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He who takes things lightly makes things hard；
The sage confronts difficulty； and so has none。
64
Care at the Beginning / Care at the End
64a。 Care at the Beginning
What lies still is easy to grasp；
What is far off is easy to anticipate；
What is cold is easy to shatter；
What is small is easy to disperse。
Yet；
A tree broader than a man can embrace is born of a tiny shoot；
A dam taller than a river can overflow is based on a clod of earth；
A journey of a thousand miles begins at the spot under one's feet。
Therefore deal with things before they happen；
Create order before there is confusion。
64b。 Care at the End
He who acts； spoils；
He who grasps； loses。
People often fail on the verge of success；
Take care at the end as at the beginning；
So that you may avoid failure。
The sage desires no desire；
Values no valuable；
Knows no knowledge；
But gives people what they can not find
And helps all things accord with Nature
Without interfering。
65
History
The saints did not want to make people wise；
But to make them ignorant；
For it is difficult to lead people who know too much。
To lead a nation by imparting knowledge to its people
Destroys the nation。
To lead a nation by decreasing the knowledge of its people
Strengthens the nation。
Understanding these two paths is understanding history；
Understanding history gives clarity of vision
By which one may see through deceit。
66
Lead by Following
How does the river carve out the valley？
By flowing beneath it。
Thereby the river is master of the valley。
In order to master people
One must speak as their servant；
So when the sage is elevated to power
People do not feel oppressed。
In order to lead people
One must follow them；
So when the sage restrains people
They do not feel hindered。
Thus the popularity of the sage does not fail；
He does not seem superior； so no one will usurp him。
67
Three Treasures
It may seem that my teaching means nothing；
It describes the infinite； so of course it means nothing；
If it meant something it would long since have been refuted。
Yet I have three treasures which I follow and commend to you：
The first is love；
By which one finds courage。
The second is restraint；
By which one finds strength。
The third is not contending；
By which one finds influence。
Those who are fearless； but without love；
Strong； but without restraint；
Or influential； yet contentious；
Are doomed。
Only love conquers all and is defeated by none。
It is Nature's finest tool and sharpest weapon。
68
Using Men
A good soldier does not use violence；
A good fighter does not use anger；
A good conqueror does not use attack；
A good ruler does not use authority；
Not contending is the best way to use men。
69
Ambush
There is a saying among soldiers：
It is easier to lose a yard than take an inch。
In this way one may deploy troops without marshalling them；
Reveal weapons without exposing them；
Assault the foe without charging them；
Apply force without aggression。
Conversely there is no disaster like underestimating your enemy；
For false confidence will lose you your most valued assets。
When two equally matched forces meet
The general who conserves life will win。
70
Individuality
My words are easy to understand
And my actions are easy to perform
Yet no man can understand or perform them。
My words have logic； my actions have meaning；
Yet these cannot be known and I cannot be known。
We are each unique； no man understands another。
Though the sage wears coarse clothes； his heart is jade。
71
Sickness
Who knows what he knows is healthy；
Who ignores what he ignores is sick；
Who grows sick of sickness recovers；
The sage is never sick； always sick of sickness。
72
Diplomacy
When people do not fear； they are easily conquered。
Praise their goods and children
And they will not dislike yours。
Know your advantage；
But do not tell it to them；
Love your home；
But do not let them know；
Reject what is yours
And accept what is theirs。
73
Fate
Who is brave and bold may die；
Who is brave and subtle may live。
Which course best serves one's purpose？
Fate favours some and destroys others。
The sage does not know why。
Fate does not contend； yet all things are conquered by it；
It does not ask； yet all things answer to it；
It does not call； yet all things come to it；
It does not plan； yet all things are determined by it。
Fate's hands are vast； its fingers spread wide；
Yet none slip through its grasp。
74
Tyranny
People do not fear death； so do not threaten them with death。
If people feared death； and you executed all who did not love you
There would be no one left but you and the executioner。
You would then have to kill him。
You would then have to cut off your own hands。
75
Extremis
If rulers take too much grain
People rapidly starve；
If rulers take too much freedom
People easily rebel；
If rulers take too much happiness。
People gladly die。
By not interfering the sage improves the people's lives。
76
Flexibility
A newborn is soft and tender；
A crone； hard and stiff。
Plants and animals； in life； are supple and juicy；
In death； brittle and dry。
So softness and tenderness are attributes of life；
And hardness and stiffness； attributes of death。
Just as a sapless tree will split and decay
So an inflexible force will meet defeat；
The hard and mighty lie beneath the ground
While the tender and weak dance on the breeze above。
77
Balance
Is the movement of Nature not unlike drawing a bow？
What is higher descends and what is lower ascends；
What is longer shortens and what is shorter lengthens；
Nature's way decreases those who have more than they need
And increases those who need more than they have。
It is not so with Man。
Man decreases those who need more than they have
And increases those who have more than they need。
The sage works regardless of personal reward or recognition；
To benefit the World is to benefit the Self。
78
Accept Responsibility
Nothing in the World is as yielding as water；
Nor can anything better overcome the hardened。
Just as the yielding overcomes the hardened；
The weak may overcome the strong；
Yet they do not。
The sage says：
〃Who accepts responsibility for his people rules the country；
Who accepts responsibility for the World rules the World〃；
But his words are not understood。
79
Reconciliation
When