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36
What is in the end to be shrunk
Must first be stretched。
Whatever is to be weakened
Must begin by being made strong。
What is to be overthrown
Must begin by being set up。
He who would be a taker
Must begin as a giver。
This is called 揹imming？one's light。
It is thus that the soft overcomes the hard
And the weak； the strong。
揑t is best to leave the fish down in his pool；
Best to leave the State's sharpest weapons wherenone can see them。？br》
37
Tao never does；
Yet through it all things are done。
If the barons and kings would but possess themselves of it；
The ten thousand creatures would at once be transformed。
And if having been transformed they should desire to act；
We must restrain them by the blankness of the Unnamed。
The blankness of the Unnamed
Brings dispassion；
To be dispassionate is to be still。
And so； of itself； the whole empire will be at rest。
38
The man of highest 損ower？does not reveal himself as a possessor of 損ower？
Therefore he keeps his 損ower？
The man of inferior 損ower？cannot rid it of the appearance of 損ower？
Therefore he is in truth without 損ower？
The man of highest 損ower？neither acts nor is there any who so regards him；
The man of inferior 損ower？both acts and is so regarded。
The man of highest humanity； though he acts； is not regarded；
Whereas a man of even the highest morality both acts and is so regarded；
While even he who is best versed in ritual not merely acts；
But if people fail to respond
Then he will pull up his sleeves and advance upon them。
That is why it is said：
揂fter Tao was lost； then came the 'power'；
After the 'power' was lost； then came human kindness。？br》 After human kindness was lost； then came morality；
After morality was lost； then came ritual。
Now ritual is the mere husk of loyalty and promise…keeping
And is indeed the first step towards brawling。？br》 Foreknowledge may be the 揻lower of doctrine？
But it is the beginning of folly。
Therefore the full…grown man takes his stand upon the solid substance
And not upon the mere husk；
Upon the fruit and not upon the flower。
Truly； 揾e reject that and takes this？
39
As for the things that from of old have understood the Whole ？br》 The sky through such understanding remains limpid；
Earth remains steady；
The spirits keep their holiness；
The abyss is replenished；
The ten thousand creatures bear their kind；
Barons and princes direct their people。
It is the Whole that causes it。
Were it not so limpid； the sky would soon get torn；
Were is not for steadiness； the earth would soon tip over；
Were it not for their holiness； the spirit would soon wither away。
Were it not for this replenishment； the abyss would soon go dry；
Were it not that ten thousand creatures can bear their kind；
They would soon become extinct。
Were the barons and princes no longer directors of their people
And for that reason honoured and exalted； they would soon be overthrown。
Truly ？the humble is the stem upon which the mighty grows；
The low is the foundation upon which the high is laid。？br》 That is why barons and princes refer to themselves as 揟he Orphan？
揟he Needy？ 揟he Ill…provided。
Is this not indeed a case of might rooting itself upon humility？
True indeed are the sayings：
揈numerate the parts of a carriage；
And you still have not explained what a carriage is；？br》 And They did not want themselves to tinkle like jade…bells；
While others resounded like stone chimes？
40
In Tao the only motion is returning；
The only useful quality； weakness。
For though all creatures under heaven are the products of Being；
Being itself is the product of Not…being。
41
When the man of highest capacities hears Tao
He does his best to put it into practice。
When the man of middling capacity hears Tao
He is in two minds about it。
When the man of low capacity hears Tao
He laughs loudly at it。
If he did not laugh； it would not be worth the name of Tao。
Therefore the proverb has it：
揟he way out into the light often looks dark；
The way that goes ahead often looks as if it went back。？br》 The way that is least hilly often looks as if it went up and down；
The 損ower？that is really loftiest looks like an abyss；
What is sheerest white looks blurred。
The 損ower？that is most sufficing looks inadequate；
The 損ower？that stands firmest looks flimsy。
What is in its natural； pure state looks faded；
The largest square has no corners；
The greatest vessel takes the longest to finish；
Great music has the faintest notes；
The Great From is without shape。
For Tao is hidden and nameless。
Yet Tao alone supports all things and brings them to fulfillment。
42
Tao gave birth to the One；
The One gave birth successively to two things；
Three things； up to ten thousand。
These ten thousand creatures cannot turn their backs to the shade
Without having the sun on their bellies；
And it is on this blending of the breaths that their harmony depends。
To be orphaned； needy； ill…provided is what men most hate；
Yet princes and dukes style themselves so。
Truly； 搕hings are often increased by seeking to diminish them
And diminished by seeking to increase them。？br》 The maxims that others use in their teaching I too will use in mine。
Show me a man of violence that came to a good end；
And I will take him for my teacher。
43
What is of all things most yielding
Can overwhelm that which is of all things most hard。
Being substanceless it can enter even where is no space；
That is how I know the value of action that is actionless。
But that there can be teaching without words；
Value in action that is actionless；
Few indeed can understand。
44
Fame or one's own self； which matters to one most？
One's own self or things bought； which should count most？
In the getting or the losing； which is worse？
Hence he who grudges expense pays dearest in the end；
He who has hoarded most will suffer the heaviest loss。
Be content with what you have and are； and no one can despoil you；
Who stops in time nothing can harm。
He is forever safe and secure。
45
What is most perfect seems to have something missing；
Yet its use is unimpaired。
What is most full seems empty；
Yet its use will never fail。
What is most straight seems crooked；
The greatest skill seems like clumsiness；
The greatest eloquence like stuttering。
Movement overcomes cold；
But staying still overcomes heat。
So he by his limpid calm
Puts right everything under heaven。
46
When there is Tao in the empire
The galloping steeds are turned back to fertilize the ground by their droppings。
When there is not Tao in the empire
War horses will be reared even on the s