Cary Chan

第八十一章信言不美，美言不信。 善者不辩，辩者不善。知者不博，博者不知。圣人不积，既以为人，己愈有；既以与人，己愈多。天之道，利而不害；圣人之道，为而不争。Chapter 81True words aren't eloquent;eloquent words aren't true.Wise men don't need to prove their point;men who need to prove their point aren't wise.The Master has no possessions.The more he does for others,the happier he is.The more he gives to others,the wealthier he is.The Tao nourishes by not forcing.By not dominating, the Master leads.

第八十章小国寡民，使有什伯之器而不用，使民重死而不远徙。虽有舟舆，无所乘之；虽有甲兵，无所陈之。使人复结绳而用之，甘其食，美其服，安其居，乐其俗。邻国相望，鸡犬之声相闻，民至老死，不相往来。Chapter 80If a country is governed wisely,its inhabitants will be content.They enjoy the labor of their handsand don't waste time inventinglabor-saving machines.Since they dearly love their homes,they aren't interested in travel.There may be a few wagons and boats, but these don't go anywhere.There may be an arsenal of weapons, but nobody ever uses them.People enjoy their food,take pleasure in being with their families,spend weekends working in their gardens,delight in the doings of the neighborhood.And even though the next country is so close that people can hear its roosters crowing and its dogs barking,they are content to die of old agewithout ever having gone to see it.

第七十九章和大怨，必有余怨，安可以为善？是以圣人执左契，而不责于人。有德司契，无德司彻。天道无亲，常与善人。Chapter 79Failure is an opportunity.If you blame someone else,there is no end to the blame.Therefore the Masterfulfills her own obligationsand corrects her own mistakes.She does what she needs to doand demands nothing of others.

第七十八章天下莫柔弱于水，而攻坚强者莫之能胜，其无以易之。弱之胜强，柔之胜刚，天下莫不知莫能行。是以圣人云：“受国之垢，是谓社稷主；受国不祥，是为天下王。”正言若反。Chapter 78Nothing in the worldis as soft and yielding as water.Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible,nothing can surpass it.The soft overcomes the hard;the gentle overcomes the rigid.Everyone knows this is true,but few can put it into practice.Therefore the Master remainsserene in the midst of sorrow.Evil cannot enter his heart.Because he has given up helping,he is people's greatest help.True words seem paradoxical.

第七十七章天之道，其犹张弓与？高者抑之，下者举之；有余者损之，不足者补之。天之道，损有余而补不足。人之道则不然，损不足以奉有余。孰能有余以奉天下？唯有道者。是以圣人为而不恃，功成而不处，其不欲见贤。Chapter 77As it acts in the world, the Taois like the bending of a bow.The top is bent downward;the bottom is bent up.It adjusts excess and deficiencyso that there is perfect balance.It takes from what is too muchand give to what isn't enough.Those who try to control,who use force to protect their power,go against the direction of the Tao.They take from those who don't have enough and give to those who have far too much.The Master can keep giving because there is no end to her wealth.She acts without expectation,succeeds without taking credit,and doesn't think that she is betterthan anyone else.

第七十六章人之生也柔弱，其死也坚强。万物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。故坚强者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。是以兵强则不胜，木强则折。强大处下，柔弱处上。Chapter 76Men are born soft and supple;dead, they are stiff and hard.Plants are born tender and pliant;dead, they are brittle and dry.Thus whoever is stiff and inflexibleis a disciple of death.Whoever is soft and yieldingis a disciple of life.The hard and stiff will be broken.The soft and supple will prevail.

第七十五章民之饥，以其上食税之多，是以饥。民之难治，以其上之有为，是以难治。民之轻死，以其求生之厚，是以轻死。夫唯无以生为者，是贤于贵生。Chapter 75When taxes are too high,people go hungry.When the government is too intrusive,people lose their spirit.Act for the people's benefit.Trust them; leave them alone.

第七十四章民不畏死，奈何以死惧之？若使民常畏死，而为奇者，吾得执而杀之。孰敢？常有司杀者杀，夫代司杀者杀，是谓代大匠斫，夫代大匠斫者，稀有不伤其手矣。Chapter 74If you realize that all things change,there is nothing you will try to hold on to.If you aren't afraid of dying,there is nothing you can't achieve.Trying to control the futureis like trying to take the master carpenter's place.When you handle the master carpenter's tools,chances are that you'll cut your hand.

第七十三章勇于敢则杀，勇于不敢则活，此两者或利或害。天之所恶，孰知其故？是以圣人犹难之。天之道，不争而善胜，不言而善应，不召而自来，坦然而善谋。天网恢恢，疏而不失。Chapter 73The Tao is always at ease.It overcomes without competing,answers without speaking a word,arrives without being summoned,accomplishes without a plan.Its net covers the whole universe.And though its meshes are wide,it doesn't let a thing slip through.

第七十二章民不畏威，则大威至。无狭其所居，无厌其所生。夫唯无厌，是以不厌。是以圣人自知不自见；自爱不自贵。故去彼取此。Chapter 72When they lose their sense of awe,people turn to religion.When they no longer trust themselves,they begin to depend upon authority.Therefore the Master steps backso that people won't be confused.He teaches without a teaching,so that people will have nothing to learn.

第七十一章知不知，尚矣；不知知，病矣。夫唯病病，是以不病。圣人之不病也，以其病病也，是不病。Chapter 71Not-knowing is true knowledge.Presuming to know is a disease.First realize that you are sick;then you can move toward health.The Master is her own physician.She has healed herself of all knowing.Thus she is truly whole.

第七十章吾言甚易知，甚易行。天下莫能知，莫能行。言有宗，事有君。夫唯无知，是以不我知。知我者稀，则我者贵。 是以圣人披褐而怀玉。Chapter 70My teachings are easy to understandand easy to put into practice.Yet your intellect will never grasp them, and if you try to practice them, you'll fail.My teachings are older than the world.How can you grasp their meaning?If you want to know me,look inside your heart.

第六十九章用兵有言﹕“吾不敢为主而为客，不敢进寸而退尺。”是谓行无行，攘无臂，仍无敌，执无兵。祸莫大于轻敌，轻敌几丧吾宝。故抗兵相加，哀者胜矣。Chapter 69The generals have a saying:"Rather than make the first moveit is better to wait and see.Rather than advance an inchit is better to retreat a yard."This is calledgoing forward without advancing,pushing back without using weapons.There is no greater misfortunethan underestimating your enemy.Underestimating your enemymeans thinking that he is evil.Thus you destroy your three treasures and become an enemy yourself.When two great forces oppose each other,the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield.

第六十八章善为士者不武，善战者不怒，善胜敌者不与，善用人者为之下，是谓不争之德，是谓用人之力，是谓配天，古之极。Chapter 68The best athletewants his opponent at his best.The best generalenters the mind of his enemy.The best businessmanserves the communal good.The best leaderfollows the will of the people.All of them embodythe virtue of non-competition.Not that they don't love to compete,but they do it in the spirit of play.In this they are like childrenand in harmony with the Tao.

第六十七章天下皆谓我道大，似不肖。夫唯大，故似不肖。若肖，久矣其细也夫！我有三宝，持而保之。一曰慈，二曰俭，三曰不敢为天下先。慈故能勇；俭故能广；不敢为天下先，故能成器长。今舍慈且勇，舍俭且广，舍后且先，死矣。夫慈以战则胜，以守则固。天将救之，以慈卫之。Chapter 67Some say that my teaching is nonsense.Others call it lofty but impractical.But to those who have looked inside themselves,this nonsense makes perfect sense.And to those who put it into practice,this loftiness has roots that go deep.I have just three things to teach:simplicity, patience, compassion.These three are your greatest treasures.Simple in actions and in thoughts,you return to the source of being.Patient with both friends and enemies,you accord with the way things are.Compassionate toward yourself,you reconcile all beings in the world.

第六十六章江海所以能为百谷王者，以其善下之，故能为百谷王。是以欲上民，必以言下之。欲先民，必以身后之。是以圣人处上而民不重，处前而民不害。是以天下乐推而不厌。以其不争，故天下莫能与之争。Chapter 66All streams flow to the seabecause it is lower than they are.Humility gives it its power.If you want to govern the people,you must place yourself below them.If you want to lead the people,you must learn how to follow them.The Master is above the people,and no one feels oppressed.She goes ahead of the people,and no one feels manipulated.The whole world is grateful to her.Because she competes with no one,no one can compete with her.

第六十五章古之善为道者，非以明民，将以愚之。民之难治，以其智多。故以智治国，国之贼；不以智治国，国之福。知此两者亦稽式。常知稽式，是谓玄德。玄德深矣，远矣，与物反矣，然后乃至大顺。Chapter 65The ancient Mastersdidn't try to educate the people,but kindly taught them to not-know.When they think that they know the answers,people are difficult to guide.When they know that they don't know,people can find their own way.If you want to learn how to govern,avoid being clever or rich.The simplest pattern is the clearest.Content with an ordinary life,you can show all people the wayback to their own true nature.

第六十四章其安易持，其未兆易谋。其脆易泮，其微易散。为之于未有，治之于未乱。合抱之木，生于毫末；九层之台，起于垒土；千里之行，始于足下。为者败之，执者失之。是以圣人无为，故无败，无执，故无失。民之从事，常于几成而败之。不慎终也。 慎终如始，则无败事。是以圣人欲不欲，不贵难得之货；学不学，复众人之所过。以辅万物之自然，而不敢为。Chapter 64What is rooted is easy to nourish.What is recent is easy to correct.What is brittle is easy to break.What is small is easy to scatter.Prevent trouble before it arises.Put things in order before they exist.The giant pine tree grows from a tiny sprout.The journey of a thousand milesstarts from beneath your feet.Rushing into action, you fail.Trying to grasp things, you lose them.Forcing a project to completion,you ruin what was almost ripe.Therefore the Master takes actionby letting things take their course.He remains as calmat the end as at the beginning.He has nothing,thus has nothing to lose.What he desires is non-desire;what he learns is to unlearn.He simply reminds peopleof who they have always been.He cares about nothing but the Tao.Thus he can care for all things.

第六十三章为无为，事无事，味无味。大小多少，报怨以德。图难于其易，为大于其细；天下难事必作于易，天下大事必作于细。是以圣人终不为大，故能成其大。夫轻诺必寡信，多易必多难。是以圣人犹难之，故终无难矣。Chapter 63Act without doing;work without effort.Think of the small as largeand the few as many.Confront the difficultwhile it is still easy;accomplish the great taskby a series of small acts.The Master never reaches for the great;thus she achieves greatness.When she runs into a difficulty,she stops and gives herself to it.She doesn't cling to her own comfort;thus problems are no problem for her.

第六十二章道者，万物之奥，善人之宝，不善人之所保。美言可以市尊，美行可以加人。人之不善，何弃之有？故立天子，置三公。虽有拱璧以先驷马，不如坐进此道。古之所以贵此道者何？不曰以求得，有罪以免邪？故为天下贵。Chapter 62The Tao is the center of the universe,the good man's treasure,the bad man's refuge.Honors can be bought with fine words,respect can be won with good deeds;but the Tao is beyond all value,and no one can achieve it.Thus, when a new leader is chosen,don't offer to help him with your wealth or your expertise.Offer insteadto teach him about the Tao.Why did the ancient Masters esteem the Tao?Because, being one with the Tao,when you seek, you find;and when you make a mistake, you are forgiven.That is why everybody loves it.