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And you may lose by gaining。
What others have taught； I also teach：
Men of violence come to death by violence。
Whoever said this is my teacher。
43
The softest things beneath heaven
Overcome the hardest。
Nothingness alone penetrates no…space。
Hence I know the use
Of nothing…doing。
The lessons of nothing…speaking；
The use of nothing…doing：
Rare attainments beneath heaven！
44
Name and self；
Which is dearer？
Self and wealth；
Which is nearer？
Gain and loss；
Which brings more fear？
For：
Attachment comes at wasteful cost；
Hoarding leads to certain loss；
Knowing what is enough avoids disgrace；
Knowing when to stop secures from peril。
Only thus can you last long。
45
What is most perfect seems imperfect；
But using it doesn't use it up。
What is most full seems empty；
But using it doesn't wear it down。
Great straightness seems crooked；
Great skill seems clumsy；
Great eloquence seems hesitant。
Movement conquers cold；
But stillness conquers heat。
Clearness and serenity
Are beneath…heaven's norm。
46
When beneath…heaven has Tao；
Race horses are used to haul dung。
When beneath…heaven has no Tao；
War horses breed in the countryside。
No calamity is greater
Than not knowing what is enough。
No fault worse than wanting too much。
Whoever knows what is enough
Has enough。
47
Without going out of the door
You can know beneath…heaven。
Without looking out of the window
You can see heaven's way。
The farther you go；
The less you know。
Thus the sage
Knows without walking；
Sees without looking；
And does without doing。
48
To get learning； add to it daily。
To get Tao； subtract daily。
Subtract and subtract
Until you achieve nothing…doing。
Do nothing…doing
And everything will get done。
To win beneath…heaven
Always avoid fussing。
If fussing is not avoided；
Beneath heaven is not won。
49
The sage has no fixed heart。
He finds his heart
In the hundred families' heart。
He is good to the good；
He is also good to the not…good；
For virtue is good。
He is faithful to the faithful；
He is also faithful to the unfaithful；
For virtue is faithful。
Living beneath heaven；
The sage deals shyly with beneath…heaven
And simplifies his heart。
The hundred families strain eyes and ears；
The sage acts the child to all of them。
50
Going out is life；
Coming back is death。
The companions of life are thirteen。
The companions of death are thirteen。
For people moving toward the place of death
There are also thirteen。
How is that？
Because they live intently。
It is said that
He who preserves his life
Meets no tigers or wild buffaloes on the road；
Remains untouched by weapons in the wars。
In him； the wild buffalo
Finds no space for his horns；
The tiger no space for his claws；
The soldier no space for his blade。
How is this？
Because there is no place for death in him。
51
Tao gives them life；
Virtue shapes them；
Reality rears them；
Circumstance completes them。
Thus the ten thousand things
All worship Tao and esteem virtue。
No one commands them
To worship Tao and esteem virtue。
They do so of themselves。
For Tao gives them life。
Virtue nurses them； raises them；
Nurtures them； shelters them；
Comforts them； feeds them；
And protects them。
Rear but don't own！
Work but don't claim！
Raise but don't butcher！
This is called inward virtue。
52
Beneath…heaven has a beginning：
The mother of beneath…heaven。
Knowing the mother。
We may know the children。
Knowing the children；
We may keep to the mother。
Death of body？ No risk！
Block the passages；
Shut the doors：
End of life？ No fuss！
Open the passages；
Meddle with things：
End of life？ No help！
See the small： that is insight。
Keep to weakness： that is strength。
Use the light： go back to insight；
Keeping away from calamity
And practicing the changeless。
53
If I have a grain of wisdom；
I walk along the great Tao
And fear only to stray。
The great Tao is easy indeed；
But the people choose by…paths。
The court is very resplendent；
Very weedy are the fields；
And the granaries very empty。
They wear gaudy clothes；
Carry sharp swords；
Exceed in eating and drinking；
Have riches more than they can use。
Call them robber…braggarts：
They are anti…Tao indeed！
54
What is well planted won't be uprooted；
What is well grasped won't slip away。
Sons and grandsons will keep the sacrifices。
Practice virtue in yourself：
Virtue becomes real。
Practice it in the family；
It becomes abundant。
Practice it in the county；
It becomes increased。
Practice it in the country；
It becomes prolific。
Practice it beneath heaven；
It becomes universal。
Thus persons are to be looked at as a person；
Families as a family；
Counties as a county；
Countries as a country；
Beneath…heaven as beneath…heaven。
How do I know about beneath…heaven？
Inward light！
55
One who is weighty in virtue
Resembles an infant child。
Poisonous insects don't sting him；
Wild beasts don't seize him；
Birds of prey don't strike him。
His bones are soft；
His sinews tender；
Yet his grip is strong。
He does not know
The union of male and female；
Yet his vitality is evident；
His vitality perfect。
He cries and howls all day；
But does not get hoarse。
His harmony is perfect indeed！
To know harmony
Is to know the changeless。
To now the changeless
Is to have insight。
It is ominous to improve on life；
Injurious to control breathing by the mind：
Things overgrown fall into decay。
That is not…Tao；
And what is not…Tao soon ends。
56
He who speaks does not know。
He who knows does not speak。
Block the passages！
Shut the doors；
Blunt edges；
Untie tangles；
Harmonize lights；
Unite all dust。
Call this the original oneness。
It can't be had by courting；
Can't be had by shunning；
Can't be had by helping；
Can't be had by harming；
Can't be had by praising；
Can't be had by blaming：
For it is beneath…heaven's highest。
57
Govern the country by regular rules；
Direct the army by cunning moves；
But win the world by avoiding fuss。
How do I know that this is so？
Inward light！
Beneath heaven；
The more rules and prohibitions there are；
The poorer the people become。
The sharper the weapons there are；
The greater the country's confusion。
The cleverer the people become；
The more cunning ac