can compa