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It gives them life without possession。
It benefits them but asks no thanks。
It does its work but claims no merit。
Because it claims no merit
Merit is never lacking in it。
3
Don抰 give honours to the worthy；
Protect people from ambition。
Don抰 value scarce things；
Protect the people from envy。
Don抰 show what抯 desired；
Keep people from temptation。
So； in governing； the wise
Empty the mind
But fill the stomach；
Weaken ambition
But strengthen the bones；
Keep things free of
Desire and learning；
So the clever take no action。
Act without taking action
And things will be in order。
4
The Way is full： use won抰 empty it。
Deep is the matrix of the myriad creatures。
Blunt the sharp：
Loosen the knots：
Dim the glare：
Follow old tracks。
Shadowy； it seems hardly there。
I don抰 know whose child it is。
It seems like the ancestral form。
5
Heaven and earth are ruthless；
Trampling the myriad creatures like straw dogs。
The wise are ruthless；
Considering the people as straw dogs。
The space between earth and heaven；
Isn抰 it like a bellows？
It抯 empty but never exhausted。
The more it works the more flows out。
Much speech leads in the end to silence。
Better to hold fast to the Void。
6
The spirit of the valley never dies。
It is called the mysterious female。
The gate of the mysterious female
Is called the root of heaven and earth。
Barely seen； it hardly seems there；
Yet use will never exhaust it。
7
Heaven and Earth endure；
By not endowing themselves with life。
Then they can be long…lived。
So the wise place Self last；
And it comes first；
Call it other than themselves；
And it persists。
By not thinking of Self
The personal goal is achieved。
8
The highest virtue is like water。
Since water helps the myriad creatures；
And settles； without contention；
Where no one wishes to live；
It is near to the Way。
In a house position matters。
In mental quality depth matters。
In friends kindness matters。
In speaking honesty matters。
In government order matters。
In transactions ability matters。
In actions promptness matters。
By not contending it never errs。
9
Rather than filling it overfull
Better to stop in time。
Sharpen it to a point
The edge won抰 last forever。
Gold and jade may fill the house
But no one can retain them。
Boasting of wealth and virtue；
Brings trouble on oneself。
Reticence when the job is done；
Is the Way of heaven。
10
Carrying your spiritual body on your head
Can you embrace the One and not let go？
Concentrating the breath
Can you become supple as a child？
Can you polish the mysterious mirror
And leave no mark？
Can you love the people and rule the state
Without indulging in action？
When the gates of heaven open and close；
Can you keep to the female role？
When your mind penetrates the four directions
Are you able to know nothing？
It gives them life and nurtures。
It gives them life without possession。
It benefits them but asks no thanks。
It holds but imposes no authority。
Such is the mysterious virtue。
11
Thirty spokes
Round one hub。
Employ the nothing inside
And you can use a cart。
Knead the clay to make a pot。
Employ the nothing inside
And you can use a pot。
Cut out doors and windows。
Employ the nothing inside
And you can use a room。
What is achieved is something；
By employing nothing it can be used。
12
The five colours blind us。
The five notes deafen us。
The five tastes deaden us。
Pursuing and catching
Disturb the mind。
Wanting scarce things
Delays our progress。
So the wise are：
For the stomach
And not the eye。
Taking the one； they leave the other。
13
Favour and loss of it both disturb us。
Rank and body are both a problem。
What抯 meant by 慺avour and loss of it both disturb us？
Favour disturbs the subject when it抯 given
As much as it does when it抯 taken away。
That抯 what抯 meant by 慺avour and loss of it both disturb us？
What抯 meant by 憆ank and body are both a problem？
I抳e problems because I have a body。
When I抳e no body where抯 my problem？
Who values the body even more than the empire；
Can be trusted with the empire。
Who loves the body even more than the empire；
Can be a custodian of the empire。
14
What cannot be seen is called indistinguishable。
What cannot be heard is called indistinct。
What cannot be touched is called indefinite。
The three can抰 be comprehended
So they抮e confused and considered one。
Its surface is not bright。
Its depths are not obscured。
Dimly seen it can抰 be named
So returns to the insubstantial。
This is the shapeless shape；
The form without substance。
This is called blurred and shadowy。
Approach it you can抰 see its face。
Follow it you can抰 see its back。
Hold fast to the ancient Way
In order to control the present。
Knowing the source of the ancient；
Is the thread that runs through the Way。
15
He who knew the way of old
Was delicately subtle； mysteriously knowing；
Too deep to be understood。
Because he could not be understood
He can only be vaguely described：
Tentative； as if crossing a rushing river；
Alert； as if afraid of his neighbours；
Stiff； like a guest；
Fluid； like thawing ice；
Dense； like the un…carved block；
Empty； like the valley；
Turbid； like muddy water。
Who can be turbid； yet gradually clear？
Who can be still； yet gradually stir into life？
One who holds fast to the Way
Does not desire completeness。
Because they do not desire completeness
They can be worn； and not renewed。
16
I try my best to achieve emptiness。
I hold firmly to stillness。
The myriad creatures rise together
And I watch them return。
The myriad things flourish
And each returns to its root。
Returning to the root is silence。
Silence is returning to being。
Returning to being is knowing the constant。
Knowing the constant is enlightenment。
Acting without knowing
The constant is harmful。
Acting while knowing
The constant is balance。
Balance leads to nobility；
Nobility to what is above；
What is above to the Way；
The Way to the eternal。
To the end of life
There is no danger。
17
The greatest ruler is one they know from of old。
The next is one they love and praise。
The next is one they fear。
The next is one they despise。
Where there is lack of faith；
There is a lack of respect。
Employ reticence； and care with words。
When the work is done and the task complete
The peopl