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forsakes following behind and rushes in front；
He is doomed！
For love is victorious in attack；
And invulnerable in defense。
Heaven arms with love
Those it would not see destroyed。
68
The brave soldier is not violent；
The good fighter does not lose his temper；
The great conqueror does not fight （on small issues）；
The good user of men places himself below others。
… This is the virtue of not…contending；
Is called the capacity to use men；
Is reaching to the height of being
Mated to Heaven； to what was of old。
69
There is the maxim of military strategists；
I dare not be the first to invade； but rather be the invaded。
Dare not press forward an inch； but rather retreat a foot。
That is； to march without formations；
To roll up the sleeves；
To charge not in frontal attacks；
To arm without weapons。
There is no greater catastrophe than to underestimate the enemy。
To underestimate the enemy might entail the loss of my treasures。
Therefore when two equally matched armies meet；
It is the man of sorrow who wins。
70
My teachings are very easy to understand
and very easy to practice；
But no one can understand them and
no one can practice them。
In my words there is a principle。
In the affairs of men there is a system。
Because they know not these；
They also know me not。
Since there are few that know me；
Therefore I am distinguished。
Therefore the Sage wears a coarse cloth on top
And carries jade within his bosom。
71
Who knows that he does not know is the highest；
Who （pretends to） know what he does not know is sick…minded。
And who recognizes sick…mindedness as sick…mindedness
is not sick…minded。
The Sage is not sick…minded。
Because he recognizes sick…mindedness as sick…mindness；
Therefore he is not sick…minded。
72
When people have no fear of force；
Then （as is the common practice） great force descends
upon them。
Despise not their dwellings；
Dislike not their progeny。
Because you do not dislike them；
You will not be disliked yourself。
Therefore the Sage knows himself； but does not show himself；
Loves himself； but does not exalt himself。
Therefore he rejects the one （force） and
accepts the other （gentility）。
73
Who is brave in daring （you） kill；
Who is brave in not daring （you） let live。
In these two；
There is some advantage and some disadvantage。
（Even if） Heaven dislikes certain people；
Who would know （who are to be killed and） why？
Therefore even the Sage regards it as a difficult question。
Heaven's Way （Tao） is good at conquest without strife；
Rewarding （vice and virtue） without words；
Making its appearance without call；
Achieving results without obvious design。
The heaven's net is broad and wide。
燱ith big meshes； yet letting nothing slip through。
74
The people are not afraid of death；
Why threaten them with death？
Supposing that the people
are afraid of death；
And we can seize and kill the unruly；
Who would dare to do so？
Often it happens that the executioner is killed。
And to take the place of the executioner
Is like handling the hatchet for the master carpenter。
He who handles the hatchet for the master carpenter
seldom escapes injury to his hands。
75
When people are hungry；
It is because their rulers eat too much tax…grain。
Therefore the unruliness of hungry people
Is due to the interference of their rulers。
That is why they are unruly。
The people are not afraid of death；
Because they are anxious to make a living。
That is why they are not afraid of death。
It is those who interfere not with their living
That are wise in exalting life。
76
When man is born； he is tender and weak；
At death； he is hard and stiff。
When the things and plants are alive； they are soft
and supple；
When they are dead； they are brittle and dry。
Therefore hardness and stiffness are the companions of
death；
And softness and gentleness are the companions of life。
Therefore when an army is headstrong； it will lose in a battle。
When a tree is hard； it will be cut down。
The big and strong belong underneath。
The gentle and weak belong at the top。
77
The Tao （way） of Heaven；
Is it not like the bending of a bow？
The top comes down and the bottom…end goes up；
The extra （length） is shortened； the insufficient （width）
is expanded。
It is the way of Heaven to take away from those that have too much
And give to those that have not enough。
Not so with man's way：
He takes from those that have not
And gives it as tribute to those that have too much。
Who can have enough and to spare to give to the entire world？
Only the man of Tao。
Therefore the Sage acts； but does not possess；
Accomplishes but lays claim to no credit；
Because he has no wish to seem superior。
78
There is nothing weaker than water
But none is superior to it in overcoming the hard；
For which there is no substitute。
That weakness overcomes strength
And gentleness overcomes rigidity；
No one does not know；
No one can put into practice。
Therefore the Sage says：
〃Who receives unto himself the calumny of the world
Is the preserver of the state。
Who bears himself the sins of the world
Is king of the world。〃
Straight words seem crooked。
79
Patching up a great hatred is sure to leave some hatred behind。
How can this be regarded as satisfactory？
Therefore the Sage holds the left tally；
And does not put the guilt on the other party。
the virtuous man is for patching up；
The vicious is for fixing guilt。
But 〃the way of Heaven is impartial；
It sides only with the good man。〃
80
（Let there be） a small country with a small population；
Where the supply of goods are tenfold or hundredfold；
more than they can use。
Let the people value their lives and not migrate far。
Though there be boats and carriages；
None be there to ride them。
Though there be armor and weapons；
No occasion to display them。
Let the people again tie ropes for reckoning；
Let them enjoy their food；
Beautify their clothing；
Be satisfied with their homes；
Delight in their customs。
The neighboring settlements overlook one another
So that they can hear the barking of dogs and crowing
of cocks of their neighbors；
And the people till the end of their days shall never
have been outside their country。
81
True words are not fine…sounding；
Fine…sounding words are not true。
A good man does not argue；
he who argues is not a good man。
the wise one does not know many things；
He who knows many things is not wise。
The Sage does not accumulate （for himself）。
He li