They　act　decently；　but　they　are　not　decent
  Civilization　is　just　a　thin　crust　across　unfaithfulness　and　dishonesty
  It　is　also　the　source　of　disorder　and　chaos
  A　wise　man　never　hides　behind　a　mask
  He　trusts　what抯　inside　of　him；　not　in　appearances
  Therefore　he　rejects　appearance　and　embraces　the　essence
  39
  About　the　men　of　old　that　had　reached　perfection
  We　know　that　they　felt　one　with　the　whole　creation
  That　they　saw　the　earth　not　as　chaos　but　as　a　unity
  That　they　felt　like　gods　and　spiritual　beings
  That　emptiness　was　no　longer　empty；　but　filled
  And　they　saw　that　the　whole　creation　was　inspired
  Thanks　to　their　wholeness　the　world　returned　to　its　original　order
  For　one　who　doesn抰　see　clearly；　the　creation　is　splintered
  For　one　who　places　oneself　outside　nature；　the　earth　is　chaos
  One　who　doesn抰　experience　oneself　as　divine　anymore；　feels　powerless
  One　who　does　not　experience　one's　perfection　anymore；　feels　empty
  People　who　deny　their　true　nature；　go　to　rack　and　ruin
  Therefore　they　say：
  Humility　is　the　source　of　truthfulness
  Smallness　the　source　of　grandeur
  One　who　feels　elevated　over　ones　fellow　men
  Isn抰　right；　is　unworthy　and　small
  After　all；　they　climbed　up　high　over　other　people抯　backs
  Therefore　their　richness　is　poverty
  And　their　gold　just　tinsel
  40
  One　who　deviates　from　the　right　and　simple　road
  Will　be　pulled　towards　it　again
  This　occurs　with　a　mild　touch
  The　whole　creation　comes　into　existence
  The　existing　out　of　the　unnameable　unexisting
  41
  When　the　most　sincere　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge；
  They　will　devote　themselves　to　bringing　it　into　practice
  When　the　fairly　sincere　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge
  They　will　only　get　out　of　it　what　suits　their　purposes
  When　the　hardened　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge
  They　will　roar　with　laughter
  If　they　didn抰　roar；　it　would　not　be　true
  Therefore　there　are　some　aphorisms　to　it：
  The　road　to　light　appears　to　be　dark
  Going　forward　sometimes　feels　like　going　back
  The　way　to　the　simple　road　is　a　hard　way　to　take
  But　also：
  The　greatest　personality　turns　out　to　be　vain
  The　purest　white　turns　out　to　be　grey
  The　most　righteous　proves　to　be　unfair
  Kindness　seems　but　a　thin　layer
  With　the　truth　one　can　go　in　all　directions
  Like　a　square　circle
  Like　an　inexhaustible　barrel
  Like　singing　without　words
  Like　a　sculpture　with　no　shadow
  In　that　way　the　road　is　hidden　and　not　captured　in　words
  Only　the　road　to　self…knowledge　has　a　beginning　and　an　end
  42
  The　unspeakable　gives　birth　to　one
  One　to　a　second
  And　out　of　the　second　arises　the　third
  The　third　brings　the　whole　creation　to　life
  Everything　is　carried　by　the　dark　and　comes　to　light
  The　breath　of　Emptiness　creates　order
  People　hate　to　be　alone；　unimportant　and　useless
  And　yet　that　is　what　a　true　man　takes　pleasure　in
  One　who　becomes　smaller；　becomes　bigger
  One　who　becomes　bigger；　becomes　smaller
  I　only　tell　what　everybody　already　knows：
  One　who　lives　in　a　complicated　way；　dies　in　a　complicated　way
  That　is　what　it抯　all　about
  43
  The　softest　is　stronger　than　the　very　hardest
  That　which　makes　everything　be　what　it　is；　penetrates　everything
  Therefore　I　know　that　it抯　wise　to　leave　and　not　do　anything
  That　one　doesn抰　need　lessons　for　it
  That　of　all　doings；　leaving　is　where　true　happiness　lies
  In　this　world　only　a　few　understand　this
  44
  What　comes　first；　life　or　status？
  What抯　more　important　to　you；　yourself　or　your　possessions？
  What抯　worse；　having　or　losing？
  One　who　wants　a　lot　pays　a　high　price
  One　who　has　a　lot；　has　a　lot　to　lose
  But　one　who　is　satisfied　knows　neither　fear　nor　disgrace
  And　one　who　has　stopped　playing　a　part　in　the　game　will　never　be　afraid　again　and　will　live　happily　ever　after
  45
  Perfection　seems　unfinished　to　this　world
  But　it　never　perishes
  Fullness　is　empty　to　the　world
  But　it抯　inexhaustible
  That　which　is　correct；　is　incorrect　to　the　world
  Wisdom　seems　foolish　to　the　world
  Telling　the　truth　a　disgrace
  Like　movement　chases　away　coldness
  And　rest　cools　down
  Purity　and　calmness　show　one　the　right　direction
  46
  If　men　lived　by　their　nature
  Horses　would　gallop　in　the　open　air
  But　since　men　got　civilized
  Battle　horses　standing　at　the　frontier
  There　is　no　bigger　curse　than　dissatisfaction
  Nothing　more　disastrous　than　being　discontent　with　life
  Nothing　more　fatal　than　being　eager　for　possessions
  One　who　knows　the　peace　of　satisfaction；　is　always　satisfied
  47
  Without　leaving　my　house；　I　understand　the　whole　world
  Without　looking　outside；　I　see　the　perfect　order
  The　more　you　know；　the　less　you抣l　understand
  One　who　is　wise　doesn抰　need　to　travel
  He　understands　without　looking
  Does　nothing　but　achieves　everything
  48
  Gathering　knowledge　makes　life　more　complicated　each　time　one　gathers
  Gathering　wisdom　makes　life　easier　each　time　one　gathers
  Each　time；　more　and　more　simple　until　simplicity　is　reached
  Just　by　leaving；　one　man　can　achieve　everything
  One　who　wants　nothing　anymore；　doesn抰　feel　the　need　to　do　a　thing；　has　conquered　oneself
  One　who　wants　a　lot　has　to　do　a　lot　and　is　as　a　slave　to　oneself
  49
  A　wise　man　has　no　opinion　at　all
  Therefore　he　can　easily　put　himself　in　someone　else抯　position
  He　accepts　everybody　and　everything　for　what　it　is
  In　spite　of　any　behaviour
  He　trusts　the　honest　and　the　unfair
  And　naturally　they　become　fair…minded
  He　trusts　the　reliable　and　the　unreliable
  And　naturally　all　will　become　reliable
  A　wise　man　feels　one　with　all　people
  They　are　all　just　as　precious　to　him
  They　look　and　listen　to　him
  And　all　are　as　children　to　him
  50
  Humans　come　and　go
  Their　bodies　as　the　seat　of　life
  Their　bodies　as　the　seat　of　death
  Humans　get　old　and　decay
  Why　is　that？
  It抯　because　they　are　already　dead；　but　think　that　they抮e　living
  There　have　been　stories　told　and　written　about　people　who　had　found　true　life
  And　wandered　around　the　earth
  Not　afraid　of　tigers　or　rhinos
  Those　who　avoided　weapons　and　violence
  And　lived　in　harmony　with　all　creatures
  Therefore　no　creature　felt　threatened　by　them
  And　no　weapon　could　harm　them
  Why　is　that？
  Because　they　were　only　living
  And　that's　where　there　is　no　room　for　death
  51
  The　Unspeakable　makes　all　things　appear
  The　active　force　determines　their　nature
  Their　nature　determines　their　shape
  The　circumstance　determines　their　final　appearance
  Therefore　all　creatures；
  With　the　exception　of　erring　mankind；　honour　the　Unspeakable
  And　live　according　to　their　natures
  This　is　all　a　natural　process
  And　nobody　rewards　them　for　it
  The　Unspeakable　makes　them　live；　feeds　them；　makes　them　grow
  Fulfils　them；　gives　them　peace；　supports　and　guards　them
  It　makes　them　live；　but　never　forces　them
  It　takes　them　along　the　stream　of　life；　but　does　not　possess
  It　makes　mature；　but　does　not　control
  That　is　an　unfathomable　mystery
  52
  The　world　sprouts　from　something
  People　could　call　it　the　mother　of　the　world
  When　one　knows　that　mother；　one　knows　her　child
  One　who　becomes　like　that　child　again；　will　know　the　mother
  And　for　the　rest　of　his　life　nothing　can　harm　him　ever　again
  He　won抰　criticize　anyone　and　lets　no　one　influence　him
  And　his　life　will　be　without　worries
  But　one　who　condemns　others　and　whose　interests　concern　only　himself
  Will　be　full　of　worries　the　rest　of　his　life
  One　that　sees　a　gleam　of　light　in　darkness　sees　the　light　at　the　end　of　the　tunnel
  Holding　on　to　that　gleam　of　light　requires　strength
  One　who　follows　that　light；　turns　back　to　the　original　light
  Then　all　danger　is　gone
  And　you抣l　live　the　eternal　life
  53
  When　I　possess　True　Knowledge
  I　will　stroll　on　the　right　and　simple　road
  I　will　avoid　side　paths
  Because　the　straight　road　is　easy　to　walk
  But　most　people　love　the　narrow　side　paths
  The　residences　of　the　rich　are　neat　and　clean
  But　the　fields　of　the　poor　are　filled　with　weeds
  And　their　granaries　are　empty
  The　elite　wear　generously…decorated　and　expensive　clothes
  Sharp　swords　hang　on　their　waists
  They　stuff　and　they　swill
  They　lose　themselves　in　possession　and　wealth
  They　flaunt　their　stolen　gear
  Now；　isn抰　that　conscienceless？
  54
  One　who　is　rooted　in　this　unfair　world；
  Won抰　be　easy　to　unsettle
  One　who　holds　on　to　that　world；　can抰　let　go
  Therefore　their　children　will　suffer　until　the　third　and　fourth　generation
  But　one　who　follows　his　conscience
  Will　lead　an　impeccable　life
  One　who　takes　care　that　his　fellow　men　follo