36
  In　order　to　contract；　It　is　necessary　first　to　expand。　In　order　to　weaken；　It　is　necessary　first　to　strengthen。　In　order　to　destroy；　It　is　necessary　first　to　promote。　In　order　to　grasp；　It　is　necessary　first　to　give。
  This　is　called　subtle　light。　The　weak　and　the　tender　overcome　the　hard　and　the　strong。
  Fish　should　not　be　taken　away　from　water。　And　sharp　weapons　of　state　should　not　be　displayed　to　the　people。
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  Tao　invariably　takes　no　action；　and　yet　there　is　nothing　left　undone。
  If　kings　and　barons　can　keep　it；　all　things　will　transform　spontaneously。　If；　after　transformation；　they　should　desire　to　be　active；　I　would　restrain　them　with　simplicity；　which　has　no　name。
  Simplicity；　which　has　no　name；　is　free　of　desires；　Being　free　of　desires；　it　is　tranquil。　And　the　world　will　be　at　peace　of　its　own　accord。
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  The　man　of　superior　virtue　is　not　（conscious　of）　his　virtue；　And　in　this　way　he　really　possesses　virtue。　The　man　of　inferior　virtue　never　loses　（sight　of）　his　virtue；　And　in　this　way　he　loses　his　virtue。
  The　man　of　superior　virtue　takes　no　action；　but　has　no　ulterior　motive　to　do　so。　The　man　of　inferior　virtue　takes　action；　and　has　an　ulterior　motive　to　do　so。
  The　man　of　superior　humanity　takes　action；　but　has　no　ulterior　motive　to　do　so。　The　man　of　superior　righteousness　takes　action；　and　has　an　ulterior　motive　to　do　so。　The　man　of　superior　propriety　takes　action；　And　when　people　do　not　respond　to　it；　he　will　stretch　his　arms　and　force　it　on　them。
  Therefore　when　Tao　is　lost；　only　then　does　the　doctrine　of　virtue　arise。　When　virtue　is　lost；　only　then　does　the　doctrine　of　humanity　arise。　When　humanity　is　lost；　only　then　does　the　doctrine　of　righteousness　arise。　When　righteousness　is　lost；　only　then　does　the　doctrine　of　propriety　arise。
  Now；　propriety　is　a　superficial　expression　of　loyalty　and　faithfulness；　and　the　beginning　of　disorder。　Those　who　are　the　first　to　know　have　the　flowers　of　Tao　but　are　the　beginning　of　ignorance。
  For　this　reason　the　great　man　dwells　in　the　thick；　and　does　not　rest　with　the　thin。　He　dwells　in　the　fruit；　and　does　not　rest　with　the　flower。　Therefore　he　rejects　the　one；　and　accepts　the　other。
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  Of　old　those　that　obtained　the　One：　Heaven　obtained　the　One　and　became　clear。　Earth　obtained　the　One　and　became　tranquil。　The　spiritual　beings　obtained　the　One　and　became　divine。
  The　valley　obtained　the　One　and　became　full。　The　myriad　things　obtained　the　One　and　lived　and　grew。　Kings　and　barons　obtained　the　One　and　became　rulers　of　the　empire。　What　made　them　so　is　the　One。
  If　heaven　had　not　thus　become　clear；　It　would　soon　crack。　If　the　earth　had　not　thus　become　tranquil；　It　would　soon　be　shaken。　If　the　spiritual　beings　had　not　thus　become　divine；　They　would　soon　wither　away。
  If　the　valley　had　not　thus　become　full；　It　would　soon　become　exhausted。　If　the　myriad　things　had　not　thus　lived　and　grown；　They　would　soon　become　extinct。　If　kings　and　barons　had　not　thus　become　honourable　and　high　in　position；　They　would　soon　fall。
  Therefore　humble　station　is　the　basis　of　honour。　The　low　is　the　foundation　of　the　high。
  For　this　reason　kings　and　barons　call　themselves　children　without　parents；　lonely　people　without　spouses；　and　men　without　food　to　eat。　Is　this　not　regarding　humble　station　as　the　basis　of　honour？　Is　it　not？
  Therefore　enumerate　all　the　parts　of　a　chariot　as　you　may；　and　you　still　have　no　chariot。
  Rather　than　jingle　like　the　jade；　Rumble　like　the　rocks。
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  Reversion　is　the　action　of　Tao。　Weakness　is　the　function　of　Tao。
  All　things　in　the　world　come　from　being。　And　being　comes　from　non…being。
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  When　the　highest　type　of　men　hear　Tao；　The　diligently　practice　it。　When　the　average　type　of　men　hear　Tao；　They　half　believe　in　it。
  When　the　lowest　type　of　men　hear　Tao；　They　laugh　heartily　at　it。　If　they　did　not　laugh　at　it；　it　would　not　be　Tao。
  Therefore　there　is　the　established　saying：　The　Tao　which　is　bright　appears　to　be　dark。　The　Tao　which　goes　forward　appears　to　fall　backward。　The　Tao　which　is　level　appears　uneven。　Great　virtue　appears　like　a　valley　（hollow）。　Great　purity　appears　like　disgrace。　Far…reaching　virtue　appears　as　if　insufficient。
  Solid　virtue　appears　as　if　unsteady。　True　substance　appears　to　be　changeable。　The　great　square　has　no　corners。　The　great　implement　（or　talent）　is　slow　to　finish　（or　mature）。　Great　music　sounds　faint。　Great　form　has　no　shape。
  Tao　is　hidden　and　nameless。　Yet　it　is　Tao　alone　that　skillfully　provides　for　all　and　brings　them　to　perfection。
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  Tao　produced　the　One。　The　One　produced　the　two。　The　two　produced　the　three。　And　the　three　produced　the　ten　thousand　things。
  The　ten　thousand　things　carry　the　yin　and　embrace　the　yang；　and　through　the　blending　of　the　material　force　they　achieve　harmony。
  People　hate　to　be　children　without　parents；　lonely　people　without　spouses；　or　men　without　food　to　eat；　And　yet　kings　and　lords　call　themselves　by　these　names。
  Therefore　it　is　often　the　case　that　things　gain　by　losing　and　lose　by　gaining。
  What　others　have　taught；　I　teach　also：　〃Violent　and　fierce　people　do　not　die　a　natural　death。〃　I　shall　make　this　the　father　of　my　teaching。
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  The　softest　things　in　the　world　overcome　the　hardest　things　in　the　world。　Non…being　penetrates　that　in　which　there　is　no　space。　Through　this　I　know　the　advantage　of　taking　no　action。
  Few　in　the　world　can　understand　the　teaching　without　words　and　the　advantage　of　taking　no　action。
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  Which　does　one　love　more；　fame　or　one's　own　life？　Which　is　more　valuable；　one's　own　life　or　wealth？　Which　is　worse；　gain　or　loss？
  Therefore　he　who　has　lavish　desires　will　spend　extravagantly。　He　who　hoards　will　lose　most　heavily。
  He　who　is　contented　suffers　no　disgrace。　He　who　knows　when　to　stop　is　free　from　danger。　Therefore　he　can　long　endure。
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  What　is　most　perfect　seems　to　be　incomplete；　But　its　utility　is　unimpaired。　What　is　most　full　seems　to　be　empty；　But　its　usefulness　is　inexhaustible。　What　is　most　straight　seems　to　be　crooked。
  The　greatest　skill　seems　to　be　clumsy。　The　greatest　eloquence　seems　to　stutter。
  Hasty　movement　overcomes　cold；　（But）　tranquility　overcomes　heat。　By　being　greatly　tranquil；　One　is　qualified　to　be　the　ruler　of　the　world。
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  When　Tao　prevails　in　the　world；　galloping　horses　are　turned　back　to　fertilize　（the　fields　with　the　dung）。　When　Tao　does　not　prevail　in　the　world；　war　horses　thrive　in　the　suburbs。
  There　is　no　calamity　greater　than　lavish　desires。　There　is　no　greater　guilt　than　discontentment。　And　there　is　no　greater　disaster　than　greed。
  He　who　is　contented　with　contentment　is　always　contented。
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  One　may　know　the　world　without　going　out　of　doors。　One　may　see　the　Way　of　Heaven　without　looking　through　the　windows。　The　further　one　goes；　the　less　one　knows。
  Therefore　the　sage　knows　without　going　about；　Understands　without　seeing；　And　accomplishes　without　any　action。
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  The　pursuit　of　learning　is　to　increase　day　after　day。　The　pursuit　of　Tao　is　to　decrease　day　after　day。
  It　is　to　decrease　and　further　decrease　until　one　reaches　the　point　of　taking　no　action。　No　action　is　undertaken；　And　yet　nothing　is　left　undone。　An　empire　is　often　brought　to　order　by　having　no　activity。
  If　one　（likes　to）　undertake　activity；　he　is　not　qualified　to　govern　the　empire。
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  The　sage　has　no　fixed　（personal）　ideas。　He　regards　the　people's　ideas　as　his　own。
  I　treat　those　who　are　good　with　goodness。　And　I　also　treat　those　who　are　not　good　with　goodness。　Thus　goodness　is　attained。
  I　am　honest　to　those　who　are　honest；　And　I　am　also　honest　to　those　who　are　not　honest。　Thus　honesty　is　attained。
  The　sage；　in　the　government　of　his　empire；　has　no　subjective　viewpoint。　His　mind　forms　a　harmonious　whole　with　that　of　his　people。　The　all　lend　their　eyes　and　ears；　And　he　treats　them　all　as　infants。
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  Man　comes　in　to　life　and　goes　out　to　death。
  Three　out　of　ten　are　companions　of　life。　Three　out　of　ten　are　companions　of　death。　And　three　out　of　ten　in　their　lives　lead　from　activity　to　death。　And　for　what　reason？　Because　of　man's　intensive　striving　after　life。
  I　have　heard　that　one　who　is　a　good　preserver　of　his　life　will　not　meet　tigers　or　wild　buffaloes；　And　in　fighting　will　not　try　to　escape　from　weapons　of　war。
  The　wild　buffalo　cannot　butt　its　horns　against　him；　The　tiger　cannot　fasten　its　claws　in　him；　And　weapons　of　war　cannot　thrust　their　blades　into　him。　And　for　what　reason？　Because　in　him　there　is　no　room　for　death。
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  Tao　produces　them。　Virtue　fosters　them。　Matter　gives　them　physical　form。　The　circumstances　and　tendencies　complete　them。　Therefore　the　ten　thousand　things　esteem　Tao　and　honour　virtue。
  Tao　is　esteemed　and　virtue　is　honoured　without　anyone's　order！　They　always　come　spontaneously。　Therefore　the　Tao　produces　them　and　virtue　fosters　them。　They　rear　them　and　develop　them。　They　give　them　security　and　give　them　peace。　They　nurture　them　and　protect　them。
  （Tao）　produces　them　but　does　not　take　possession　of　them。　It