In　fact　people　do　fear　death；　and　they　do　act　strangely；
  But　I　would　not；　because　of　this；
  presume　to　seize；　imprison；　and　execute　them。
  Yet　there　is　always　someone　willing
  to　be　the　executioner　and　do　the　killing。
  But　to　take　the　place　of　the　Executioner　and　kill　is　called：
  搕aking　the　place　of　the　Master　Carpenter　at　woodworking。？br》
  And　of　those　who　presume　to　take　the　place　of　the　Master　Carpenter；
  there　are　very　few　who　do　not　hurt　their　hands。
  75
  Death　and　Taxes：　Government　interference
  People　go　hungry　because　their　leaders　tax　them　too　heavily。
  This　is　why　they　are　hungry。
  People　are　difficult　to　govern　because　their　leaders　interfere。
  This　is　why　people　are　difficult　to　govern。
  People　take　death　lightly
  when　their　leaders　demand　too　much　of　their　lives。
  This　is　why　people　take　death　lightly。
  Those　who　do　not　interfere　in　the　lives　of　others
  are　those　who　value　life。
  76
  Hard　and　Soft：　The　signs　of　life　and　the　signs　of　death
  While　people　are　alive　their　bodies　are　supple　and　soft。
  When　they　die　they　become　hard　and　rigid。
  While　grasses　and　trees　are　alive　they　are　supple　and　pliant。
  When　they　die　they　become　withered　and　dried　out。
  Therefore　the　hard　and　rigid　are　the　signs　of　death；
  while　the　supple　and　soft　are　the　signs　of　life。
  If　the　army　is　inflexible　it　will　be　wiped　out。
  If　the　tree　is　brittle　it　will　snap。
  The　hard　and　rigid　are　of　lesser　value。
  The　supple　and　soft　are　superior。
  77
  Fairness：　The　proper　distribution　of　resources
  The　Way　of　Heaven　is　like　drawing　a　bow；
  the　high　end　is　bent　down；　and　the　low　end　is　raised　up。
  Where　there　is　excess；　it　is　decreased；
  and　where　there　is　lack；　it　is　filled。
  The　Way　of　Heaven　is　to　reduce　excess　and　fill　what　is　lacking。
  The　way　of　Humankind　is　not　like　this；
  it　takes　from　those　who　have　too　little
  and　gives　it　to　those　who　have　too　much。
  Who　can　take　their　surplus　and　offer　it　to　the　world？
  Only　those　who　have　the　Tao。
  This　is　why　wise　people　are　not　attached　to　their　actions；
  do　good　deeds　without　dwelling　on　them；
  and　have　no　wish　to　boast　of　their　talents。
  78
  Water　Power：　Taking　responsibility　for　our　actions
  In　all　the　world　there　is　nothing　as　soft　and　yielding　as　water。
  But　for　overcoming　the　hard　and　rigid；　nothing　can　beat　it；
  because　it　cannot　be　changed　into　something　else。
  Supple　overcomes　the　unbending；
  flexible　overcomes　the　unyielding。
  In　the　whole　world　there　is　no　one　who　does　not　know　this；
  yet　there　is　no　one　who　can　apply　it。
  This　is　why　wise　people　say：
  Those　who　take　responsibility　for　their　country抯　disgraces
  are　called　Lords　of　Earth　and　Grain。
  Those　who　take　responsibility　for　a　country抯　misfortunes
  are　kings　of　the　world。
  Straight　talk　sounds　contradictory。
  79
  Righting　Wrongs：　Putting　things　right
  If；　when　righting　a　great　wrong；
  some　resentment　will　always　remain；
  how　can　one　do　the　right　thing？
  It　is　for　this　reason　that　wise　people　keep　their　side　of　the　bargain；
  while　making　no　demands　on　others。
  The　righteous　fulfill　their　obligations；
  while　the　wicked　insist　on　collecting　their　due。
  To　follow　the　Way　of　Heaven　is　not　to　play　favorites
  and　always　to　side　with　the　good。
  80
  Shangri　La：　A　perfect　world
  There　is　a　small　country　with　few　people；
  and　though　they　have　hundreds　of　tools　and　utensils；
  they　do　not　use　them。
  Because　they　play　it　safe；　people　do　not　travel　far　away。
  Although　they　have　boats　and　chariots；　no　one　rides　them。
  Although　they　have　armor　and　weapons；　no　one　parades　them。
  People　return　to　knotting　ropes　to　keep　account　of　things。
  Their　government　is　excellent；
  their　food　is　sweet；
  their　clothing　is　beautiful；
  their　homes　are　peaceful；
  and　their　festivals　are　joyful。
  Neighboring　countries　may　overlook　one　another
  and　hear　the　sounds　of　each　others？chickens　and　dogs；
  and　yet　they　will　reach　old　age　and　death
  without　ever　having　visited　one　other。
  81
  Straight　Talk：　Truth　and　beauty
  True　words　are　not　beautiful。
  Beautiful　words　are　not　true。
  Good　people　do　not　argue；　those　who　argue　are　not　good。
  Those　who　know　are　not　learned；
  those　who　are　learned　do　not　know。
  Wise　people　do　not　hoard。
  Because　they　work　for　others；　they　have　more　for　themselves。
  Because　they　give　to　others；　they　get　more　for　themselves。
  The　Way　of　Heaven　is　to　help；　and　not　to　harm。
  The　wise　person　acts　in　this　way；　and　does　not　cause　contention。
  English_Star_TTK
  Das　Tao　Te　King　von　Lao　Tse
  English　by
  Jonathan　Star；　2001
  1
  A　way　that　can　be　walked
  is　not　The　Way
  A　name　that　can　be　named
  is　not　The　Name
  Tao　is　both　Named　and　Nameless
  As　Nameless；　it　is　the　origin　of　all　things
  As　Named；　it　is　the　mother　of　all　things。
  A　mind　free　of　thought；
  merged　within　itself；
  beholds　the　essence　of　Tao
  A　mind　filled　with　thought；
  identified　with　its　own　perceptions；
  beholds　the　mere　forms　of　this　world
  Tao　and　this　world　seem　different
  but　in　truth　they　are　one　and　the　same
  The　only　difference　is　in　what　we　call　them
  How　deep　and　mysterious　is　this　unity
  How　profound；　how　great！
  It　is　the　truth　beyond　the　truth；
  the　hidden　within　the　hidden
  It　is　the　path　to　all　wonder；
  the　gate　to　the　essence　of　everything！
  2
  Everyone　recognizes　beauty
  only　because　of　ugliness
  Everyone　recognizes　virtue
  only　because　of　sin
  Life　and　death　are　born　together
  Difficult　and　easy
  Long　and　short
  High　and　low
  all　these　exist　together
  arrive　together
  Sound　and　silence　blend　together
  Before　and　after
  The　Sage　acts　without　action
  and　teaches　without　talking
  All　things　flourish　around　him
  and　he　does　not　refuse　any　one　of　them
  He　gives　but　not　to　receive
  He　works　but　not　for　reward
  He　completes　but　not　for　results
  He　does　nothing　for　himself　in　this　passing　world
  so　nothing　he　does　ever　passes
  3
  Putting　a　value　on　status　will　cause　people　to　compete
  Hoarding　treasure　will　turn　them　into　thieves
  Showing　off　possessions　will　disturb　their　daily　lives。
  Thus　the　Sage　rules　by　stilling　minds　and　opening　hearts　by　filling　bellies　and　strengthening　bones
  He　shows　people　how　to　be　simple　and　live　without　desires
  To　be　content　and　not　look　for　other　ways
  With　the　people　so　pure
  Who　could　trick　them？
  What　clever　ideas　could　lead　them　astray？
  When　action　is　pure　and　selfless　everything　settles　into　its　own　perfect　place
  4
  Tao　is　empty　yet　it　fills　every　vessel　with　an　endless　supply
  Tao　is　hidden　yet　it　shines　in　every　corner　of　the　universe
  With　it；　the　sharp　edges　become　smooth　the　twisted　knots　loosen　the　sun　is　softened　by　a　cloud　the　dust　settles　into　place
  So　deep；　so　pure；　so　still
  It　has　been　this　way　forever
  You　may　ask；　揥hose　child　is　it？？　but　I　cannot　say
  This　child　was　here　before　the　Great　Ancestor
  5
  Heaven　and　Earth　have　no　permanence
  A　man　may　choose　one　over　another　but　to　Heaven　and　Earth　all　are　the　same
  The　high；　the　low；　the　great；　the　small　？all　are　given　light　all　get　a　place　to　rest
  The　Sage　is　like　Heaven　and　Earth
  To　him　none　are　especially　dear　or　is　there　anyone　he　disfavours
  He　gives　and　gives　without　condition　offering　his　treasure　to　everyone
  The　universe　is　like　a　bellows
  It　stays　empty　yet　is　never　exhausted
  It　gives　out　yet　always　brings　forth　more
  Man　is　not　like　this
  When　he　blows　out　air　like　a　bellows　he　becomes　exhausted
  Man　was　not　made　to　blow　out　air
  He　was　made　to　sit　quietly　and　find　the　truth　within
  6
  Endlessly　creating
  Endlessly　pulsating
  The　Spirit　of　the　Valley　never　dies
  She　is　called　the　Hidden　Creator
  Although　She　becomes　the　whole　universe
  Her　immaculate　purity　is　never　lost
  Although　She　assumes　countless　forms
  Her　true　identity　remains　intact
  Whatever　we　see　or　don抰　see
  Whatever　exists　or　doesn抰　exist
  Is　nothing　but　the　creation　of　this　Supreme　Power
  Tao　is　limitless；　unborn；　eternal　？br》　It　can　only　be　reached　through　the　Hidden　Creator
  She　is　the　very　face　of　the　Absolute
  The　gate　to　the　source　of　all　things　eternal
  Listen　to　Her　voice
  Hear　it　echo　through　creation
  Without　fail；　She　reveals　her　presence
  Without　fail；　She　brings　us　to　our　own　perfection
  7
  Heaven　is　ancient
  Earth　is　long…lasting
  Why　is　this　so？　？br》　Because　they　have　no　claims　to　life
  By　having　no　claims　to　life　they　cannot　be　claimed　by　death
  The　Sage　puts　his　own　views　behind　so　ends　up　ahead
  He　stays　a　witness　to　l