…　by　not　being　greedy　for　food
  …　by　not　dominating　the　State
  …　by　keeping　himself　healthy　and　fit。
  The　sage　always　makes　sure
  that　the　people　don't　know　what　he'sdone；
  so　they　never　want　to　be　in　control…
  and　are　never　driven　by　ambition。
  He　keeps　them　in　truth　like　this　actinginvisibly。
  You　see；　if　there　is　nothing　to　fightfor
  then　there　is　nothing　that　can　breakthe　flow。
  4
  The　Tao　pours　out　everything　into　life…
  It　is　a　cornucopia　that　never　runsdry。
  It　is　the　deep　source　of　everything…
  it　is　nothing；　and　yet　in　everything。
  It　smooths　round　sharpness
  and　untangles　the　knots。
  It　glows　like　the　lamp
  that　draws　the　moth。。。
  Tao　exists；　Tao　is
  but　where　It　came　from　I　do　not　know。
  It　has　been　shaping　things　from　beforethe　First　Being；
  from　the　before　the　Beginning　of　Time。
  5
  Heaven　and　earth　are　not　like　humans。
  The　Tao　does　not　act　like　a　human。
  They　don't　expect　to　be　thanked
  for　making　life；
  so　they　view　it　without　expectation。
  Heaven　and　earth　are　like　a　pair　ofbellows：
  they　are　empty；　and　yet　they　can　neverbe　exhausted。
  Work　them；　and　they　produce　more　andmore
  …　there's　too　much　talking；　it's　reallybetter　to　stay　quiet。
  There　are　too　many　laws；　when　all　youhave　to　do
  is　to　hold　on　to　the　centre。
  6
  The　Tao　is　the　breath　that　never　dies。
  It　is　a　Mother　to　All　Creation。
  It　is　the　root　and　ground　of　everysoul
  …　the　fountain　of　Heaven　and　Earth；laid　open。
  Endless　source；　endless　river
  River　of　no　shape；　river　of　no　water
  Drifting　invisibly　from　place　to　place
  。。。　it　never　ends　and　it　never　fails。
  7
  Heaven　and　earth　are　enduring。
  The　universe　can　live　for　ever；
  because　it　does　not　live　for　itself。
  And　so　both　last　…　outliving　themselves。
  The　sage　guides　his　people
  by　putting　himself　last。
  Desiring　nothing　for　himself；
  he　knows　how　to　channel　desires。
  And　is　it　not　because　he　wants　nothing
  that　he　is　able　to　achieve　everything？
  8
  The　sage's　way；
  Tao　is　the　way　of　water。
  There　must　be　water　for　life　to　be；
  and　it　can　flow　wherever。
  And　water；　being　true　to　being　water
  is　true　to　Tao。
  Those　on　the　Way　of　Tao；　like　water
  need　to　accept　where　they　find　themselves；
  and　that　may　often　be　where　watergoes　to　the　lowest　places；　and　that　is　right。
  Like　a　lake　the　heart　must　be　calmand　quiet
  having　great　depth　beneath　it。
  the　sage　rules　with　compassion；
  and　his　word　needs　to　be　trusted。
  the　sage　needs　to　know　like　water
  how　to　flow　around　the　blocks
  and　how　to　find　the　way　through　withoutviolence。
  Like　water；　the　sage　should　wait
  for　the　moment　to　ripen　and　be　right：
  water；　you　know；　never　fights
  it　flows　around　without　harm。
  9
  Hold　yourself　back　from　filling　yourselfup；
  or　you'll　tip　off　your　stand。
  You　can　hammer　a　blade　until　it's　razor…sharp…
  and　in　seconds；　it　can　blunt。
  You　may　amass　gold　and　jade　in　plenty
  but　then　the　more　you　have；　the　lesssafety。。。
  Are　you　strutting　your　wealth　likea　peacock？
  Then　you've　set　yourself　up　to　beshot。
  You　bring　about　your　own　disaster
  Because　you've　got　too　much。
  Let　go；　when　your　work　is　done：
  That　is　the　Way　of　Heaven。
  10
  Can　you　nurture　your　souls　by　holdingthem
  in　unity　with　the　One？
  Can　you　focus　your　ch'i　…　your　energy
  and　become　as　supple；　as　yieldingas　a　baby？
  Can　you　clear　your　mind　of　all　itsdross
  without　throwing　out　the　Tao　withit？
  Can　you　do　it　without　self…interest
  so　you　shine　like　a　diamond？
  Can　you　love　the　people　of　your　nation
  without　being　pulled　into　action？
  Can　you　turn　yourself　around　and　letHer　rise　up　over　you？
  The　world　spans　out　in　four　directions…
  and　can　you　be　as　embracing？
  Birthing；　nurturing　and　sustaining：
  the　Tao　does　this　unceasingly。。。
  It　gives　without　holding　on　to　whatit's　made；
  It　gives　everything　essence；　withoutreward
  It　knows；　without　flaunting　it
  It　is　serene；　beyond　desiring
  …　and　this　is　its　Virtue　and　its　Source。
  11
  Thirty　spokes　on　a　cartwheel
  Go　towards　the　hub　that　is　the　centre
  …　but　look；　there　is　nothing　at　thecentre
  and　that　is　precisely　why　it　works！
  If　you　mould　a　cup　you　have　to　makea　hollow：
  it　is　the　emptiness　within　it　thatmakes　it　useful。
  In　a　house　or　room　it　is　the　emptyspaces
  …　the　doors；　the　windows　…　that　makeit　useable。
  They　all　use　what　they　are　made　of
  to　do　what　they　do；
  but　without　their　nothingness　theywould　be　nothing。
  12
  The　five　colours　blind　the　eye　…
  The　five　notes　deafen　the　ear。。。
  The　five　tastes　deaden　the　mouth：
  Riding　the　chase　on　horseback　overthe　fields
  drives　you　crazy　when　you　overdo　it；
  And　wanting　what's　precious
  you　do　what　distorts　your　being。
  The　sage　knows　this　in　his　gut；
  And　is　guided　by　his　instinct
  and　not　by　what　his　eyes　want。
  13
  Most　people　fret　about　themselves　andtheir　status；
  but　you　don't　have　to　do　this。
  What　is　success　and　what　is　failure？
  If　you　have　prestige　and　favour；
  all　you　worry　about　is　that　it'llget　taken　away。
  And　if　you　have　a　lowly　place；
  you　are　still　basically　afraid。
  So　both；　at　the　root；　make　for　fear。
  What　does　it　mean　that　success　is　aproblem？
  It　means　people　are　too　bound　up　inthemselves。
  If　they　weren't　so　self…obsessed
  they'd　have　no　need　to　be　worried。
  If　you　can　put　yourself　aside　…
  then　you　can　do　things　for　the　wholeof　the　world。
  And　if　you　love　the　world；　like　this
  then　you　are　ready　to　serve　it。
  14
  When　you　gaze　at　something　but　see　…　nothing；
  When　you　listen　for　a　sound　but　cannothear　it；
  When　you　try　to　grasp　it　and　find　ithas　no　substance
  …　then　these　three　things
  That　go　beyond　your　mind
  Are　moulded　together　in　the　One。
  Its　surface　doesn't　shine；　but　noris　its　base　dull。
  Given　this；　it　is　only　knowable　asa　no…thing。
  Confront　it　…　it　has　no　head；
  Come　behind　it；　and　it　has　no　tail。。。
  If　people　could　follow　the　ancientway；
  then　they　would　be　masters　of　themoment。
  And　if　you　know　this　way
  then　you　have　seen　the　timeless　wayof　the　Tao。
  15
  In　ancient　times；　the　leaders　were　assubtle　as　sorcerers。
  No　one　knew　what　they　were　about　todo。
  How　can　we　describe　them　to　you？
  They　were　like　soldiers　about　to　crossa　cold　river；
  hesitant；　watchful　and　uncertain。
  They　were　cautious　like　people　whoknow
  there　is　danger。
  They　were　over…polite；　like　practisedguests。
  They　gave　way　like　ice；　melting
  They　were　simple　like　uncarved　wood
  They　were　empty　like　deserted　valleys
  They　were　muddy　like　unreflecting　water。
  The　mud　will　settle；　and　it　is　hardto　wait　for　it。
  But　if　you　can；　then　you　can　act。
  If　you　follow　the　Tao　without　pretension
  You　will　never　burn　yourself　out。
  16
  The　sage　rules　from　the　purest　motives
  Relying　wholly　on　quiet　and　innerpeace。
  He　watches　the　seasons　rise　and　fall
  And　if　he　knows　how　things　grow；　heknow
  They　are　fed　by　their　roots
  And　return　to　their　roots；
  To　grow　and　flower　and　flow。
  Every　thing　must　have　its　roots；
  and　the　tendrils　work　quietly　underground。
  This　quite　feeding　is　the　Way　of　Nature。
  If　you　understand　ch'ang　…　this　principleof　nurturing；
  you　can　understand　everything。
  Not　understanding　it　will　lead　youto　disaster。
  If　a　sage　knows　this；　he　can　rule
  And　he　will　do　so　with　patience　andjustice。
  Any　man　can　become　wise　in　this
  And　he　can　walk　the　Way　of　Heaven
  And　if　you　walk　that　way
  you　will　be　royal　in　the　mastery
  Life　can　end　in　pain
  But　if　you　live　like　this；
  under　the　Tao
  You　will　fill　your　days　with　breath。
  17
  The　highest　form　of　government
  Is　what　people　hardly　even　realizeis　there。
  Next　is　that　of　the　sage
  Who　is　seen；　and　loved；　and　respected。
  Next　down　is　the　dictatorship
  That　thrives　on　oppression　and　terror…
  And　the　last　is　that　of　those　who　lie
  And　end　up　despised　and　rejected。
  The　sage　says　little　…
  and　does　not　tie　the　people　down；
  And　the　people　stay　happy
  Believing　that　what　happens
  happens；　naturally。
  18
  When　the　Great　Tao　is　lost　sight　of　…
  Then　people　have　to　try　to　be　kindand　gentle。
  They　try　to　compensate　by　being　clever
  But　this　only　breeds　hypocrisy　andsleight…of…hand。
  When　families　fall　out
  relationships　sour　into　useless　formality。
  When　the　nation　is　misled　and　in　chaos
  ministers　mouth　empty　promises。
  19
  If　the　sage　could　abandon　his　w