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The greater the country's confusion。
The cleverer the people become；
The more cunning acts take place。
The more laws and orders there are；
The more thieves and robbers appear。
Therefore the sage says：
I do nothing；
And the people of themselves reform。
I love stillness；
And the people of themselves grow straight。
I don't fuss；
And the people of themselves get rich。
I don't want；
And the people of themselves grow simple。
58
When the law is dumb dumb；
The people are simple simple。
When the law is smart smart；
The people are broke broke。
Good fortune rests on bad fortune；
Bad fortune hides in good fortune。
Who knows the end of this？
It does not stop：
The normal turns into the odd；
The good turns into the weird。
Long have the people been in a stew！
Therefore the sage is
Severe； but he doesn't cut；
Exact； but he doesn't hurt；
Straight； but he doesn't strain；
Bright； but he doesn't dazzle。
59
In ruling people and serving heaven；
It is best to be sparing。
To be sparing is to yield quickly。
To yield quickly is to double…store virtue。
If virtue is double…stored
Nothing can't be overcome。
When nothing can't be overcome；
No one can know his limits。
When no one knows his limits；
That one can take on the country。
When that one takes on
The mother of the country；
He can last and endure。
Call this having deep roots
And a strong stem：
Living； lasting；
And seeing into Tao。
60
Rule a big country
As you would cook a small fish。
When beneath…heaven is ruled with Tao；
Demons don't go spiriting。
Not only do the demons not spirit；
But spirits don't harm people。
Not only do the spirits do no harm；
But the sage also does no harm。
Since both do no harm；
Virtue is restored intact。
61
A great country is one that downward flows
To be the confluence of all beneath heaven
And beneath…heaven's female。
For the feminine overcomes the masculine
By quietude and lowliness。
Hence；
By lowering itself before a small country；
A great country wins over a small country。
By lowering itself before a large country；
A small country wins over a large country。
The one wins by lowering itself；
The other by keeping itself lowered。
Great countries wish nothing more
Than to shelter others：
Small countries with nothing more
Than to be sheltered。
Since each gets its wish；
The great country ought to make itself lower。
62
Tao is the refuge of the ten thousand tings：
The treasure of the good man；
The backstop of the not…good man。
Fine words can be sold；
Noble deeds gain respect。
If a man is not good；
Why throw him away？
When an emperor is crowned
Or the three ministers appointed；
Discs of jade and teams of horses
Are not as gifts the equal
Of siting still and offering Tao。
Why did the ancients prize Tao？
Because if it is sought； it is found；
Because the guilty are forgiven。
That is why it is beneath…heaven's treasure。
63
Do nothing…doing；
Manage nothing…managing；
Taste nothing…tasting。
Exalt the low；
Multiply the few；
Requite hatred with virtue。
Tackle the difficult when it is easy。
Handle the big when it is small。
Difficult things beneath heaven
Are made up of easy things。
Big things beneath heaven
Are made up of small things。
Thus the sage
Never deals with the great；
But accomplishes greatness。
Light promises indeed lack trust；
Much easiness leads to much difficulty。
Thus the sage
Holds everything difficult；
But meets no difficulty in the end。
64
What is at rest is easy to hold。
What hasn't happened is easy to forestall。
What is brittle is easy to break。
What is minute is easy to scatter。
Deal with a thing before it exists；
Handle disorder before it occurs。
A tree of a full span's girth
Springs from a tiny sprout
A nine…storey tower
Rises from a clod of earth。
A journey of a thousand miles
Starts from where your feet are。
Whoever acts spoils；
Whoever grasps loses。
The sage does nothing；
Therefore he spoils nothing。
He grasps nothing；
Therefore he loses nothing。
People often spoil things at the point of success：
Take it easy at the finish as well as the start；
Then nothing will be spoiled
Therefore the sage
Desires to be desireless；
Does not prize rare goods；
Learns to unlearn his learning；
Returns the people to what they have lost；
Helps all things find their nature；
But dares not do。
65
The ancients well versed in Tao
Did not enlighten the people
But kept them simple minded。
Why are the people hard to govern？
Because they are too clever。
Clever government is a curse；
Non…clever government a blessing。
To know these two things
Is to follow the ancient pattern；
And to know the ancient pattern
Is original virtue。
Original virtue is far…reaching and deep。
It leads all things to return
Back to the original harmony。
66
Rivers and seas become the kings of the valleys
Because they lie lower：
That is why they become kings。
Hence the sage；
Wishing to be higher than the people；
Keeps his speech lower；
Wishing to lead the people；
Puts himself behind them。
For the sage
Stays above the people；
But they don't feel weight；
Stays in front；
But they don't feel hurt。
Thus； beneath…heaven
Gladly upholds him
And does not weary of him。
Because he does not compete；
Nobody beneath heaven can compete with him。
67
All beneath heaven say
My Tao seems like folly。
But it is great
Because it seems like folly。
Were it not like folly；
Long indeed would it have been petty。
I have three treasures；
Held close and guarded。
The first is love。
The second is simplicity。
The third is not…daring to be first beneath heaven。
Whoever is loving can be brave；
Whoever is simple can be generous；
Whoever is not…daring to be first beneath heaven
Can be a vessel of excellence。
But to be brave without being loving；
Generous without being simple；
Foremost without being hindmost；
That is to perish！
For love cannot fight without winning。
Cannot defend without strengthening。
When heaven helps；
It protects by loving。
68
A good soldier is not violent；
A good fighter has no wrath。
The best way to win over an enemy
Is not to contend with him。
The best way to use a man
Is to work under him。
Call this not…competing in virtue。
Call this using human strengths。
Call this mating with heaven as of old。
69
The strategists have a saying：
I dare