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Thus of two sides raising arms against each other；
It is the one that is sorrow…stricken that wins。
70
My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice；
Yet no one in the world can understand them or put them into practice。
Words have an ancestor and affairs have a sovereign。
It is because people are ignorant that they fail to understand me。
Those who understand me are few；
Those who harm me are honoured。
Therefore the sage； while clad in homespun； conceals on his person apriceless piece of jade。
71
To know yet to think that one does not know is best；
Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty。
It is by being alive to difficulty that one can avoid it。
The sage meets with no difficulty。
It is because he is alive to it that he meets with no difficulty。
72
When the people lack a proper sense of awe； then some awful visitationwill descend upon them。
Do not constrict their living space；
Do not press down on their means of livelihood。
It is because you do not press down on them that they will not wearyof the burden。
Hence the sage knows himself but does not display himself；
Loves himself but does not exalt himself。
Therefore he discards the one and takes the other。
73
He who is fearless in being bold will meet with his death；
He who is fearless in being timid will stay alive。
Of the two； one leads to good； the other to harm。
Heaven hates what it hates；
Who knows the reason why？
Therefore even the sage treats some things as difficult。
The way of heaven
Excels in overcoming though it does not contend；
In responding though it does not speak；
In attracting though it does not summon；
In laying plans though it appears slack。
The net of heaven is cast wide。
Though the mesh is not fine； yet nothing ever slips through。
74
When the people are not afraid of death； wherefore frighten them withdeath？
Were the people always afraid of death； and were I able to arrest andput to death those who innovate； then who would dare？
There is a regular executioner whose charge it is to kill。
To kill on behalf of the executioner is what is described as choppingwood on behalf of the master carpenter。
In chopping wood on behalf of the master carpenter； there are few whoescape hurting their own hands instead。
75
The people are hungry：
It is because those in authority eat up too much in taxes
That the people are hungry。
The people are difficult to govern。
It is because those in authority are too fond of action
That the people are difficult to govern。
The people treat death lightly：
It is because the people set too much store by life
That they treat death lightly。
It is just because one has no use for life that one is wiser than theman who values life。
76
A man is supple and weak when living； but hard and stiff when dead。
Grass and trees are pliant and fragile when living； but dried and shrivelledwhen dead。
Thus the hard and the strong are the comrades of death；
The supple and the weak are the comrades of life。
Therefore a weapon that is strong will not vanquish；
A tree that is strong will suffer the axe。
The strong and big takes the lower position；
The supple and weak takes the higher position。
77
Is not the way of heaven like the stretching of a bow？
The high it presses down；
The low it lifts up；
The excessive it takes from；
The deficient it gives to。
It is the way of heaven to take from what has in excess in order tomake good what is deficient。
The way of man is otherwise： it takes from those who are in want inorder to offer this to those who already have more than enough。
Who is there that can take what he himself has in excess and offerthis to the empire？
Only he who has the way。
Therefore the sage benefits them yet exacts no gratitude；
Accomplishes his task yet lays claim to no merit。
Is this not because he does not wish to be considered a better man thanothers？
78
In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water。
Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpassit。
This is because there is nothing that can take its place。
That the weak overcomes the strong；
And the submissive overcomes the hard；
Everyone in the world knows yet no one can put this knowledge intopractice。
Therefore the sage says；
One who takes on himself the humiliation of the state
Is called a ruler worthy of offering sacrifices to the gods of earthand millet。
One who takes on himself the calamity of the state
Is called a king worthy of dominion over the entire empire。
Straightforward words seem paradoxical。
79
When peace is made between great enemies；
Some enmity is bound to remain undispelled。
How can this be considered perfect？
Therefore the sage takes the left…hand tally； but exacts no paymentfrom the people。
The man of virtue takes charge of the tally；
The man of no virtue takes charge of exaction。
It is the way of heaven to show no favoritism。
It is for ever on the side of the good man。
80
Reduce the size of the population and the state。
Ensure that even though the people have tools of war for a troop ora battalion they will not use them；
And also that they will be reluctant to move to distant places becausethey look on death as no light matter。
Even when they have ships and carts； they will have no use for them；
And even when they have armor and weapons； they will have no occasionto make a show of them。
Bring it about that the people will return to the use of the knottedrope；
Will find relish in their food
And beauty in their clothes；
Will be content in their abode
And happy in the way they live。
Though adjoining states are within sight of one another；
And the sound of dogs barking and cocks crowing in one state can beheard in another；
yet the people of one state will grow old and die without having hadany dealings with those of another。
81
Truthful words are not beautiful；
Beautiful words are not truthful。
Good words are not persuasive；
Persuasive words are not good。
He who knows has no wide learning；
He who has wide learning does not know。
The sage does not hoard。
Having bestowed all he has on others； he has yet more；
Having given all he has to others； he is richer still。
The way of heaven benefits and does not harm；
The way of the sage is bountiful and does not contend。
English_Legge_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese … English by
James Legge； 1891
1
The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao。 The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name。
（Conceived of as） having no name； it is the Orig