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Is called the mysterious 損ower？ so deep…penetrating；
So far…reaching；
That can follow things back ？br》 All the way back to the Great Concordance。
66
How did the great rivers and seas get their kingship
Over the hundred lesser streams？
Through the merit of being lower than they；
That was how they got their kingship。
Therefore the Sage
In order to be above the people
Must speak as though he were lower than the people。
In order to guide them
He must put himself behind them。
Only thus can the Sage be on top and the people not be crushed by his weight。
Only thus can he guide； and the people not be led into harm
Indeed in this way everything under heaven will into harm be pushed by him
And will not find his guidance irk…some。
This he does by not striving；
And because he does not strive； none can contend with him。
67
Every one under heaven says that our Way is greatly like folly。
But it is just because it is great； that it seems like folly。
As for things that do not seem like folly ？well；
There can be no question about their smallness！
Here are my three treasures。
Guard and keep them！
The first is pity；
The second； frugality；
The third； refusal to be 揻oremost of all things under heaven。？br》 For only he that pities is truly able to be brave；
Only he that is frugal is able to be profuse。
Only he that refuse to be foremost of all things
Is truly able to become chief of all Ministers。
At present your bravery is not based on pity；
Nor your profusion on frugality；
Nor your vanguard on your rear； and this is death。
But pity cannot fight without conquering or guard without。
But pity cannot fight without conquering or guard without saving。
Heaven arms with pity those whom it would not see destroyed。
68
The best charioteers do not rush ahead；
The best fighters do not make displays of wrath。
The greatest conqueror wins without joining issue；
The best user of men acts as though he were their inferior。
This is called the power that comes of not contending；
Is called the capacity to use men；
The secret of being mated to heaven； to what was of old。
69
The strategists have the sayings：
揥hen you doubt your ability to meet the enemy's attack；
Take the offensive yourself？br》 And 揑f you doubt your ability to advance an inch； then retreat a foot？
This latter is what we call to march without moving；
To roll the sleeve； but present no bare arm；
The hand that seems to hold； yet had no weapon in it；
A host that can confront； yet presents no battle…front。
Now the greatest of all calamities is to attack and find no enemy。
I can have no enemy only at the price of losing my treasure。
Therefore when armies are raised
And issues joined it is he who does not delight in war that wins。
70
My words are very easy to understand
And very easy to put into practice。
Yet no one under heaven understands them；
No one puts them into practice。
But my words have an ancestry； my deeds have a lord；
And it is precisely because men do not understand this
That they are unable to understand me。
Few then understand me； but it is upon this very fact my value depends。
It is indeed in this sense that 搕he Sage wears hair…cloth on top；
But carries jade under neath his dress。？br》
71
揟o know when one does not know is best。
To think one knows when one does not know is a dire disease。
Only he who recognizes this disease as a disease
Can cure himself of the disease。
The Sage's way of curing disease
Also consists in making people recognize their diseases as diseases
And thus ceasing to be diseased。
72
Never mind if the people are not intimidated by your authority。
A Mightier Authority will deal with them in the end。
Do not narrow their dwelling or harass their lives；
And for the very reason that you do not harass them；
They will cease to turn from you。
Therefore the Sage knows himself but does not show himself。
Knows his own value； but does not put himself on high。
Truly； he rejects that but takes this？
73
He whose braveness lies in daring； slays。
He whose braveness lies in not daring ； gives life。
Of these two； either may be profitable or unprofitable。
But 揌eaven hates what it hates；
None can know the reason why？
Wherefore the Sage； too； disallows it。
For it is the way of Heaven not to strive but none the less to conquer；
Not to speak； but none the less to get an answer；
Not to beckon； yet things come to it of themselves。
Heaven is like one who says little； yet none the less has laid his plans。
Heaven's net is wide；
Coarse are the meshes； yet nothing slips through。
74
The people are not frightened of death。
What then is the use of trying to intimidate them with the death…penalty？
And even supposing people were generally frightened of death
And did not regard it as an everyday thing；
Which of us would dare to seize them and slay them？
There is the Lord of Slaughter always ready for this task；
And to do it in his stead is like thrusting oneself into the master…carpenter's place
And doing his chipping for him。
Now 揾e who tries to do the master…carpenter's chipping for him is lucky if he does not cut his hand。？br》
75
The people starve because those above them eat too much tax…grain。
That is the only reason why they starve。
The people are difficult to keep in order because those above them interfere。
That is the only reason why they are so difficult to keep in order。
The people attach no importance to death；
Because those above them are too grossly absorbed in the pursuit of life。
That is why they attach no importance to death。
And indeed； in that their hearts are so little set on life
They are superior to these who set store by life。
76
When he is born； man is soft and weak；
In death he becomes stiff and hard。
The ten thousand creatures and all plants
And trees while they are alive are supple and soft；
But when and dead they become brittle and dry。
Truly； what is stiff and hard is a 揷ompanion of death？
What is soft and weak is a 揷ompanion of life？
Therefore 搕he weapon that is too hard will be broken；
The tree that has the hardest wood will be cut down？
Truly； the hard and mighty are cast down；
The soft and weak set on high。
77
Heaven's way is like the bending of a bow。
When a bow is bent the top comes down and the bottom…end comes up。
So too does Heaven take away from those who have too much；
And give to those that have not enough。
But if it is Heaven's way to take from those who have too much
And give to those who have not enough； this is far from being man's way。
He takes away from those that have not…enough in order
To make offering to those who already