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rmed and one benefited。 But the intelligent man finds no difficulty with this question。
Nature itself has the patience to endure insult； yet always wins in the end。 It does not explain； nevertheless all understand。 It does not command； but all eventually obey。 It does not hurry； yet everything is accomplished。
Nature's web is so finely woven … wide enough to catch the biggest； fine enough to catch the smallest … that not a single thing escapes。
74
It is futile to threaten people with death。 If they are not afraid to die； they cannot be frightened by the death penalty； and if they are afraid to die； why should we kill them？
Only Nature knows the proper time for a man to die。 To kill is to interrupt Nature's design for dying； Like a blundering apprentice judging himself to be wiser than his master。
Whenever an apprentice thinks he is smarter than his master； he is very likely to hurt himself。
75
Those who make their living by collecting taxes cause the people to starve； when the people starve； the tax collectors； having no one to tax； starve also。
Those who govern people make them discontented with being controlled； and therefore cause them to be uncontrollable。
Those who are so eager to make a better living that they risk death in doing so are the very ones most likely to die。 Only the self…sufficient person who depends upon and endangers no one else in order to get his living is most sure to live。
76
At birth a man is soft and weak … yet capable of living the whole life ahead of him。 At death he is hard and tough … yet unable to live for even a minute longer。
All things； whether plants of animals； while living； are soft and weak； But； when dead； are hard and tough。
Thus hardness and toughness are allied with death； While softness and weakness are interrelated with life。
This is the reason why the tougher fighters are more likely to be killed； and the harder trees more likely to be cut down。
Therefore it is better to be soft and weak than to be hard and tough。
77
Nature's way is like the bending of a bow： The top which is high is lowered while the bottom which is low is raised； And the width which is narrow is widened while the length which is long is shortened。
Nature's way is to take from those that have too much and give to those that have too little。
Man's way； on the contrary； is to take away from those who have too little to give more to those who already have too much。 What kind of man is able to take away from his own more than enough and give to others who have less than enough？
Only he who embodies Nature's way within himself。 Such a man gives his gift without desiring a reward； achieves benefit for others without expecting approbation； And is generous without calling attention to his generosity。
78
Nothing is weaker than water； Yet； for attacking what is hard and tough； Nothing surpasses it； nothing equals it。
The principle； that what is weak overcomes what is strong； And what is yielding conquers what is resistant； Is known to everybody。 Yet few men utilize it profitably in practice。
But the intelligent man knows that： He who willingly takes the blame for disgrace to his community is considered a responsible person； And he who submissively accepts responsibility for the evils in his community naturally will be given enough authority for dealing with them。 These principles； no matter how paradoxical； are sound。
79
Make agreements and then quarrelling when they are broken is never advisable。 For even when a quarrel is patched up； some animosity will remain。 How can this be considered good？
Therefore the intelligent man continues to carry out his side of a bargain Even though he does not demand of others that they fulfill their promises
The righteous insist on keeping agreements to the letter； And the indiscreet foolishly neglect or break their agreements；
But Nature neither keeps nor breaks contracts （because it makes none）。 And its ways are good for men。
80
The ideal state is a small intimate community Where all the necessities of life are present in abundance。 There everyone is satisfied to live and die without looking around for greener pastures。
Even if they have cars or boats； they do not use them for travelling abroad。 Even if they have police and fortifications； these are never put to use。
Business transactions are simple enough to be calculated on one's fingers rather than requiring complicated bookkeeping。 The people are satisfied with their food； Contented with their clothing； Comfortable in their dwellings； And happy with their customs。
Even though neighbouring communities are within sight； And the crowing of the neighbour's cocks and barking of the neighbour's dogs are within hearing； They grow old and die without ever troubling themselves to go outside of their own communities。
81
He who is genuine is not artificial； He who is artificial is not genuine。
He who is intelligent is not quarrelsome； He who is quarrelsome is not intelligent。
He who is wise is not pretentious； He who is pretentious is not wise。
Therefore the intelligent man does not struggle to achieve for himself。 The more useful he is to others； the more his needs will be cared for by those repeatedly benefited by his yielding。
Nature's way is to produce good without evil。 The intelligent man's way is to accept and follow Nature rather than to oppose Nature。
English_Balfour_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese … English by
Frederic Henry Balfour； 1884
Vorwort/Foreword
IT is only after some years of hesitation that I have undertaken a new version of the Tao Tê Ching。 The task has already been performed by Julien； Chalmers； Strauss； Pl？nckner； and Legge； most of whom； at any rate； are scholars of the first water。 But it occurs to me梐nd with all deference I make the avowal梩hat one prime defect lies at the root of every translation that has been published hitherto； and this is； that not one seems to have been based solely and entirely on commentaries furnished by members of the Taoist school。 The Confucian element enters largely into all； and here； I think； an injustice has been done to Lao Tsze。 To a Confucianist； the Taoist system is in every sense of the word a heresy； and a commentator holding this opinion is surely not the best expositor。 It is as a grammarian rather than as a philosopher that a member of the Ju…chia deals with the Tao Tê Ching； he gives the sense of a passage according to the syntactical construction rather than according to the genius of the philosophy itself； and in attempting to explain the text by his own canons instead of by the canons of Taoism； he mistakes the superficial and apparently obvious meaning for the hidden and esoteric interpretation。 One of the greatest reproaches levelled at the Taoist system by Confucian scholars is the alleged scorn of ethical morality attributed to Lao Tsze and his followers。 They have been represented as ascribing all the troubles and vices of China to the example of Yao and Shun； and to the doct