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Forestall trouble when it抯 easy to。
Act on the major when it抯 still minor。
For this world抯 troubles start with simple things；
And major matters rise from little ones。
Thus the wise； not making much of them；
Can always see their great works through。
But 搇ightly granted rarely honoured？
And much too easy means much trouble。
Even the wisest looks for the trouble ahead；
And ends up with the trouble spared。
64
What抯 stable is easy to secure；
The unmanifest to plan against；
The fragile to splinter；
The incipient to dissolve。
Act before events occur：
Decision can prevent disorder。
A tree of girth
Grows from a twig。
A nine…tier tower
From a basket of earth；
And a thousand…mile journey
Begins where one stands。
Those who take the lead shall fail。
Those who cling lose hold。
This is why men of wisdom；
Taking no lead； do not fail；
Not clinging； do not lose hold。
How often do people； assuming a task；
Ruin it at the verge of success？
Hence the saying；
揅areful at the end as at the start；
And your task shall not abort。？br》 This is why the worldly wise
Seek what others do not seek；
揚rize not goods hard to find；？br》 Learn what others do not learn：
Redeem the wrongs many have done。
In this way support and sustain
The self…becoming of the myriad；
And do not presume to act upon them。
65
Those of old who pursued the Way
Never meant to make their people see；
Their purpose was to keep them unaware。
The people are harder to manage
For knowing things。
To have the learned govern the kingdom
Is a bane to the kingdom。
Not to have them
Is a boon to the kingdom。
Know always that this double dictum
Defines a guide to judgement；
Which when firmly fixed in mind
May be called sublime virtue。
Such virtue； deep and reaching far；
In counter…motion like all things；
Achieves congruence with the Way。
66
Why is it that the rivers and the ocean；
Like kings； can lead the many valley streams？
Knowing how to stay below； they
Draw to them the many higher streams。
For this reason wise and worldly rulers；
Wishing to remain above their people；
Need to stay below by what they say；
Or if they wish to go before their people；
They need to take their place behind。
Beneath such rule the people feel no threat。
All the world rejoices and supports them
And never tries to cast such rulers off。
Is it not because the will not strive
That no one in this world can strive with them？
67
揂ll the world declares me great。？br》 Be great but do not seem to be。
For it is seeming not to be
That makes you great。
Otherwise； by seeming so；
You抎 long ago have ceased to matter。
We have always our triple treasure；
Which we rely upon and cherish：
A mother抯 heart； a frugal hand； and
No drive to boldly lead this world。？br》 A brave heart takes a mother抯 heart；
A giving hand a frugal hand；
And one who will not lead to serve
As sacred elder of this world。
Forsaking love for bravery；
Frugal hand for giving hand；
Staying back for leading forth
Mean entering the gates of death。
A mother抯 heart holds battle lines
And also makes defenses sure。
The man whom heaven means to keep
It protects with mother…heart。
68
Warriors who excel do not parade；
Commanders who excel do not anger；
Victors who excel don抰 lightly engage；
Skilled managers of men are humble：
This defines the power of no…conflict；
The way to manage men抯 strength；
The union with heaven； the acme of old。
69
Those who wage war often say；
揥e prefer response to invitation；
The span withdrawn to the inch gained。？br》 This is formation that does not go forward；
Deflection with hand unraised；
The firm grip that holds no sword；
And the thrust that cannot be countered。
But 揾aving no foe？is the greatest threat。
It leads to the loss of our triple treasure。
Once battle in joined； who gives way wins。
70
What we say is easy to know
And easy to do；
But the world does not know its worth
And does not act upon it。
Though we speak with ancestral sanction
And serve on high authority；
Yet this remains unknown
And so we remain unknown。
And the less that we are known；
More precious our followers。
For this reason men of wisdom
Wear rough garb and the gem in the heart。
71
To recognize ignorance comes first；
Not to know to know this will cause harm：
Harm that the wise are spared
Because they recognize it。
Only by recognizing the harm
Can one be spared。
72
When people dread not the powers that be；
A greater dread is on the way。
Encroach not on their domain；
Do not burden down their lives。
Only of those who bear bearing
Will the people bear the burden。
This is why wise men who govern
Know themselves； show themselves not；
Conserve themselves； esteem themselves not：
Rejecting these； preferring those。
73
Be brave in daring： kill or be killed；
Be brave in not daring： live and let live；
One of these two bring gain； one harm。
But which man knows what heaven condemns；
What precedents it抯 guided by？
The way of heaven masters all：
It prevails though striving not；
It replies though speaking not；
Comes although uncalled；
And gives good counsel though affected not。
Heaven抯 net； cast far and wide；
Seems slack yet nothing slips outside。
74
If the people fear not even death itself；
How can execution frighten them？
If they are in constant fear of death；
And we seize and put to death
Committers of crimes； then who would dare？
But to keep the folk in constant fear；
Keep the master executioner near。
Let no one kill in his stead； for that would be
To wield the knife in the master抯 stead ？br》 And no one who would for the master stand
Escapes with an uninjured hand。
75
The people lack for food
When those above them overtax；
That is why they lack。
And the people can抰 be ruled
When those above them serve themselves。
That is why they can抰 be ruled。
And when the people death defy
It is but to make their lives secure ？br》 That is why。
Worthier far than living royally
Those who live not for themselves。
76
Man alive is tender； gentle；
Hard and fast in death。
Living plants are tender； fragile；
Dry and frail in death。
For fast and hard are marks of dying；
And gentle； tender marks of life。
Strength in arms bring destruction；
And the strong branch will be broken。
Let strength and might be put below；
And tender； gentle in control。
77
Heaven抯 Way； like unto a bow full…drawn ？br》 Low end raised； top bent down ？br》 Subtracts