hen　who　would　dare　＇performthe　execution＇？　There　is　always　an　executioner　to　do　the　killing。　To　takethe　place　of　the　executioner　to　kill　is　said　to　be　＇like＇　taking　the　placeof　the　great　lumberman　to　chop　wood。　Now　one　who　takes　the　place　of　thegreat　lumberman　to　chop　wood　seldom　avoids　injuring　his　own　hand。
  75
  The　reason　that　the　people　starve　is　that　their　superiors　consume　so　muchtax　grain。　For　this　reason　do　they　starve。　The　reason　the　people　are　difficultto　govern　is　that　their　superiors　are　officious。　For　this　reason　are　theydifficult　to　govern。　The　reason　the　people　view　death　lightly　is　that　theirsuperiors　seek　to　augment　the　richness　of　life。　For　this　reason　do　theyview　death　lightly。　Now　only　those　who　do　not　do　things　to　augment　lifeare　good　at　valuing　life。
  76
  In　life　people　are　soft　and　supple。　In　death　they　are　hard　and　rigid。　Amongthe　myriad　creatures；　the　grasses　and　trees　in　life　are　pliant　and　crisp；But　in　death　they　are　brittle　and　withered。　So　the　hard　and　rigid　are　thedisciples　of　death；　and　the　soft　and　supple　are　the　disciples　of　life。For　that　reason；　when　armies　are　powerful　they　will　not　win。　When　treesare　rigid　they　will　be　terminated。　The　rigid　and　large　take　the　lower　positionwhile　the　soft　and　supple　take　the　upper　position。
  77
  The　Dao　of　Heaven　（i。e。；　the　process　of　the　universe）　is　like　the　drawingof　a　bow…the　high　end　＇of　the　bow＇　is　pulled　down　and　the　low　end　ispulled　up。　What　has　an　excess　is　depleted　and　what　is　inadequate　is　augmented。The　Dao　of　Heaven　works　to　deplete　whatever　has　an　excess　and　to　augmentwhatever　is　inadequate。　The　dao　of　human　beings　is　not　this　way。　It　depleteswhat　is　already　inadequate　to　present　to　what　already　has　an　excess。　Whocan　have　a　surplus　to　present　to　the　world？　Only　those　who　have　the　Dao。For　that　reason　the　Sage　acts　without　exacting　gratitude。　When　his　accomplishmentsare　made　he　does　not　dwell　on　them；　such　is　his　unwillingness　to　manifesthis　worthiness。
  78
  There　is　nothing　in　the　world　more　soft　and　supple　than　water。　But　nothingcan　surpass　it　for　attacking　the　hard　and　rigid　because　there　is　nothingby　which　they　can　change　it。　None　in　the　world　fail　to　know　that　the　suppleovercomes　the　rigid　and　that　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard；　but　none　canput　this　knowledge　into　practice。　For　that　reason　the　Sage　says：　He　whoreceives　the　dirt　of　the　kingdom　is　called　the　master　of　the　shrine　toEarth　and　Millet。　He　who　takes　up　the　inauspicious　affairs　of　the　kingdomis　called　the　king　of　the　world。　Correct　sayings　seem　to　have　things　turnedupside…down。
  79
  After　harmonizing　a　great　grievance　there　must　remain　a　residue　of　enmity。How　can　that　be　regarded　as　good？　For　that　reason　the　Sage　takes　the　leftportion　of　the　contract　tally　rather　than　trying　to　make　（contractual）demands　on　people。　Those　who　have　virtue　take　charge　of　＇fulfilling　obligationsof＇　the　contract。　Those　who　have　no　virtue　take　charge　of　exaction。　TheDao　of　Heaven　has　no　one　to　whom　it　is　close　by　birth。　It　always　givesto　the　good　person。
  80
  Diminish　the　size　and　population　of　a　country。　Let　them　have　the　utensilsof　squads　and　platoons　yet　be　unwilling　to　use　them。　Let　the　people　takedeath　as　a　serious　matter　and　so　not　venture　far　away；　and　even　thoughthey　have　boats　and　carts；　not　ride　in　them。　Even　though　they　have　shieldsand　edged　weapons；　let　them　not　ever　display　them。　Let　the　people　revertto　recording　information　by　knotting　cords。　Let　them　relish　their　food；find　their　clothing　beautiful；　be　content　with　their　dwellings；　and　takejoy　in　their　customs。　Although　they　be　within　sight　of　neighboring　kingdoms；so　that　they　can　hear　each　others'　dogs　and　roosters；　let　them　never　visitback　and　forth　all　the　days　of　their　lives。
  81
  Trustworthy　words　are　not　fine…sounding；　and　fine…sounding　words　are　nottrustworthy。　Good　people　do　not　engage　in　disputation；　and　those　who　engagein　disputation　are　not　good　people。　Those　who　are　wise　are　not　erudite；and　those　who　are　erudite　are　not　wise。　The　Sage　does　not　accumulate　things。Since　what　he　does　is　for　the　people　he　has　more　than　enough　for　himself。Since　he　gives　things　to　the　people　he　has　even　more　himself。　The　Dao　ofHeaven　benefits　and　does　not　injure。　The　Dao　of　the　Sage　does　things　anddoes　not　contend。
  English_Muller_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  Chinese　…　English　by
  Charles　Muller；　1997
  1
  The　Tao　that　can　be　followed　is　not　the　eternal　Tao。
  The　name　that　can　be　named　is　not　the　eternal　name。
  The　nameless　is　the　origin　of　heaven　and　earth
  While　naming　is　the　origin　of　the　myriad　things。
  Therefore；　always　desireless；　you　see　the　mystery
  Ever　desiring；　you　see　the　manifestations。
  These　two　are　the　same
  When　they　appear　they　are　named　differently。
  Their　sameness　is　the　mystery；
  Mystery　within　mystery；
  The　door　to　all　marvels。
  2
  All　in　the　world　recognize　the　beautiful　as　beautiful。
  Herein　lies　ugliness。
  All　recognize　the　good　as　good。
  Herein　lies　evil。
  Therefore
  Being　and　non…being　produce　each　other。
  Difficulty　and　ease　bring　about　each　other。
  Long　and　short　delimit　each　other。
  High　and　low　rest　on　each　other。
  Sound　and　voice　harmonize　each　other。
  Front　and　back　follow　each　other。
  Therefore　the　sage　abides　in　the　condition　of　wu…wei　（unattached　action）。
  And　carries　out　the　wordless　teaching。
  Here；　the　myriad　things　are　made；　yet　not　separated。
  Therefore　the　sage　produces　without　possessing；
  Acts　without　expectations
  And　accomplishes　without　abiding　in　her　accomplishments。
  It　is　precisely　because　she　does　not　abide　in　them
  That　they　never　leave　her。
  3
  If　you　do　not　adulate　the　worthy；　you　will　make　others　non…contentious。
  If　you　do　not　value　rare　treasures；　you　will　stop　others　from　stealing。
  If　people　do　not　see　desirables；　they　will　not　be　agitated。
  Therefore；　when　the　sage　governs；
  He　clears　peoples　minds；
  Fills　their　bellies；
  Weakens　their　ambition　and
  Strengthens　their　bones。
  If　the　people　are　kept　without　cleverness　and　desire
  It　will　make　the　intellectuals　not　dare　to　meddle。
  Acting　without　contrivance；　there　is　no　lack　of　manageability。
  4
  The　Tao　is　so　vast　that　when　you　use　it；　something　is　always　left。
  How　deep　it　is！
  It　seems　to　be　the　ancestor　of　the　myriad　things。
  It　blunts　sharpness
  Untangles　knots
  Softens　the　glare
  Unifies　with　the　mundane。
  It　is　so　full！
  It　seems　to　have　remainder。
  It　is　the　child　of　I…don't…know…who。
  And　prior　to　the　primeval　Lord…on…high。
  5
  Heaven　and　Earth　are　not　jen；
  And　regard　the　people　as　straw　dogs。
  The　sage　is　not　jen；
  And　regards　all　things　as　straw　dogs。
  The　space　between　Heaven　and　Earth　is　just　like　a　bellows：
  Empty　it；　it　is　not　exhausted。
  Squeeze　it　and　more　comes　out。
  Investigating　it　with　a　lot　of　talk
  Is　not　like　holding　to　the　center。
  6
  The　valley　spirit　never　dies。
  It　is　called　〃the　mysterious　female。〃
  The　opening　of　the　mysterious　female
  Is　called　〃the　root　of　Heaven　and　Earth。〃
  Continuous；　seeming　to　remain。
  Use　it　without　exertion。
  7
  Heaven　and　Earth　last　forever。
  The　reason　that　Heaven　and　Earth　are　able　to　last　forever
  Is　because　they　do　not　give　birth　to　themselves。
  Therefore；　they　are　always　alive。
  Hence；　the　sage　puts　herself　last　and　is　first。
  She　is　outside　herself　and　therefore　her　self　lasts。
  Is　it　not　through　her　selflessness
  That　she　is　able　to　perfect　herself？
  8
  The　highest　goodness　is　like　water。
  Water　easily　benefits　all　things　without　struggle。
  Yet　it　abides　in　places　that　men　hate。
  Therefore　it　is　like　the　Tao。
  For　dwelling；　the　Earth　is　good。
  For　the　mind；　depth　is　good。
  The　goodness　of　giving　is　in　the　timing。
  The　goodness　of　speech　is　in　honesty。
  In　government；　self…mastery　is　good。
  In　handling　affairs；　ability　is　good。
  If　you　do　not　wrangle；　you　will　not　be　blamed。
  9
  To　hold　until　full　is　not　as　good　as　stopping。
  An　oversharpened　sword　cannot　last　long。
  A　room　filled　with　gold　and　jewels　cannot　be　protected。
  Boasting　of　wealth　and　virtue　brings　your　demise。
  After　finishing　the　work；　withdraw。
  This　is　the　Way　of　Heaven。
  10
  Pacifying　the　agitated　material　soul　and　holding　to　oneness：
  Are　you　able　to　avoid　separation？
  Focusing　your　energy　on　the　release　of　tension：
  Can　you　be　like　an　infant？
  In　purifying　your　insight：
  Can　you　un…obstruct　it？
  Loving　the　people　and　ruling　the　state：
  Can　you　avoid　over…manipulation？
  In　opening　and　closing　the　gate　of　Heaven：
  Can　you　be　the　female？
  In　illuminating　the　whole　universe：
  Can　you　be　free　of　rationality？
  Give　birth　to　it　and　nourish　it。
  Produce　it　but　don't　possess　it。
  Act　without　expectation。
  Excel；　but　don't　take　charge。
  This　is　called　Mysterious　Virtue。