The Way which can be spoken of is not the true Way.
The name which can be said is not the true name.
The unnamed gives birth to Heaven and Earth
the named nurses all things.

Without desire, one sees the mystery,
desiring, one sees the manifestation.

These two things share the same root,
yet have different names.
They are called mysterious,
the most shadowy of mysteries,
the gateway to all mysteries.

People, through thinking one thing to be beautiful,
find something else unbeautiful.
Through finding one thing better,
they judge another worse.

Being and not—being arise together,
difficult and easy give meaning to each other,
long and short define each other,
high and low depend upon one another,
instruments and voices harmonize with each other,
front and back follow upon one another.

Therefore, the wise act without acting
and teach without speaking.

In all things,
the wise take matters as they come,
take care of things without laying claim to them.
Their work is done without their dwelling upon it,
therefore it lasts forever.

If the worthy are not raised above all others,
people will not engage in rivalry.
If what is precious is not cherished,
people will not steal.
If temptation is not held out before them,
people will not become restless.

Therefore the wise care for people by
emptying their minds
and filling their bellies;
calming their spirits
and bracing their bones.

They keep the people
innocent and undesiring,
and keep the cunning from daring to act.
By acting with out acting,
there is no disorder.

The way is an empty vessel
that may be drawn from
without ever being filled.
It is bottomless,
the source of all things.

It blunts what is sharp,
untangles what is knotted,
softens the glare,
settles the dust.

It hardly seems to exist.
We do not know who gave it birth;
it is older than God.

Heaven and Earth are not kind;
They look upon all things
as a sacrifice.
Nor is the wise soul kind;
He looks upon the common people as a sacrifice.

This space between Heaven and Earth,
how like a bellows:
though empty, it is inexhaustible;
Work it, and more comes out.

Many words count little;
Better to keep to what's inside.

The Spirit of the Valley never dies;
it is called the mysterious female.
The gateway of the mysterious female
is called the root of Heaven and Earth.
Eternal, it hardly seems to exist.
Yet when drawn upon, it is never exhausted.

Heaven and Earth are eternal.
They are not concerned with themselves,
and so they endure.

Therefore the wise place themselves last, yet find themselves first;
disregard themselves, yet find that they prosper.
Is it not because they are unselfish,
That they thrive?

The greatest good is like water.
Water benefits all things,
yet conflicts with none;
it dwells in places scorned by most.
In this way it holds close to the way.

In dwelling, what matters is the place.
In thinking, what matters is depth.
In giving, what matters is being like heaven. 
In speaking, what matters is sincerity.
In governing, what matters is order.
In service, what matters is ability.
In action, what matters is timeliness.

By conflicting with none,
no wrong is done.

Filling a vessel to the brim
is better not done.
A point forged too sharp
will not last.
If gold and jade fill your rooms,
you cannot protect them.
Wealth, rank and pride
bring about their own downfall.
When one's role has been served, one steps aside;
such is the way of Heaven.

In nourishing the soul and embracing The One,
can you do it without straying?
In focusing and calming your breath,
can you make it like a child's?
In clarifying your self—reflection,
can you rid it of imperfection?
In loving the people and serving the state,
can you do it without knowledge?
In opening and closing the gates of Heaven,
can you act the female?
In comprehending every corner of the land,
can you do it without knowledge?

Give birth to them and care for them;
give birth to them — but lay no claim to them.
Care for them, but don't possess them.
Lead them, but do not rule them.
This is the Mysterious Virtue.

Thirty spokes make a wheel;
but in the space between them
lies the value of the wheel.
We use clay to make a vessel;
but it is in emptiness
that there is value to a vessel.
We carve out doors and windows;
on these spaces
turn the value of a room.
Therefore, having is beneficial;
not having is useful.

Colors blind the eyes.
Racing and hunting addles the mind.
Valuables hinder one's movements.
Flavors dull the palate.
Music deafen the ears.

Therefore the wise
care for the belly and not the eyes;
reject that and take this.

Both favor and disgrace cause distress.
Regard suffering as you regard your very being.

What is meant by 'Both favor and disgrace cause distress'?
Favor debases;
gaining it is a source of sorrow.
losing it is a source of sorrow.
This is what is meant by 'Both favor and disgrace cause distress'.

What is meant by 'Regard suffering as you regard your very being'?
The reason we feel pain
is our bodies.
If I had no body, what pain would I feel?

Therefore,
those who care for their own welfare
no less than they care for the public good,
you can entrust with the world.
And to those who value themselves
no more than anything else in the world,
You can turn over the world.

We look but do not see it;
we call it elusive.
We listen but do not hear it;
we call it faint.
We reach but do not feel it;
we call it tenuous.

In these three ways it cannot be fathomed;
it merges together as one.
One: nothing greater is more complete;
nothing less is smaller.

Unending, unnamed,
it returns to nothing.
It is called the shapeless shape,
the image of formlessness.

It is called the mysterious and indistinct.
Approach it and you see no front,
follow it and you see no back;

Hold to the way here and now
to manage the present
and to understand the past.
This is the thread of the way.

They of old who excelled in the way
were subtle, profound, mysterious and penetrating,
too deep to be understood.
And because they can not be understood,
I can only say:

Cautious were they, like one crossing a river in Winter.
Watchful, as though afraid of the neighbors.
Respectful, like a guest.
Yielding, like melting ice.
Unformed, like uncarved wood.
Open, like a valley.
Murky, like muddy water.

As muddy water becomes still, it gradually becomes clear.
What comes to rest, gradually comes alive.
Those who possess the way do not desire fullness;
therefore they can wear out yet never need renewal.

Attain utmost emptiness;
maintain inner tranquility.

All things arise as one
and in this I see where they will return.
All things flourish,
but each returns from whence it came.
This is called tranquility.

Tranquility is to yield to your destiny.
And to yield to your destiny is to know the eternal.
To understand the eternal is to be wise.
To not understand the eternal is to go astray,
and to go astray is to court disaster.

To know the eternal is to be all—embracing,
to be all—embracing is to be impartial,
to be impartial is to be kingly,
to be kingly is to be like Heaven,
to be like Heaven is to be one with the way,
To be one with the way is to endure,
and to be forever free from harm.

The best leader is one
whose people hardly know that they exist.
Next best are those
that people love and praise.
Next best are those
that they fear.
The worst are those they despise.

Those who do not trust,
are themselves not trusted.

The wise are few in their words.
Their work is done, their affairs cared for;
yet people say,
"It happened of its own accord."

When the great way is forsaken,
only then do compassion and morality emerge.
When knowledge and wisdom arise,
only then is there great hypocrisy.
When the family is not in harmony,
only then do filial piety and affection appear.
When the state is in disarray,
only then are there virtuous officials.

Do away with wisdom, set aside knowledge,
and the people will benefit a hundredfold.
Do away with kindness, set aside morality,
and the people will be dutiful and compassionate.
Do away with guile, set aside gain,
and there will be no robbers or thieves.

These three sayings are not sufficient;
we must add:

Embody plainness and embrace simplicity.
Do away with self—interest and set aside desire.
Do away with learning and be free of worry.

What is the difference between yes and no?
How different are beauty and ugliness?
Whoever is feared by others,
must also fear others.
How insane; will it never end?

Everyone is joyous,
as though feasting at a great sacrifice
or climbing a terrace in springtime.
But I am quiet, not giving any sign,
like an infant who has yet to smile;
aimless, as though I had nowhere to go.

Everyone has more than enough,
I alone seem to be lacking.
I have the mind of a fool, vacant and dull.

Most people see clearly;
I alone am in the dark.

Most people make fine distinctions;
I alone am muddled and confused.
As vague as the ocean,
As unsettled as the wind.

People have their intentions,
I alone am as dull as a yokel.
I have a different desire;
I want to drink mother's milk.

The nature of great virtue follows from the Way alone.
The nature of the Way is indefinite and vague.
Vague and indefinite, but there is form within.
Indefinite and vague, but there is substance within.
Mysterious and shadowy, but an essence of Chi is within.
This essence is real;
within it is certainty.

Now as in the past,
its name has never gone away.
By this name, we speak of the origin of all things.
How do I know about the origin of all things?
Through this.

Bent over, you'll be whole;
twisted, you'll be straight;
hollow, you'll be full;
tattered, you'll be new;
having little, you'll be satisfied;
having much, you'll be confused.

Therefore the wise hold to the One
and become shepherds to the world.

Not showing off, one becomes prominent.
Not justifying oneself; one shines.
Not bragging, one receives credit.
Not laying claim, one endures.
Not competing, one has no competitor.

How true the ancient saying,
"Bent over, you'll be whole."
Be whole, return.

Nature says little.
The wind does not blow all morning,
nor does rain last all day.
If nature does not insist,
why should man?

Those who follow the way,
join the way.
Whoever pursues success,
attains success.
Those who stray,
lose their way.

Those who commit to the way,
the way allows in.
Those who commit to undoing,
the way will abandon.

If you do not trust,
you breed mistrust.

Standing on tiptoe, one is unsteady;
taking great strides, one does not progress;
admiring oneself, one does not shine;
approving of oneself, one proves nothing;
taking pride in oneself, one does not endure.

In the Way, such things are called
"Surplus food and redundant action,"
such things are despised.
Therefore, a person having the Way does not dwell on them.

A thing chaotic yet complete,
born before Heaven and Earth.
Silent, formless,
standing alone and unchanging.
It may be the mother of Heaven and Earth.
I do not know its name;
I call it the Way.
Were I to name it, I would call it the Great.

Great also means leaving;
leaving means being far away;
and being far away means reverting.

The Way is great;
Heaven is great;
Earth is great;
and the king is also great.
In the realm four things have greatness,
and the king has a place among them.

Man follows Earth;
Earth follows Heaven;
Heaven follows the Way;
And the Way follows what just is.

Just as the heavy is the basis of the light,
calm is the mastery of agitation.

A gentleman travels all day, but is never far from his luggage.
When he is safely settled for the night — only then can he relax.
How then can the lord of ten thousand chariots
be less weighty than what he rules?

If one acts lightly, one's grounding is lost;
If agitated, one's mastery is lost.

Traveling well leaves no track.
Words well spoken have no flaw.
Counting well needs no tally.
A door well closed has neither lock nor bolt,
yet cannot be opened.
A knot well tied needs no rope,
yet cannot be undone.

Therefore the wise help all people and reject none,
cultivate all things and reject none.
This is called dwelling in the light.

Therefore good people teach the inept,
and the inept are the makings of the good.
Anyone who does not value a teacher or care for a student,
may have great learning, but has gone astray.
This is called the essential mystery.

Knowing the male, yet remaining female,
one becomes a ravine.
Being a ravine,
one's virtue is not lost.
Not losing one's virtue,
one returns to the state of infancy.

Knowing purity, yet remaining soiled,
one becomes a valley.
Being a valley,
one's virtue is full.
Having full virtue,
one returns to being uncarved wood.

Knowing the white, yet remaining black,
one is a model for all.
Being a model for all,
one's virtue will not be wanting.
Not wanting for virtue,
one returns to limitlessness.

When uncarved wood is cut, it becomes vessels;
When the wise are used, they become leaders.
Truly, carving well is done with the least cutting.

Some would take the world and act upon it,
but I see that they cannot succeed.
all under heaven is a sacred vessel;
nothing is to be done to it.
To tamper with it is to harm it;
to grasp at it is to lose it.

Some things lead, some follow;
some blow hot, others cold;
some are strong, others weak;
some rise while others fall.

Therefore the wise reject
what is extreme, excessive or extravagant.

In guiding a leader along the way,
never recommend the use of violence;
it is likely to backfire.
Where armies go, thorns and brambles will grow.
The raising of a great host is followed by a year of drought.

The good general achieves his end and no more;
he takes no further advantage of his victory.
He achieves his end, but does not glory in it;
he achieves his end, but does not boast of it;
he achieves his end, but takes no pride in it;
he achieves his end, but only because it had to be done.
This is achieving one's end without violence.

What is exalted will soon decay;
This is not the way.
What is not the way will soon perish.

Weapons are cursed things,
and are generally despised.
Therefore one who has the way does not keep them.

The gentleman at home honors the left;
at war, he honors the right.

Weapons are not the instrument of the gentleman;
they are cursed things.
When you must use them, practice restraint.
Never look upon them as things of beauty.
To find them beautiful is to delight in killing.
One who delights in killing
will not prosper under heaven.

In good fortune we honor the left,
in mourning we honor the right.
The lieutenant general stands on the left;
the supreme general stands on the right:
they are arranged as at a funeral.

When many are killed, we sorrow and grieve.
When the battle is won, we preside over a funeral.

The way is eternal but nameless.
An Uncarved Block, seemingly insignificant,
yet nothing can subjugate it.
If kings and lords had it,
all things would willingly submit,
Heaven and Earth would together send forth sweet dew,
and it would naturally fall equally on all things, without law or order.

Carving the block, we create names.
But, having names,
we must know when to stop.
Knowing when to stop, you'll come to no harm.
The way exists in all under heaven,
as streams flow into rivers and seas.

Understanding others, one has knowledge;
understanding yourself, one has wisdom.
Conquering others, one has strength;
conquering yourself, one is strong.
To know when you have enough is to be rich.
To proceed with strength is to have purpose.
To not lose track of one's place is to last long.
To die but not be forgotten: that is long life.

The way floats along;
It may go left or right.

All things depend upon it,
yet it makes no claim to be their master
and asks for nothing from them.
It belongs among the lowly.
All things return to it,
yet it make no claim to them.
It belongs among the great.

Just so, without assuming greatness
the wise achieve greatness.

Hold up the Great Image and all under heaven will gather.
Coming to you, they will suffer no harm,
and instead find peace and quiet.

Music and food: for these a passing stranger will stop.
How different the words of the way;
so thin and flavorless.
Looking at it, it cannot be seen;
Listening to it, it cannot be heard;
Yet using it, it cannot be cannot be used up.

To shrink a thing,
You must stretch it.
To weaken a thing,
You must strengthen it.
To cast a thing down,
You must set it on high.
To take from a thing,
You must give to it.

This is called the dim light.
Thus the soft prevail over the hard
and the weak overcome the strong.

It is best to leave a fish in its pool;
best to leave one's sharpest weapons out of sight.

The way is eternal, nameless.
If leaders followed it,
all things would transform.
Being transformed, if they should stir,
they would be subdued by the nameless Uncarved Block (read: simplicity).
In the nameless Uncarved Block (read: simplicity),
there is no desire.
Without desire, all under heaven would be right.

High virtue is not righteous; therefore it truly has virtue.
Low virtue never loses sight of its virtue; therefore it has no true virtue.

High virtue does not act and pursues no end;
High humanity acts, but pursues no end;
High morality acts and has its reasons for doing so;
High propriety acts, and, if no one responds, then it angrily rolls up its sleeves and drags others along.

When the way is lost, only then is there virtue;
when virtue is lost, only then is there humanity;
when humanity is lost, only then is there morality;
and when morality is lost, only then is there propriety.

Propriety is but the husk of loyalty and good faith, and the beginning of disorder.
Foreknowledge may be 'the flower of doctrine,' but it is the beginning of folly.

Therefore the full—grown person
set store by the substance rather than the husk,
by the fruit and not the flower.
He rejects that and takes this.

Those that have in the past attained the one:
Heaven by it became clear;
Earth became stable;
gods became divine;
valleys became full;
leaders by it ruled the land.

Therefore we can say:
were Heaven not by it made clear, it would soon shatter;
were the Earth not by it made stable, it would soon overturn;
were the gods not by it made divine, they would soon wither;
were valleys not by it made full, they would soon run dry;
and were leaders not by it exalted, they would soon be overthrown.

Therefore the exalted is rooted in the humble,
and what is high rests upon what is the low.
For this reason, leaders call themselves orphans, widowers, and destitute.
Isn't this the mighty rooting itself in humility?

They regard their many carriages as no carriage at all.
They do not want to glitter like jade,
but to remain as solid as stone.

The way moves by returning;
The way works in weakness.

The things of the world originate in being,
And being originates in non—being.

The highest person hears of the way, and with diligence can practice it;
the average person hears of the way, and keeps part and loses part;
the lowest person hears of the Way, and laughs aloud at it.
If they don't laugh at it, it is not the Way.

Thus the proverb:
the bright way appears dark;
the way forward appears to turn back;
the smoothest way appears uneven;
the highest Te (read: virtue or power) appears as empty as a valley;
what is pure appears soiled;
vast Te appears inadequate;
the most solid Te appears feeble;
the simplest fact appears uncertain.

The greatest square has no corners;
the greatest vessel takes the longest to complete;
the greatest music has the faintest notes;
the greatest form has no shape.

The way is great but has no name.
Only the way cultivates all things and sees them through.

The way gave birth to the one.
The one gave birth to the two.
The two gave birth to the three.
And the three gave birth to all things.
All things carry Yin on their back and hold Yang in their arms.
By blending both Chi (read: breath), they attain harmony.

What do people hate more
than to be orphaned, widowed, and destitute?
Yet leaders call themselves these things.
Thus, some things are increased by being taken from;
others are diminished by being added to.

Therefore what others teach,
I too will teach.
"The violent will come to a violent end."
I take this as the basis of my teaching.

The most yielding of things
overcomes what is most solid.
Having no substance, it can enter where there is no gap.
That is how I know the value of acting without acting.
The wordless teaching, the value of not acting—
few can understand.

Fame or health, which matters more?
Health or wealth, which is worth more?
To gain or to lose, which is worse?
For greed, you will pay dearly.
The more you hoard, the more you shall lose.
Be content and you'll avoid disgrace.
Practice restraint and you'll avoid danger,
and so endure.

What is most whole appears incomplete;
yet it is never exhausted.
What is most full appears empty;
yet it never fails.
What is most straight appears crooked.
What is most skillful appears clumsy.
What is most excessive appears lacking.
Activity overcomes cold;
calm overcomes heat.
Being quiet and tranquil, all under heaven is set to rights.

When the world follows the Way, riding horses are retired to fertilize the fields.
When the world strays from the Way, war horses are bred even in the cities.

No crime is greater than having precious things;
No disaster is greater than not knowing when one has enough.
No defect is greater than desire.
The contentment of knowing that you have enough, is truly enduring.

No need to leave your door to know the whole world;
No need to look out your window to know the ways of Heaven.
The farther you go, the less you know.

The wise know without going anywhere,
See without looking,
And act without doing a thing.

Those who labor in study accumulate day after day;
Those who hear the way dwindle day after day.
They decrease and decrease until they do nothing.
They do nothing, yet nothing is left undone.
To steer the world, one must be uninvolved in its affairs.
Wherever one is involved in its affairs,
one makes oneself unworthy of steering the world.

The wise have no set mind;
they take the outlook of the common people as their own.
Those who are good, they regard as good;
those who are not, they also regard as good.
Goodness is a virtue.
Those who are trustworthy, they trust;
those who are not, they also trust.
Trust is a virtue.
The wise in the world become one with it,
and merge their minds with it.
The common people strain their eyes and ears,
and the wise are like their children.

We come out into life and go back into death.
The companions of life are thirteen;
The companions of death are thirteen;
Yet people by their actions move toward the thirteen that belong to death.
Why?  Because of their preoccupation with life.

You've heard of those who have a true hold on life:
walking the hills, they don't avoid rhinos and tigers;
going into battle, they carry no armor or shield.
The rhino has no place to probe with its horn;
the tiger finds no place to put its claws.
and weapons find no place to admit their blade.
And why? Because there is no place for death in them.

The way gives birth to them, 
Te (read: virtue or power) nourishes them,
substance gives them form,
and their circumstances complete them.

And so all things revere the way and honor Te.
They revere and honor them
not by decree, but of themselves.

The way gives birth to them, Te rears them, raises them, cares for them, and protects them.
To give life, but lay no claim;
to care for, but not possess;
to lead, but not rule:
this we call mysterious virtue.

The beginning of all under heaven
we call the mother of all under heaven.
Knowing the mother, we know the children.
Know the children, but hold to the mother
and be forever safe from harm.

Barricade the way, shut the doors,
and you will never be exhausted.
Clear the way, redouble your labors,
and you will never receive help.

To perceive what is small is discernment;
to grasp what is fleeting is strength.
Follow outward light back to insight,
and be safe from harm.
This is returning to the eternal.

If I had the least bit of sense,
walking on a great road
I would only fear going astray.
The great way is very level
yet people delight in tortuous paths.

The court is swept very clean
but the fields are very full of weeds
and the granaries stand very empty.
They wear colors and embroidery,
carry sharp swords at their sides,
gorge themselves on food, 
and have wealth to throw away.

This is called thievery;
and thievery isn't the Way.

What is firmly planted can't be uprooted;
what is firmly grasped can't slip free.
Therefore your children and grandchildren 
will carry on ancestral sacrifice forever.

Cultivate your person and Te (read: virtue or power) will be true;
cultivate your family and Te will be abundant;
cultivate your village and Te will endure;
cultivate your state and Te will flourish;
cultivate the world and Te will reach everywhere.

Examine the self by examining your self;
examine family by examining your family;
examine the village by examining your village;
examine the state by examining your state;
examine the world by examining your world;

How does one know that the world is so?
By this.

Whoever is full of Te (read: virtue or power)
is like a newborn.
Wasps and scorpions, snakes and vipers do not sting them;
birds of prey and wild beasts do not seize them.
Their bones are soft and their muscles weak, yet their grip is firm.
Ignorant of the union of male and female, yet their organ is aroused —
because their essence is at its height.
They scream all day without becoming hoarse —
because their harmony is at its height.

To know harmony is to know the eternal;
To know the eternal is to be wise.
Trying to extend one's life is a bad omen;
controlling one's breath is forcing things.

Whatever reaches its prime, then begins to decay;
this is not the way,
and whatever is not the way will soon end.

Those who know, don't say; 
those who say, don't know.

They block the way,
close the doors,
soften the glare,
settle the dust,
blunt what is sharp,
and untangle what is knotted —
this is called mysterious balance.

Therefore, one cannot engage them,
but one cannot shun them.
One cannot help them,
but one cannot harm them.
One cannot glorify them,
but one cannot humble them.

For this reason, they are the most noble under heaven.

Govern the kingdom by keeping the rules.
Win the war by breaking the rules.
Gain the loyalty of all under heaven by inaction.

How do I know which is true?  By this:
The more taboos there are, the poorer the people shall be;
the more sharp weapons (read: clever people) there are, the more chaotic the land shall be;
the more cunning people are, the more contrivances shall appear;
the more that laws are dwelled upon, the more thieves there shall be.

Therefore, the wise say:
do nothing, and the people evolve on their own;
cherish tranquility, and the people sort themselves out;
stay uninvolved, and the people will prosper on their own.
desire nothing, and the people will be Uncarved Block (read: simple, genuine).

When the government is in chaos,
the people will be sincere.
When the government is in order,
the people will scheme.

Upon disaster depends good fortune;
within good fortune hides disaster.
Where will it end?
For nothing is certain;
what is correct goes astray; 
what is right goes wrong. 
Our confusion goes on and on.

So, the wise are square (read: honest), but don't cut;
are sharp (read: upright), but don't stab;
are straight (read: direct and frank), but discreet;
are bright, but don't dazzle.

In caring for others and in serving Heaven, nothing matters so much as a light touch.
For only with a light touch can you quickly yield to the Way.
To quickly yield is to habitually gather virtue.
Habitually gather virtue, and no obstacle cannot be overcome.
When every obstacle can be overcome, one knows no bounds.
Only what knows no bounds can keep the kingdom in its grasp.
Only what nurtures the kingdom can endure.
This is called having deep roots and a strong trunk,
long life through unwavering focus.

Care for a great kingdom as gently as you would cook a small fish.

Follow the Way in caring for the the world,
and evil will have no power.
Or rather, evil will have its power,
but it will not harm anyone,
Not only will evil do no harm,
the wise will not harm anyone either.
Neither one doing any harm,
virtue can flow back and forth between them.

A large kingdom is the low land toward which all streams flow.
It is the meeting ground of the world,
it is the female of the world.
The female overcomes the male through stillness,
through stillness it yields.

If a large kingdom gives way to a the small kingdom, 
it conquers the small kingdom.
If a small kingdom gives way to a large kingdom, 
it is conquered by the large kingdom.
Therefore some conquer by giving way,
and some by giving way are conquered.

A large state wants to unite and care for others;
a small state wants to join and serve others.
Each gets what it wants;
it is fitting for the large kingdom to yield.

The Way is that toward which all things flow.
Good people protect it;
The bad are protected by it.

Fine words can be bought and sold;
fine deeds can be given away;
things not precious may be rejected.

So, when the emperor is crowned, 
and the princes ennobled,
you may honor them with treasure,
but it is better to offer them this.

Why has the Way been traditionally valued?
Don't they say, "those who seek, by this shall find,
and those who do wrong, by this shall be forgiven?"
This is why it is the most precious thing in the world.

Act without acting;
Do without doing;
find flavor in the flavorless.

Regard the trivial as weighty,
treat the few as though many,
and repay resentment with kindness.

Deal with the difficult while it is still easy,
with the large while it is still small.
The most difficult matters begin in things that are easy;
the greatest things begin small.
So the wise, by never dealing with the great,
get great things done;

Promises made lightly inspire little confidence,
and taking things lightly leads to many difficulties.
Therefore, the wise regard things as difficult,
and thereby have no difficulty.

What lays at rest is easily held;
what has not yet happened is easily planned for;
the brittle is easily shattered;
the miniscule is easily scattered.
Deal with things before they happen;
order things before they go wrong.

A tree that can be embraced with both arms 
grows from the tiniest shoot;
A hill nine terraces high 
rises up from a basket of dirt.
A journey of a thousand leagues 
begins with the ground under your feet.

Meddle, and you shall do harm;
grasp, and you shall let slip.
The wise do not act and so do no harm;
they don't grasp and so do not let slip.

People always ruin things just before they are finished.
"Heed the end no less than the beginning," 
and you will not go wrong.

So the wise want to not want, 
and do not value what is precious;
they learn not to learn,
and go back for what others pass by;
they help all things follow their nature, 
and do not act.