becometh　a　True　Sage。　All　devices　for　inflaming　life；　and　increasingthe
  vital　Breath；　by　mental　effort　are　evil　and
  factitious。
  Things　become　strong；　then　age。　This　is　in　discord　with　the　Tao；　and
  what　is　not　at　one　with　the　Tao　soon　cometh　to　an　end。
  56
  THE　EXCELLENCE　OF　THE　MYSTERY
  Who　knoweth　the　Tao　keepeth　Silence；　he　who　babbleth　knoweth　it　not。
  Who　knoweth　it　closeth　his　mouth　and　controlleth　the　Gates　of　his　Breath。
  He　will　make　his　sharpness　blunt；　he　will　loosen　his　complexes；　hewill
  tone　down　his　brightness　to　the　general　obscurity。　This　is　called　the
  Secret　of　Harmony。
  He　cannot　be　insulted　either　by　familiarity　or　aversion；　he　is　immuneto
  ideas　of　gain　or　loss；　of　honour　or　disgrace；　he　is　the　true　man；
  unequalled　under　Heaven。
  57
  THE　TRUE　INFLUENCE
  One　may　govern　a　state　by　restriction；　weapons　may　be　used　with　skilland
  cunning；　but　one　acquireth　true　command　only　by　freedom；　given　andtaken。
  How　am　I　aware　of　this？　By　experience　that　to　multiply　restrictive　laws
  in　the　kingdom　impoverisheth　the　people；　the　use　of　machines　causeth
  disorder　in　state　and　race　alike。　The　more　men　use　skill　and　cunning；
  the　more　machines　there　are；　and　the　more　laws　there　are；　the　morefelons
  there　are。
  A　wise　man　has　said　this：　I　will　refrain　from　doing；　and　the　peoplewill
  act　rightly　of　their　own　accord；　I　will　love　Silence；　and　the　peoplewill
  instinctively　turn　to　perfection；　I　will　take　no　measures；　and　thepeople
  will　enjoy　true　wealth；　I　will　restrain　ambition；　and　the　people　will
  attain　simplicity。
  58
  ADAPTATION　TO　ENVIRONMENT
  The　government　that　exerciseth　the　least　care　serveth　the　people　best；
  that　which　meddleth　with　everybody's　business　worketh　all　manner　ofharm。
  Sorrow　and　joy　are　bedfellows；　who　can　divine　the　final　result　of　either？
  Shall　we　avoid　restriction？　Yea；　restriction　distorteth　nature；　so　that
  even　what　seemeth　good　in　it　is　evil。　For　how　long　have　men　suffered
  from　misunderstanding　of　this。
  The　wise　man　is　foursquare；　and　avoideth　aggression；　his　corners　donot
  injure　others。　He　moveth　in　a　straight　line　and　turneth　not　aside　therefrom；
  he　is　brilliant　but　doth　not　blind　with　his　brightness。
  59
  WARDING　THE　TAO
  。
  To　balance　our　earthly　nature　and　cultivate　our　heavenly　nature；　tread
  the　Middle　Path。
  This　Middle　Path　alone　leadeth　to　the　Timely　Return　to　the　True　Nature。
  This　Timely　Return　resulteth　from　the　constant　gathering　of　Magick
  Powers。　With　that　Gathering　cometh　Control。　This　Control　we　know
  to　be　without　Limit　and　he　who　knoweth　the　Limitless　may　rule　the　state。
  He　who　possesseth　the　Tao　continueth　long。　He　is　like　a　plant　with　well…
  set　roots　and　strong　stems。　Thus　it　secureth　long　continuance　of　its
  life。
  60
  THE　DUTY　OF　GOVERNMENT
  The　government　of　a　kingdom　is　like　the　cooking　of　fish。
  If　the　kingdom　be　ruled　according　to　the　Tao；　the　spirits　of　our
  ancestors　will　not　manifest　their　Teh。　These　spirits　have　this　Teh；but
  will　not　turn　it　against　men。　It　is　able　to　hurt　men；　so　also　is　the
  Wise　King；　but　he　doth　not。
  When　these　powers　are　in　accord；　their　Good　Will　produceth　the　Teh；
  endowing　the　people　therewith。
  61
  THE　MODESTY　OF　THE　THE
  A　state　becometh　powerful　when　it　resembleth　a　great　river；　deep…seated；
  to　it　tend　all　the　small　streams　under　Heaven。
  It　is　as　with　the　female；　that　conquereth　the　male　by　her　Silence。
  Silence　is　a　form　of　Gravity。
  Thus　a　great　state　attracteth　small　states　by　meeting　their　views；　and
  small　states　attract　the　great　state　by　revering　its　eminence。　In　the
  first　case　this　Silence　gaineth　supporters；　in　the　second；　favour。
  The　great　state　uniteth　men　and　nurtureth　them；　the　small　state　wisheth
  the　good　will　of　the　great；　and　offereth　service；　thus　each　gainethits
  advantage。　But　the　great　state　must　keep　Silence。
  62
  THE　WORKINGS　OF　THE　TAO
  The　Tao　is　the　most　exalted　of　all　things。　It　is　the　ornament　of　the
  good；　and　the　protection　and　purification　of　the　evil。
  Its　words　are　the　fountain　of　honour；　and　its　deeds　the　engine　of
  achievement。　It　is　present　even　in　evil。
  Though　the　Son　of　Heaven　were　enthroned　with　his　three　Dukes　appointedto
  serve　him；　and　he　were　offered　a　round　symbol…　of…rank　as　great　asmight
  fill　the　hands；　with　a　team　of　horses　to　follow；　this　gift　were　notto　be
  matched　against　the　Tao；　which　might　be　offered　by　the　humblest　ofmen。
  Why　did　they　of　old　time　set　such　store　by　the　Tao？　Because　he　that
  sought　it　might　find　it；　and　because　it　was　the　Purification　from　all
  evil。　Therefore　did　all　men　under　Heaven　esteem　it　the　most　exaltedof
  all　things。
  63
  FORETHOUGHT　AT　THE　OUTSET
  Act　without　lust　of　result；　work　without　anxiety；　taste　without
  attachment　to　flavour；　esteem　small　things　great　and　few　things　many；
  repel　violence　with　gentleness。
  Do　great　things　while　they　are　yet　small；　hard　things　while　they　areyet
  easy；　for　all　things；　how　great　or　hard　soever；　have　a　beginning　when
  they　are　little　and　easy。　So　thus　the　wise　man　accomplisheth　the
  greatest　tasks　without　undertaking　anything　important。
  Who　undertaketh　thoughtlessly　is　certain　to　fail　in　attainment；　who
  estimateth　things　easy　findeth　them　hard。　The　wise　man　consideretheven
  easy　things　hard；　so　that　even　hard　things　are　easy　to　him。
  64
  ATTENDING　TO　DETAILS
  It　is　easy　to　grasp　what　is　not　yet　in　motion；　to　withstand　what　isnot
  yet　manifest；　to　break　what　is　not　yet　compact；　to　disperse　what　isnot
  yet　coherent。　Act　against　things　before　they　become　visible；　attendto
  order　before　disorder　ariseth。
  The　tree　which　filleth　the　embrace　grew　from　a　small　shoot；　the　tower
  nine…storied　rose　from　a　low　foundation；　the　ten…day　journey　beganwith　a
  single　step。
  He　who　acteth　worketh　harm；　he　who　graspeth　findeth　it　a　slip。　The　wise
  man　acteth　not；　so　worketh　no　harm；　he　doth　not　grasp；　and　so　dothnot
  let　go。　Men　often　ruin　their　affairs　on　the　eve　of　success；　becausethey
  are　not　as　prudent　at　the　end　as　in　the　beginning。
  The　wise　man　willeth　what　others　do　not　will；　and　valueth　not　things
  rare。　He　learneth　what　others　learn　not；　and　gathered　up　what　theydespise。
  Thus　he　is　in　accord　with　the　natural　course　of　events；　and　is　notoverbold
  in　action。
  65
  THE　PURITY　OF　THE　THE
  They　of　old　time　that　were　skilled　in　the　Tao　sought　not　to　enlightenthe
  people；　but　to　keep　them　simple。
  The　difficulty　of　government　is　the　vain　knowledge　of　the　people。　Touse
  cleverness　in　government　is　to　scourge　the　kingdom；　to　use　simplicityis
  to　anoint　it。
  Know　these　things；　and　make　them　thy　law　and　thine　example。　To　possess
  this　Law　is　the　Secret　Perfection　of　rule。　Profound　and　Extended　isthis
  Perfection；　he　that　possesseth　it　is　indeed　contrary　to　the　rest；　buthe
  attracteth　them　to　full　accordance。
  66
  PUTTING　ONE'S　SELF　LAST
  The　oceans　and　the　rivers　attract　the　streams　by　their　skill　in　being
  lower　than　they；　thus　are　they　masters　thereof。　So　the　Wise　Man；　tobe
  above　men；　speaketh　lowly；　and　to　precede　them　acteth　with　humility。
  Thus；　though　he　be　above　them；　they　feel　no　burden；　nor；　though　he
  precede　them；　do　they　feel　insulted。
  So　then　do　all　men　delight　to　honour　him；　and　grow　not　weary　of　him。He
  contendeth　not　against　any　man；　therefore　no　man　is　able　to　contend
  against　him。
  67
  THE　THREE　JEWELS
  They　say　that　while　this　Tao　of　mine　is　great；　yet　it　is　inferior。This
  is　the　proof　of　its　greatness。　If　it　were　like　anything　else；　its
  smallness　would　have　long　been　known。
  I　have　three　jewels　of　price　whereto　I　cleave；　gentleness；　economy；and
  humility。
  That　gentleness　maketh　me　courageous；　that　economy　generous；　that
  humility　honoured。　Men　of　today　abandon　gentleness　for　violence；　economy
  for　extravagance；　humility　for　pride：　this　is　death。
  Gentleness　bringeth　victory　in　fight；　and　holdeth　its　ground　with
  assurance。　Heaven　wardeth　the　gentle　man　by　that　same　virtue。
  68
  ASSIMILATING　ONE'S　SELF　TO　HEAVEN
  He　that　is　skilled　in　war　maketh　no　fierce　gestures；　the　most　efficient
  fighter　bewareth　of　anger。　He　who　conquereth　refraineth　from　engagingin
  battle；　he　whom　men　most　willingly　obey　continueth　silently　with　his
  Work。　So　it　is　said：　'He　is　mighty　who　fighteth　not；　he　ruleth　who
  uniteth　with　his　subjects；　he　shineth　whose　will　is　that　of　Heaven。'
  69
  THE　USE　OF　THE　MYSTERIOUS　WAY
  A　great　strategist　saith：　'I　dare　not　take　the　offensive。　I　preferthe
  defensive。　I　dare　not　advance　an　inch；　I　prefer　to　retreat　a　foot。'
  Place　therefore　the　army　where　there　is　no　army；　prepare　for　actionwhere
  there　is　no　engagement；　strik