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17
During the High Ages people knew they were there then people loved and praised them then they feared them finally they despised them
when honesty fails dishonesty prevails
hesitate and guard your words when their work succeeds let people think they did it
18
When the Great Way disappears we meet kindness and justice
when reason appears we meet great deceit
when the six relations fail we meet obedience and love
when the country is in chaos we meet honest officials
19
Get rid of wisdom and reason and people will live a hundred times better
get rid of kindness and justice and people once more will love and obey
get rid of cleverness and profit and thieves will cease to exist
but these three sayings are not enough hence let this be added
wear the undyed and hold the uncarved reduce self…interest and limit desires get rid of learning and problems will vanish
20
Yes and no aren't so far apart lovely and ugly aren't so unalike
what others fear we too must fear
before the moon wanes everyone is gay as if they were at the Great Sacrifice or climbing a tower in spring I sit here and make no sign like a child that doesn't smile lost with no one to turn to
while others enjoy more I alone seem forgotten my mind is so foolish so simple
others look bright I alone seem dim others are certain I alone am confused receding like the ocean waxing without cease
everyone has a goal I alone am dumb and backward for I alone choose to differ preferring still my mother's breast
21
The expression of empty virtue comes from the Tao alone
the Tao as a thing waxes and wanes it waxes and wanes but inside is an image it waxes and wanes but inside is a creature it's distant and dark but inside is an essence an essence fundamentally real and inside is a heart
throughout the ages its name has never changed so we might follow our fathers
how do we know what our fathers were like through this
22
Partial means whole crooked means straight hollow means full worn…out means new less means content more means confused
thus the sage holds onto the one to use in guiding the world
not watching himself he appears not displaying himself he flourishes not flattering himself he succeeds not parading himself he leads
because he doesn't compete no one can compete against him
the ancients who said partial means whole came close indeed becoming whole depends on this
23
Whispered words are natural a gale doesn't last all morning a squall doesn't last all day
who else could make these only Heaven and Earth if Heaven and Earth can't make things last what about Man
thus in whatever we do let those on the Way be one with the Way let those who succeed be one with success let those who fail be one with failure
be one with success for the Way succeeds too be one with failure for the Way fails too
24
Who tiptoes doesn't stand who strides doesn't walk
who watches himself doesn't appear who displays himself doesn't flourish
who flatters himself achieves nothing who parades himself doesn't lead
on the road they say too much food and a tiring pace some things are simply bad thus the Taoist avoids them
25
Imagine a nebulous thing here before Heaven and Earth silent and elusive it stands alone not wavering it travels everywhere unharmed it could be the mother of us all
not knowing its name I call it the Tao forced to name it I name it Great
great means ever…flowing ever…flowing means far…reaching far…reaching means returning
the Tao is great Heaven is great Earth is great the king is also great the realm contains four greats of these the king is one
Man imitates Earth Earth imitates Heaven Heaven imitates the Tao the Tao imitates itself
26
Heavy is the root of light still is the master of busy
thus a lord might travel all day but never far from his supplies even in a guarded camp his manner is calm and aloof
why would the lord of ten thousand chariots treat himself lighter than his kingdom
too light he loses his base too busy he loses command
27
Good walking leaves no tracks good talking reveals no flaws good counting counts no beads
good closing locks no locks and yet it can't be opened good tying ties no knots and yet it can't be undone
thus the sage is good at saving and yet abandons no one nor anything of use this is called cloaking the light
thus the good instruct the bad the bad learn from the good
not honouring their teachers not cherishing their students the wise alone are perfectly blind this is called peering into the distance
28
Recognize the male but hold onto the female and be the world's maid being the world's maid don't lose your ancient virtue not losing your ancient virtue be a newborn child again
recognize the pure but hold onto the defiled and be the world's valley being the world's valley be filled with ancient virtue being filled with ancient virtue be uncarved wood again
recognize the white but hold onto the black and be the world's guide being the world's guide don't stray from the ancient virtue not straying from ancient virtue be without limits again
uncarved wood can be split to make tools the sage makes it his chief official a master tailor doesn't cut
29
Trying to govern the world with force I see this not succeeding
the world is a spiritual thing it can't be forced to force it is to harm it to control it is to lose it
sometimes things lead sometimes they follow sometimes blow hot sometimes blow cold sometimes expand sometimes collapse
therefore the sage avoids extremes avoids extravagance avoids excess
30
Use the Tao to help your king don't use weapons to rule the land such things soon return
where armies camp brambles grow
best to win then stop don't make use of force
win but don't be proud win but don't be vain win but don't be cruel win when you have no choice this is to win without force
virility means old age this isn't the Tao what isn't the Tao ends early
31
Weapons are not auspicious tools some things are simply bad thus the Taoist shuns them
in peace the ruler honours the left in war he honours the right
weapons are not auspicious weapons are not a ruler's tools he wields them when he has no choice dispassion is the best
thus he does not beautify them he who beautifies them enjoys killing others he who enjoys killing others achieves no worldly rule
thus we honour the left for joy we honour the right for sorrow the left is where the adjutant stands the commander on the right
which means at a funeral when you kill another honour him with your tears when the battle is won treat it as a wake
the first distinction gives us names after we have names we should know restraint who knows restraint knows no trouble
32
The Tao has never had a name simple and though small no one can command it
if a lord upheld it the world would be his guest
when Heaven joins with Earth they bes