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Tao be respected and Virtue honoured。
Doing so comes spontaneously。
So it is that all things arise from Tao；
They are nourished by Virtue；
Grown and nurtured；
Given shelter and comfort；
Matured and protected。
Tao produces them but does not possess them；
Accomplishes without taking credit；
Guides without interfering。
This is called mystical Virtue。
52
All things under Heaven have the same source；
This may be called the Mother of the Ten Thousand Things。
Knowing the mother；
One may know the children。
Knowing the children；
One may keep to the mother；
And to the end of one抯 days； never meet with danger。
Whosoever closes the mouth
And shuts the doors？br》 Will be free from trouble throughout his life。
But whosoever opens the mouth
And adds to his affairs；
To the end of his days； will be beyond hope。
To see the small is to be enlightened。
To keep to the weak is to be strong。
Use the light of your intellect；
But return to enlightenment；
And thus avoid misfortune。
This is called practising the constant。
1。 of the senses。
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Having just a little intelligence
I would keep to the main road；？br》 My only fear that I might stray from it。
It is easy to keep to the main road；
But the people prefer the by…ways。
When the court is maintained in lavish splendour；
The fields are full of weeds
And the granaries are empty。
Some wear extravagant clothes
And carry sharp swords。
They consume food and drink to excess
And accumulate more wealth and possessions than they can find use for。
This is called robbery and extravagance；
And is contrary to Tao。
1。 i。e。 follow Tao。
54
What is well…planted cannot be uprooted；
What is grasped tightly cannot slip away；
Just as ancestral sacrifices will never be suspended。
Cultivate Tao in yourself
And Virtue will be real。
Cultivate it in the family
And Virtue will be plentiful。
Cultivate it in the community
And Virtue will increase。
Cultivate it in the state
And Virtue will flourish。
Cultivate it in the world
And Virtue will be universal。
Hence； judge a person as a person；
A family as a family；
A community as a community；
A state as a state；
The world as a world。
How do I know the world is like this？
Through observation。
55
He who possesses Virtue in abundance is like a newly born infant。
Poisonous insects will not sting him；
Wild beasts will not seize him；
Birds of prey will not attack him。
His bones are soft； his muscles weak； but his grasp is strong。
He has not experienced the union of male and female；
And yet is fully virile：
His essence is complete。
He can cry all day without getting hoarse。
This is harmony at its height。
Knowing harmony is to know what is eternal。
Knowing what is eternal is to be enlightened。
It is inauspicious to try to improve on life；
And harmful to regulate breathing by conscious control。
To strive for too much results in exhaustion。
These actions are contrary to Tao。
And what is contrary to Tao soon comes to an early end。
56
He who knows does not speak。
He who speaks does not know。
He closes the mouth
And shuts the doors；？br》 Blunts sharp edges；
Unties all tangles；
Softens the glare；
And blends with the dust。
This is called mystical union。
He who can attain this state？br》 Is not concerned with being liked or disliked；
Benefited or harmed；
Exalted or despised。
Thus he is valued by the world。
1。 of the senses。
2。 of being like a Sage。
57
Rule the state with integrity。
Wage war？with cunning strategy；
But win the empire through non…action。
How do I know this？
By this：
The more rules and regulations there are；
the more poor the people become。
The more sharp weapons there are；
the more troubled the state becomes。
The more clever the people become；
the more cunning will their actions become。
The more that law and order is promoted；
the more thieves and robbers there will be。
Therefore the Sage says：
I do not act and the people transform themselves。
I love tranquillity and the people rectifythemselves。
I do nothing and the people prosper by themselves。
I have no desires and the people become like an uncarved block； returning to simplicity by themselves。
1。 presumably； 慜nly when there is no other way。？（31b）
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When the government is unobtrusive；
The people are content and honest。
When the government is severe and exacting；
The people are restless and cunning。
Good fortune has its roots in misfortune；
And misfortune lurks beneath good fortune。
Who knows the limits of this？
Is anything as it appears to be？
What is normal becomes abnormal；
And what is auspicious becomes ominous。
This being so has perplexed people for a long time。
Therefore the Sage is pointed like a square； but does not pierce。
He is sharp like a knife； but does not cut。？br》 He is straight like a stick； but does not extend himself。
He is bright like light； but does not dazzle。
1。 The Sage is intellectually penetrating； but he does not show up other people抯 muddledness。
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When ruling the people and serving Heaven；
There is nothing better than restraint。
In being restrained； one may follow Tao from the beginning。
Following Tao from the beginning is to accumulate great Virtue。
Accumulating great Virtue there is nothing which cannot be overcome。
When there is nothing that cannot be overcome； there are no limits。
Knowing no limits； one can rule the state。
Possessing the Mother？of the state；one will long endure。
This is called having deep roots and a firm stalk；
And is the way to long life and lasting vision。
1。 慚other？here may mean 慣ao？ （See Chan 1969； 164； n。 97）
60
Ruling a large country is like cooking a small fish。？br》
When the empire is ruled in accord with Tao；
The evil spirits will lose their power。
Not that the evil spirits will lose their powersentirely；
But they will not do any harm to anyone。
Not only do the evil spirits do no harm；
Neither does the Sage。
Since neither these two powers？do any harm to the people；
Virtue is accumulated as they unite in their effect。？
1。 i。e。 the fish is spoilt if the cook disturbs it or is too hasty。 （See Wang Pi抯 commentary （in P。 J。 Lin 1977； 122。） Lau points out （1963； 76） that a small fish is spoilt simply by handling it。
2。 i。e。 the Sage； and the evil spirits。
3。 See Wang Pi抯 commentary in P。 J。 Lin 1977； 112？3。
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A large state is like low…lying land where the flowing waters meet：？br》 The female of the world。
It is the stillness of the feminine which overcomes the masculine。
Keeping still is to keep to the lower posi