A　sage　is　subtle；　intuitive；　penetrating；　profound。　His　depths　are　mysterious　and　unfathomable。
  The　best　one　can　do　is　describe　his　appearance：　The　sage　is　alert　as　a　person　crossing　a　winter　stream；　as　circumspect　as　a　person　with　neighbours　on　all　four　sides；　as　respectful　as　a　thoughtful　guest；
  as　yielding　as　melting　ice；　as　simple　as　uncarved　wood；　as　open　as　a　valley；　as　chaotic　as　a　muddy　torrent。
  Why　〃chaotic　as　a　muddy　torrent〃？　Because　clarity　is　learned　by　being　patient　in　the　heart　of　chaos。　Tolerating　disarray；　remaining　at　rest；　gradually　one　learns　to　allow　muddy　water　to　settle　and　proper　responses　to　reveal　themselves。
  Those　who　aspire　to　Tao　don't　long　for　fulfillment。　They　selflessly　allow　the　Tao　to　use　and　deplete　them；　They　calmly　allow　the　Tao　to　renew　and　complete　them。
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  Work　toward　emptiness　and　openness。　Cultivate　stillness。　Breathe　harmony。　Become　tranquility。
  As　the　ten　thousand　things　rise　and　fall；　rise　and　fall；　just　witness　their　return　to　the　root。
  Everything　that　flourishes　dissolves　again　into　the　source。　To　dissolve　back　into　the　source　is　to　find　peace。　To　find　peace　is　to　recover　your　true　nature。　To　recover　your　true　nature　is　to　know　the　constancy　of　Tao。　To　know　the　constancy　of　Tao　is　insight。
  Insight　opens　your　mind。　An　open　mind　leads　to　an　open　heart。　Openheartedness　leads　to　justice。　Justice　is　an　expression　of　divinity。　Divinity　is　oneness　with　Tao。
  Oneness　with　Tao　is　freedom　from　harm；　indescribable　pleasure；　eternal　life。
  17
  The　best　leader　is　one　whose　existence　is　barely　known。　Next　best　is　one　who　is　lived　and　praised。　Next　is　one　who　is　feared。　Worst　of　all　is　a　leader　who　is　despised。
  If　you　fail　to　trust　people；　they　won't　turn　out　to　be　trustworthy。
  Therefore；　guide　others　by　quietly　relying　on　Tao。　Then；　when　the　work　is　done；　the　people　can　say；　〃We　did　this　ourselves。〃
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  When　people　lose　sight　of　the　Tao；　codes　of　morality　and　justice　are　created。
  When　cleverness　and　strategies　are　in　use；　hypocrites　are　everywhere。
  When　families　forego　natural　harmony；　parents　become　pious　and　children　become　dutiful。
  When　the　nation　is　reigned　by　darkness；　patriotic　advisers　abound。
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  Give　up　religiosity　and　knowledge；　and　the　people　will　benefit　a　hundredfold。
  Discard　morality　and　righteousness；　and　the　people　will　return　to　natural　love。
  Abandon　shrewdness　and　profiteering；　and　there　won't　be　any　robbers　or　thieves。
  These　are　external　matters；　however。
  What　is　most　important　is　what　happens　within：　look　to　what　is　pure；　hold　to　what　is　simple；　let　go　of　self…interest；　temper　your　desires。
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  Be　done　with　knowing　and　your　worries　will　disappear。　How　much　difference　is　there　between　yes　and　no？　How　much　distinction　between　good　and　evil？
  Fearing　what　others　fear；　admiring　what　they　admire…nonsense。
  Conventional　people　are　jolly　and　reckless；　feasting　on　worldly　things　and　carrying　on　as　though　every　day　were　the　beginning　of　spring。　I　alone　remain　uncommitted；　like　an　infant　who　hasn't　yet　smiled：　lost；　quietly　drifting；　unattached　to　ideas　and　places　and　things。
  Conventional　people　hoard　more　than　they　need；　but　I　possess　nothing　at　all；　know　nothing　at　all；　understand　nothing　at　all。
  They　are　bright；　I　am　dark。　They　are　sharp；　I　am　dull。　Like　the　sea；　I　am　calm　and　indifferent。　Like　the　wind　I　have　no　particular　direction。
  Everyone　else　takes　his　place　and　does　his　job；　I　alone　remain　wild　and　natural　and　free。　I　am　different　from　others；　my　sustenance　comes　directly　from　the　Mother。
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  The　greatest　virtue　is　to　follow　Tao；　and　only　Tao。
  You　might　say；　〃But　Tao　is　illusive！　Evasive！　Mysterious！　Dark！　How　can　one　follow　that？〃　By　following　this：　Out　of　silent　subtle　mystery　emerge　images。　These　images　coalesce　into　forms。　Within　each　form　is　contained　the　seed　and　essence　of　life。　Thus　do　all　things　emerge　and　expand　out　of　darkness　and　emptiness。
  Because　its　essence　is　real　and　evident　in　the　origins　of　all　things；　the　name　of　the　Tao　has　survived　since　the　beginning　of　time。
  How　can　I　know　the　circumstances　of　the　origins　of　all　things？　Exactly　by　this　phenomenon。
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  Allow　yourself　to　yield；　and　you　can　stay　centered。　Allow　yourself　to　bend；　and　you　will　stay　straight。　Allow　yourself　to　be　empty；　and　you'll　get　filled　up。　Allow　yourself　to　be　exhausted；　and　you'll　be　renewed。　Having　little；　you　can　receive　much。　Having　much；　you'll　just　become　confused。
  Therefore　the　sage　embraces　the　oneness　and　becomes　a　pattern　for　the　whole　world。
  She　doesn't　display　herself；　so　she　becomes　illuminated。　She　doesn't　justify　herself；　so　she　becomes　distinguished。　She　doesn't　boast；　so　she　is　recognized。　She　doesn't　claim　credit；　so　she　advances　and　endures。
  She　doesn't　contend；　so　no　one　can　contend　with　her。
  〃Yield　and　you　can　stay　centered〃…　Is　this　saying　meaningless？　Stay　whole；　and　all　things　return　to　you。
  23
  Nature　is　sparing　with　speech：　a　whirlwind　doesn't　last　all　morning；　a　rain　shower　doesn't　last　all　day。
  What　causes　these？　Heaven　and　earth。　If　heaven　and　earth　can't　make　something　famous　endure；　how　could　man？
  Concentrate　on　Tao　and　you'll　experience　Tao。　Concentrate　on　power　and　you'll　experience　power。　Concentrate　on　loss　and　you'll　experience　loss。
  If　you　won't　trust；　you　won't　be　trusted。
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  A　man　who　tiptoes　can't　stand。　A　man　who　straddles　can't　walk。
  A　man　who　shows　off　can't　shine。　A　man　who　boasts　of　his　achievements　has　no　merit。
  A　man　who　brags　will　not　endure。
  To　a　person　of　Tao；　these　things　are　excess　food　and　superfluous　behaviour。　Because　nothing　good　can　come　of　them；　he　doesn't　indulge　in　them。
  25
  Something　mysterious　and　perfect　existed　before　even　heaven　and　earth　were　born。　Silent；　immeasurable；　standing　alone　and　unchanging；　moving　without　end　or　exhaustion；　it　is　the　mother　of　the　known　and　unknown　universe。
  I　don't　know　its　name；　so　I　call　it　by　an　alias：　Tao。　Forced　to　describe　it；　I　only　say；　〃It　is　great。〃
  That　which　is　great　continues。　That　which　continues　goes　far。　That　which　goes　far　returns。
  Therefore　Tao　is　great；　heaven　is　great；　earth　is　great；　a　person　of　Tao　is　great。　These　are　the　four　greatnesses　in　the　universe。
  A　person　of　Tao　follows　earth。　Earth　follows　Heaven。　Heaven　follows　Tao。　Tao　follows　its　own　nature。
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  Heaviness　is　the　root　of　lightness。　Tranquility　is　the　master　of　agitation。
  This　is　why　the　sage　travels　all　day　without　ever　losing　sight　of　her　baggage。　She　may　live　in　a　glorious　palace；　but　she　isn't　attached　to　its　pleasures。
  Why　should　the　lord　of　ten　thousand　chariots　behave　lightly　in　the　world？
  One　who　acts　lightly　loses　her　foundation。　One　who　becomes　agitated　sacrifices　her　mastery。
  27
  A　good　runner　leaves　no　tracks；　A　good　speaker　makes　no　slips；　A　good　planner　doesn't　have　to　scheme。
  The　best　lock　has　no　bolt；　and　no　one　can　open　it。　The　best　knot　uses　no　rope；　and　no　one　can　untie　it。
  Thus　the　master　is　always　good　at　saving　people；　and　doesn't　abandon　anyone；　Always　good　at　saving　things；　and　doesn't　waste　anything。　This　is　known　as　〃Following　the　light。〃
  What　is　a　good　man　but　a　bad　man's　teacher？　What　is　a　bad　man　but　a　good　man's　charge？
  It　doesn't　matter　how　smart　you　are　if　you　don't　have　the　sense　to　honour　your　teachers　and　cherish　your　responsibilities。　This　is　an　essential　teaching　of　Tao。
  28
  To　know　the　masculine　and　yet　cleave　to　the　feminine　is　to　be　the　womb　for　the　world。　Being　the　womb　for　the　world；　never　departing　from　the　eternal　power　of　Tao；　you　become　as　an　infant　once　again：　immortal。
  To　know　the　bright　and　yet　hold　to　the　dull　is　to　be　an　example　for　the　world。　Being　the　example　for　the　world；　not　deviating　from　the　everlasting　power　of　Tao；　you　return　to　the　infinite　once　again：　limitless。
  To　know　honour　and　yet　keep　to　humility　is　to　be　the　valley　for　the　world。　Being　the　valley　for　the　world；　rich　with　the　primal　power　of　Tao；　you　return　once　again　to　simplicity；　like　uncarved　wood。
  Allow　Tao　to　carve　you　into　a　vessel　for　Tao。　Then　you　can　serve　the　world　without　mutilating　it。
  29
  If　you　try　to　grab　hold　of　the　world　and　do　what　you　want　with　it；　you　won't　succeed。
  The　world　is　a　vessel　for　spirit；　and　it　wasn't　made　to　be　manipulated。　Tamper　with　it　and　you'll　spoil　it。　Hold　it；　and　you'll　lose　it。
  With　Tao；　sometimes　you　move　ahead　and　sometimes　you　stay　back；　Sometimes　you　work　hard　and　sometimes　you　rest；　Sometimes　you're　strong　and　sometimes　you're　weak；　Sometimes　you're　up；　sometimes　you're　down。
  The　sage　remains　sensitive；　avoiding　extremes；　avoiding　extravagance；　avoiding　excess。
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  Those　who　wish　to　use　Tao　to　influence　others　don't　rely　on　force　or　weapons　or　military　strategies。　Force　rebounds。
  Weapons　turn　on　their　wielders。　Battles　are　inevitably　followed　by　famines。
  Just　do　what　needs　to　be　done；　and　then　stop。　Attain　your　purpose；　but　don't　pres　your　advantage。
  Be　resolute；　but　don't　boast。　Succeed；　but