19
  Without　morality　and　ethics；　they　will　thrive
  Without　cleverness；　they　will　treat　each　other　honestly
  Without　politeness；　they　will　respect　each　other
  Where　you　can't　see　how　these　apply；　cling　to　their　essence
  Treat　people　simply；　directly；　and　caringly
  20
  Agreement　and　disagreement；　beauty　and　ugliness
  What　does　it　mean　to　say　these　are　different　things？
  As　a　man　who　is　feared　by　others　must　inevitably　come　to　be　afraid
  These　things　feed　each　other；　endlessly
  The　multitudes　are　ecstatic；　impassioned
  Like　they　are　on　their　way　to　a　great　fair
  I　am　as　unimpressed　as　an　infant　that　has　not　yet　learned　to　smile
  Detached；　as　though　I　were　wandering　aimlessly　over　the　earth
  Such　a　fool　am　I
  They　have　plenty　while　I　am　lacking
  They　see　things　clearly　while　I　am　unsure
  Make　fine　distinctions　that　are　meaningless　to　me
  The　multitudes　all　have　their　purpose　and　their　place　in　life
  I　alone　am　uncultured；　ill　defined
  I　drift　from　one　thing　to　another；　without　form　or　direction
  In　truth；　though；　I　differ　from　them　in　only　one　thing
  I　want　to　be　nourished　by　the　great　tao
  21
  All　virtue　is　derived　from　the　tao
  Yet　the　tao's　nature　is　changeable；　elusive
  Substanceless　and　formless；　yet　it　produces　all　shapes
  Formless　and　substanceless；　yet　it　produces　all　things
  Hidden；　obscured；　yet　from　it　springs　all　purity；　all　clarity
  From　the　present　to　the　past
  The　thread　has　never　disappeared
  And　through　it　we　can　see　the　workings　of　nature
  How　do　I　know　this　is　so？
  There　is　no　how；　I　listen；　and　I　know
  22
  Learn　to　bend；　and　you　will　never　break
  Learn　to　turn；　and　you　will　never　fall
  Empty　yourself；　and　you'll　be　filled
  Release　yourself；　and　you'll　be　renewed
  Own　little；　you　can　accomplish　much
  Own　much；　you　will　be　bewildered　by　your　choices
  The　taoist　holds　to　the　simple　way　and　guides　the　world
  Being　reserved；　he　becomes　noted
  Being　subtle；　he　shines
  Being　quiet；　he　is　acknowledged
  Being　humble；　he　is　long　remembered
  Because　he　does　not　compete；　no　one　can　overcome　him
  'Bend　and　you　will　never　break'
  Surely　this　phrase　has　merit
  Who　practices　it　will　be　whole；　always
  23
  Nature　rarely　speaks
  Gales　don't　last　more　than　a　morning
  Downpours　don't　last　more　than　a　day
  If　heaven　and　earth　can't　make　things　last
  How　much　truer　is　this　for　us？
  So；　to　follow　the　way　you　must　be　like　the　way
  When　the　time　comes　to　act；　act　well
  When　the　time　comes　to　lose；　let　go
  Act　well　and　the　tao　will　supply　you
  Let　go　and　the　tao　will　carry　on
  24
  Raise　yourself　too　high；　and　you　lose　your　balance
  Prominence　does　not　come　from　putting　on　airs
  Inner　light　is　not　made　by　clothes　or　jewels
  Nor　does　respect　come　from　boasts
  Honor　is　not　a　thing　you　can　claim　for　yourself
  To　the　taoists　all　this　is　a　waste
  Like　spending　hours　cooking　food　no　one　wants　to　eat
  Why　offer　people　air　instead　of　substance？
  Air　is　free；　and　only　fools　and　flatterers　will　buy　it
  Do　you　want　to　be　surrounded　by　fools？
  Where　you　are　is　where　you　are
  Live　there
  25
  There　was　something　formed　and　complete
  Before　heaven　and　earth　were　born
  Quiet；　still；　pure；　deep；？changeless　and　self…sufficient
  Perhaps　it　is　the　womb　in　which　the　world　grew
  It　has　no　name；　properly　speaking；　though　I　call　it　the　tao
  If　I　had　to　describe　it；　I'd　call　it　'The　Spirit　of　Quiet　Motion'
  It　is　never　still　in　the　here　and　now
  Always　leaving；　always　absent；　always　returning；　always　here
  If　the　tao　is　like　this；　then　so　is　heaven；　and　so　is　earth；
  And　so　could　be　leaders；　if　they　would　be　the　spirit　of　a　nation
  Men　conform　to　the　actions　of　their　leaders
  Let　the　leaders　conform　to　the　patterns　of　the　earth
  As　the　earth　conforms　to　the　cycles　of　the　heavens
  And　the　heavens　conform　to　the　motion　of　the　tao
  And　as　the　tao　must；　by　necessity；　conform　to　itself
  26
  As　the　heaviest　part　of　anything　must　be　at　the　bottom
  So　all　activity　must　center　on　quietness
  Only　an　idiot；　while　traveling；　would　wander　away　from　his　luggage
  Until　a　safe　and　secure　place　is　reached
  So　how　can　a　leader　treat　a　nation　otherwise
  Than　as　an　extension　of　her　own　body？
  Treat　people　as　unimportant　and　they　will　think　the　same　of　you
  Leave　them　behind　to　pursue　your　own　interests；　and　when　you　look　again
  They　will　not　be　there
  27
  Skilled　travelers　always　find　the　easy　path
  Skilled　speakers　talk　freely；　on　any　subject
  Skilled　counters　never　need　to　use　paper　and　pencil
  A　door　can　be　sealed　with　neither　bolt　nor　lock
  A　knot　tied　without　rope　or　cord；　if　you　only　know　the　skill
  The　taoist's　skill　is　saving　men；
  He　does　this　regardless　of　their　aptitude　for　being　saved
  He　never　discards　a　useful　thing　simply　because　it　needs　a　little　work
  And　since　every　man　thinks　of　himself　as　useful
  The　taoist　needs　only　one　attitude　for　all　men
  A　skilled　leader　can　create　goodness　in　whoever　comes　to　hand
  And　anyone；　bad　or　good；　can　be　his　raw　material
  But　fail　to　respect　the　material　as　much　as　the　act
  And　nothing　will　be　created；　no　matter　how　much　effort　goes　into　it
  The　point：
  There　is　nothing　more　practical　than　faith
  28
  Know　the　male　principle；　but　practice　the　female
  You　will　be　like　a　ravine　that　gathers　all　things　into　itself
  And　shelters　all　who　enter
  Hold　to　this　virtue；　and　you'll　be　as　soft　and　accepting　as　an　infant
  Know　perfection；　but　let　imperfection　be
  You　will　be　like　a　valley　in　which　all　manner　of　things　aregrown
  Fertile　ground　for　every　thought；　every　action
  Hold　to　this　virtue；　and　you'll　be　as　full　of　potential　as　uncarvedwood
  Know　brightness；　but　let　yourself　be　dark
  You　will　become　a　model　of　common　sense　and　propriety
  Quiet　and　respected
  Hold　to　this　virtue；　and　you'll　live　till　the　mother　calls　you　back
  Others　become　tools；　carved　into　shapes　that　fit　their　functions
  The　taoist　lets　himself　be　used　however　is　needed
  Leads　without　a　destination　in　mind
  By　not　being　shaped；　the　world　shapes　itself　around　him
  29
  Would　you　try　to　improve　the　way　the　world　works？
  You　won't　succeed
  The　way　the　world　works　is　the　mold　by　which　it　continues　working
  Nothing　else　can　make　it　work
  You　can　follow　it　and　you　can　use　it
  But　try　to　mold　it；　and　it　will　slip　through　your　fingers
  Some　things　are　fast　and　some　are　slow
  Some　are　hot　and　some　cold
  Some　are　strong　and　some　weak
  Some　rise　and　some　sink
  So　the　taoist　allows　for　all　these　things
  Preferring　none　over　the　other
  30
  Whoever　the　tao　aids　in　leading　the　people
  Does　not　rely　on　weapons　and　violence
  Armies　consume；　and　destroy；　and　nothing　more
  A　true　leader　uses　them　only　at　need
  Lives　with　the　destruction　they　create　only　as　long　it　is　needed
  And　so　achieves　his　ends　without　using　force
  When　armies　are　used　for　gaining　profit；　or　pride；　or　glory；
  Or　to　show　the　martial　prowess　of　leader　and　nation
  They　serve　only　to　fill　heads　and　empty　bellies
  This　is　imbalanced；　and　must　be　held　like　that　at　great　cost
  This　is　not　the　way；　sooner　or　later　will　collapse　of　itself
  31
  Weapons　are　dangerous　tools　for　all　concerned
  Natural　creature　do　not　use　them
  If　you　must　use　them；　don't　let　them　take　hold　of　your　mind
  At　peace　it　is　the　earth　that　is　important；　the　feminine　principle
  At　war　it　is　heaven；　the　essence　of　the　male
  Therefore　weapons　and　war　are　not　the　tools　of　the　taoist
  If　you　must　use　them　remain　calm　and　detached
  Never　look　upon　them　as　things　of　beauty
  To　do　so　would　mean　that　you　delight　in　the　slaughter　of　men
  You　would　never　be　able　to　lead　the　land　properly
  In　happy　events　we　honor　the　richness　of　the　earth
  In　sad　ones　we　turn　our　eyes　to　heaven
  Since　every　soldier's　mind；　and　every　general's；　is　on　the　weather
  It　is　clearly　an　occasion　of　sadness
  Whenever　multitudes　are　killed；　the　taoist　grieves
  Victory　or　defeat；　it's　all　a　funeral　to　him
  32
  The　tao　is　ever　nameless
  Though　it　naturally　seems　small；　no　one　would　dare　to　try　and　captureit
  If　the　leaders　of　the　world　could　be　one　with　it
  All　the　creatures　of　the　earth　would　bow　down　before　them
  And　manna　would　spring　from　heaven　and　earth　equally　for　all
  Though　no　one　insisted　upon　it
  Failing　that；　of　course；　things　must　be　named　and　put　in　some　kind　oforder
  As　soon　as　you　start　to　establish　order；　however
  You　must　know　when　it's　time　to　stop；　so　nothing　can　go　wrong
  The　great　tao　flows　into　the　world
  As　water　flows　into　streams；　then　rivers；　then　oceans
  There　comes　a　point　when　it's　self…defeating　to　try　and　control　it
  ?