A WAYHOME

An unfaithful translation of Lao Tsu’s Tao Te Ching

Lao Tsu, Charles Davies

Forewordto more than just one more translation of the Tao

Te Ching.by Floris Koot

“When I was fifteen I read the Tao Te Ching for the first time and it hit me like a shockwave. This was so true, so different, so funny and deep at the same time. It was full of riddles and paradoxes. It raised questions and attention. Since then I have reread it many times in many different translations. Much like the Western Tarot, I found it a book that becomes richer with each new attempt at translation. And the best translations opened new doors to the inner wealth of the book.

So what makes this one more translation so rich and worthwhile?

This new version of the Tao Te Ching is not a serious translation. Charles Davies creates space, relaxes inner muscles and allows being and presence.

He shamelessly follows his own intuition in rephrasing, reframing the book and at the same time, to my feeling, keeps the true spirit of the book alive. Perhaps this is the new way to translate this book: not being the best at serious study of old Chinese, but allowing the words and understanding to come in words and phrases that seem the most natural.

“This new version of the Tao Te Ching is not a

serious translation.”

In how many ways must we send the message home, that the shortest way home is by realizing we are already home? Humans are fools for their serious planning, studying and searching for the way home; a way any fool can see has been there all along and takes no more than one (mental) step.

So here it is, the newest version of one of the best travel guides in history on the way home.

Follow its path and the vision of home will come.Follow further and the smell of home will come.Follow further and home can be heard.

Follow further and home has been there all along.Have a pleasant journey to the already there here and

now ;)

With love, Floris“

part one:a way

no one can

show

you

the way

one.no one can show you the way

only the way they know.

they can give you steps to take,but then you'd have their steps

and not your way.

because your journey startedbefore you took your first step

and your first step laid out a path for you alone.

now whenever you stand stillyou're back there

where your journey started.

and whenever you movethere you areon your way.

standing still or movingit's all the same.

if you know that, then you know your way.

two.look for beauty and you'll find uglinesslook for goodness and you’ll find evil

look for highs and you'll find lowslook for shortcuts and feel your journey get longer.

what if you don't look for anything?what if you don't try to get anywhere

and don't show anyone the way?

things will come and godon't reach out for themdon't hold on to them.

if you claim nothing as yoursthen no one can take it from you.

claim nothing as yours then no one can

take it from you

i eat when i'm hungry,i take care

over my bones

and want for nothing.

three.praising someone - that's just another way of saying "i

matter".saying something is worthwhile - that's just another

way of saying "i'm right".but if you see nothing you want,

then nothing will bother you.

here's what i do:

i don't try to work it outi eat when i'm hungry,

i take care over my bonesand want for nothing.

if i go on my way without trying to get anywhere, where can i go wrong?

four.

the way is clearlike a vast open space.

it can blunt sharpnessunravel knots

turn light into darknessand consume the whole world.

it's always been there ahead of everything

and no one knows where it came from.

five.

there's one movementone way

that gives lifeand expects nothing in return.

picture a pair of bellows:they consume emptiness

until they’re fullthen give away fullness

until they’re empty.

it's not hard to learn.it's as easy as breathing.

six.

it's like breathing wellthis urge for movement

that lets everything flow.

it's likethe springthe river

and the sea

except there's nothing in it

and it goes on forever.

seven.

the sky goes on foreverthe earth stays in its place.

going on foreverand

staying in place

there's nothing more to do.

don't reach out for anything.don't put yourself forward.

just watch everything come your way.

there's nothing more to do.

eight.

water knows the way.it can flow anywhere without trying

and it gives life to everything.

it ends up in the lowest placesand brings them life.

think of your heart as a lakecalm, quiet and deep

as it flows into the worldit cannot lie

it finds a way.

with this spring in your heartyou move through the world

and the world moves through you.

nine.if you fill a bowl that's fullyou'll only make a mess.

if you sharpen a knife that's already sharpyou'll only wear it out.

if you think some savingswill make you safe

if you think some recognitionwill prove your worth

that's still more than you need.

if you depend on something you can loseyou'll spend your whole life trying to hold on.

just do the workthen walk away.

just do the work…

…then walk away.

ten.can you find the openness to hold everything together?

can you find the strength to be as relaxed as a little baby?

can you refine your mind until it's empty?can you love people so much that you're willing to

leave them alone?

when you're given what you want and it's taken awaycan you still hold on to letting go?

constantly givingin every directionfreeing everyone

holding nothing backwanting nothing in return

never showing offalways peaceful

that's the way that brings everything.

when you're given what you want and it's

taken awaycan you still hold on to letting go?

eleven.

it's not the spokes that make a wheel workbut the infinitesimal point that joins them.

a pot might be made of claybut it's the space inside that makes it a pot.

imagine a house with no doors or windows -it's the spaces that make a room.

they're all made out of somethingbut it's the nothing that makes them work.

twelve.

bright colours, loud noises and strong flavourswill leave you blind, deaf and tasteless.

when you're chasing after something,it's easy to lose your way.

if you're desperate for a rewardthen you're rewarded with desperation.

in my heart i know this to be trueso i ignore what's in front of my face

and look in my heart.

thirteen.

success brings you trouble.failure brings you pain.

don't worry about success and failure.

if you succeed, you'll only worry about failure.if you fail, you'll only worry about success.

either way - pain and trouble.

it all starts from having some ideaabout who you think you are

or who you're supposed to be.

better to have no idea who you arethen you can never say whether you're succeeding or

failing.

don't try to improve yourselfjust look to the world

and whatever you see in the worlddon't try to improve that either.

fourteen.

you can't see ityou can't hear ityou can't touch it

invisible, inaudible, intangible

it's not lighter on the topor darker underneathno face at the frontor tail at the back

no beginning and no end

it's always been this wayit's the same today

it's nothing

and when you understand nothingyou understand the way

fifteen.once upon a time

everyone knew the waybut that was a very long time ago

how could you describe them now?

imagine someone crossing a frozen rivertaking care over every stepor someone constantly alert

sensing possible danger everywhereor a careful guest

on their very best behaviour.

they would give way like melting icethey were as plain and simple as a stick of green wood

as open as a valleyand as hard to fathom as muddy water.

who has time for that now?waiting for a natural path to open up

only acting when the moment arrives?

when making your wayif you don't hunt for enlightenment

you'll find your footsteps becoming lighter.

who has time for that now?

waiting for a natural path to

open uponly acting when

the moment arrives?

sixteen.

i empty my heart and let my mind settlereturning to a place of rest

i see the complexity of natureconstantly evolving and transforming

but i know that all things grow from their roots. from silent roots.

take this silent route

find your way to this placethis source of everything

and you'll find a way of life that works with everything

if you never find your way thereyou'll see everything as chaos

and every path will lead to more chaos

finding this source means always letting go of everything

'always letting go of everything' -that's how nature works

and if you live like this?like nature?

what can stand in your way?

seventeen.

the best rules are rules you don't noticethe next best are rules you loveworse are rules based in fear

worst are rules based on force

a rule you can trustis based on trust

it's good to find rules you lovebut better to find a way to work

with no thought for rules

eighteen.

when you know the wayyou don't need rules of how to act

you don't need to be told what's just or unjust

if you need to learn the rulesif you need to know what's acceptable

then you've already lost your way

it's only when we stop valuing each otherthat we start to treasure family values

it's only when we fall into disorder and chaosthat we start looking for charismatic leaders.

nineteen.i gave up on wisdom and abandoned learning

now everyone benefits from my stupidity.i gave up on humanity and abandoned my duty

everyone benefits from my acceptance.i gave up on skills and abandoned profit

i exploit nothing and no one.

but giving up these things doesn't help me find my way.

i also have to see what i seedo what i do

and have what i've got.

i gave up on wisdom and abandoned

learningnow everyone

benefits from my stupidity.

twenty.

stop trying to figure things outthen everything gets easier.

why learn when to say 'yes' and when to say 'no'if you don't really mean it, do they sound so different?

is there something we're supposed to be afraid of?

so everyone wears a smileand the whole world's a party

let us show nothing.like a newborn baby who's not yet learned to smile.

so everyone has what they need

let us have nothinglet us drift around

homelessand mindless

everyone shineslet us be dull

everyone's sharplet us be thick

everyone has an end in mindnot us

out of our depthadrift

floating along

most people have some kind of a plan

but not us

all we want is to eat what we're given.

let us have nothing.

let us drift around…

…homelessand

mindless.

twenty one.all life starts this way.

the way is dark. nothing's clear, but still there is something there.

something vague taking shape.a shape emerges from a seed. and the life that's there

in the seed is the source of the whole creation.

whatever form it takes, it started this way. it always starts this way.

is there a way to get to know how it works?

yes.this way.

the way is dark. nothing's clear, but still

there is something

there.

something vague taking

shape.

twenty-two.

whatever bends can stay wholewhatever twists can stay straight

whatever’s empty can be filledwhatever’s worn out can be renewed

accepting less is the way to get morehaving much is the way to get lost.

don’t ask for recognition and you’ll shinedon’t argue your case and you’ll be valued

don’t claim what’s yours and you’ll be given creditdon’t promote yourself and you’ll be praised

don’t competeand no one can compete with you.

go back to the beginning“whatever bends can stay whole”

and see that’s it’s trueturning back brings completion.

go back to the beginning…

…and see that’s it’s true

turning back brings

completion.

twenty-three.

talking all the time isn't natural.

the sky knows it can't keep on raining forever.the wind knows it has to stop blowing sometimes.

that's the way things are.they know they can't carry on in the same way forever.

you know that too.

if you follow this way, whichever way things go, you'll be able to see they're just part of your way.

if you know you're going the right way, you'll go along with it.

if you're lost, you'll be lost.and if you lose the way completely - then you'll be

completely lost.

twenty-four.

if you're stretching up on tip toe, you can't stand firm.if you're trying to leap ahead, you won't get far.if you look for yourself in everything - you'll see

nothing but yourself.if you need to be seen, then people will only see your

neediness.if you're busy praising yourself, then what will

everyone else do?

none of these things will help you on your way.when you find yourself heading in that direction,

change course.

twenty-five.

what was here before the world?just space - waiting to become the world.

let's call it nothing. absolutely nothing.

what's bigger than the sky? what's greater than the world? what's bigger and greater than the greatest of

men?absolutely nothing.

men need the world, the world needs the sky, the sky needs nothing.

everything in nature is born out of nothing.follow nothing and you follow the greatest of them all.

twenty-six.

when something rests on the ground it feels light.and when you have a good enough rest, nothing can

upset you.

so, if i want to see the world, i stay where i am.and, even when i have the best view in the world, i'm

not moved by what i see.

what good does it do to treat the world so lightly?

when you're quick to move, you lose touch with the ground.

when restlessness moves you, you lose touch with yourself.

twenty-seven.

if you walk the right way, you leave no trace.if you talk the right way, you do no harm.

if you give the right way, you keep no account.if you want to make something safe, don't use a lock

that can be broken.if you want to bind something well, don't use knots that

can be unwound.if you care for something, care for everything.

if you care for someone, care for everyone.

if you've lost your way, you can learn from someone who knows their way.

if you know your way, you can learn from someone who is lost.

and if you fall out of love with learning, then all your cleverness won't keep you from losing your way.

these are the essentials.

if you care for something,

care for everything.

if you care for someone, care for

everyone.

twenty-eight.

if you know power, but let yourself be the weakest in the world, you let the whole of life flow through you.

humble, you open to the world like a channel - and let the world do what it wants.

and because you let it in unceasingly, the light of the world shines through you unceasingly.

if you know how to shine, but let yourself be dull and ordinary, then the whole world can be seen in you.

let other people shine.be the path people walk on.

then you'll always be close to the way. that's truly exceptional.

if you know how to be exceptional, but let yourself be mundane and ordinary, then you can be open to

everything.be the gutter - no separation between you and the world, whatever life comes to you will be enough.

become simple.simply alive.

alive in simplicity.

you could get anything you want.but you're simple.

so you want nothing.

let other people shine.

be the path people

walk on.

twenty-nine.

don't try to solve the world - things won't work out.

if you try to make it yours, you'll lose it.if you try to grab it, you'll break it.

this is how the world works:sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.

sometimes you push ahead, sometimes you're carried along.

sometimes you're strong, sometimes you're weak. sometimes you destroy, sometime you'll be destroyed.

i know this, so i don't ask for too much.

i don't flatter people and i'm not proud of myself.

thirty.

if you've found a way that works, don't use it as a weapon.

war can only bring revenge.the only harvest from a battleground is death and

starvation.

only do what you must and no more.

don't try to seize power.

do what you must without being smug or proud or arrogant.

if you try to be strong you'll just end up weak.

you'll have lost your way.and that’s fatal.

thirty-one.

nothing good comes from a good weapon.

there are some people who hate weapons.and people who know their way ignore them.

there's no such thing as a good weapon.they are not instruments or implements.

so if you have to use force, be as restrained as you can be.

if you think that weapons are beautiful, if you see any beauty in them

then you are rejoicing in killing people.if you rejoice in killing people,

then you have lost your way in the world.

when luck is on your side, give way.when luck is against you, persevere.

if you're supporting others, work.if you're leading others, watch.

if anyone perishes, weep for them.if you are victorious over others, treat it as a funeral.

thirty-two.

this way is like a single point - so simple there aren't two ways to look at it.

it's a point where give and take meet.

where everyone can live harmoniously.

nothing stands in front of it.

there's a point where you have to stop trying to define things.

some things are beyond definition.definition helps divide things.

but, this way, everything is united.just as rivers and streams unite in the sea.

thirty-three.

if you understand others, you're perceptive.if you understand yourself, you're wise.

if you master other people, you're forceful.if you master yourself, that's real strength.

if you know you have enough, that’s real wealth.if you can have anything you want, that’s real magic.

if you tread carefully, you'll live a long life.if you follow the way, you'll outlive yourself.

thirty-four.

the way works with everything and can go anywhere.

it breathes life into everything and never needs feeding.

it makes everything (but makes nothing of it).

it is because it is nothing, because it never seeks greatness, that it is great.

thirty-five.

when you find someone who looks like they know the way, you're drawn to them.

you're happy.you feel peaceful and secure.

but that's like when there's food and music - travellers are drawn to them.

they'll stop and listen and eat.and be drawn away from their intended path.

and why shouldn't they be?

when their own way offers nothing to look at and nothing to listen to, and will always be there to go back

to?

thirty-six.the easiest way to make something smaller

is to stretch it too far.

the quickest way to weaken something is to try to make it stronger.

the simplest way to win a battle is to let yourself be beaten.

if you know this way, in your weakness and flimsiness you can overpower strength and hardness.

and the best way to keep this power?

don't use it.

the quickest way to weaken

something is to try to

make it stronger.

thirty-seven.

this way is never trying to do anything, but being able to do anything.

when everyone works this way, everything flows with no problems

and any action one might want to take will be in tune with the way somehow.

it's a return to a silent root.to peace.

a silent route to harmony.

a harmonious route to silence.

a way home.

part two:home

living happily

means not seeking

happiness

seeking happiness

is not living happily

thirty-eight.

living happilymeans not seeking happiness

seeking happinessis not living happily

when you're happyyou force nothing

forcing it destroys the happiness

being happy means doing nothingbecause there's nothing to do.

being good means doing somethingbut not because you have to.

being just means doing somethingbecause you should do

and going after anyone who doesn't.

where there's no happiness,there is only goodness.

where there's no goodness,there's only justice.

and where there's no justicethere's only obligation.

obligation is the ugly surface.knowing this

you're like the fool.questioning the appearance

in favour of the essence.preferring the fruit

to the flower

working your way backto the root.

thirty-nine.

being natural.the sky is naturally clear

the earth is naturally stablespirits are naturally highvalleys are naturally filled

living things are naturally fertileleaders are naturally looked up to

without being naturalthe sky falls apart

the earth is unstablespirits fade

valleys emptyliving things die out

and leaders lose their way.

being noble depends on being humblebeing powerful depends on being natural

that's why strong leaders play down their importance

using everything and claiming nothingnot shining like a star but dropping like a stone

forty.

the way home is going back the way you cameand giving up what you've gained.

you were alive before you were youbefore you were you, you were nothing

everything comes from natureand nature comes from nothing

if it doesn't make

people laugh…

…then it's not the way.

forty-one.if you're especially clever,

when you're shown the way,you follow it diligently.

if you're not especially clever,when you're shown the way

you follow it some of the time.

if you're a fool,when you're shown the way

you just laugh out loud.

if it doesn't make people laugh,then it's not the way.

it's like this:

it's because the way is dark that it shinesit makes progress by moving backwards

it's a level road that full of bumps

its best quality is that it's emptyit's pure because it's polluted

it's inadequacy makes it valuable.

it lasts because it's changeable

as great as a square with no cornersa bowl that's not been formedmusic that you can't quite hear

a picture you can't see

the way hides,beyond appearances and descriptions,but it feeds and completes everything.

forty-two.

the way leads to one.one leads to two.

two leads to three.three leads to everything.

everything has give and take in it.taken together, you can see it all as one harmonious

movement.

people hate being alone,yet that is the image of the king

by winning, you lose.by losing you win.

forty-three.

it's so easy for the softest thing in the world to out-manoeuvre and out-run the hardest

for things with no mass to enter where there is no crack

a rare way to teach:

acting without tryingspeaking without saying a word

forty-four.

how you’re seen or who you arewhich is more important?

who you are or what you ownwhich is more valuable?

what you own or what you give awaywhich brings you more trouble?

if you’re in love with any of these,you’ll pay a price.

if you try to cling to them, you’ll lose them.

if you know when you have enough,there'll be no shame.

if you know when to stop,there'll be no danger.

this is the way that lasts.

forty-five.

even if perfect things may look unfinishedbeing perfect, they need not end.

even if endless space may look emptybeing endless, it will never run out.

a true ruler may seem crookeda true master, inattentive

a true poet, ineloquent

in the cold, keep movingin the heat, keep calm

in any case, stay quiet and light

forty-six.

when we're at peacewe let the horses run free in the fields

when we're at warwe breed warhorses and send them away

nothing is more damaging than the fearnothing more mistaken than preparing your defences

nothing more unfortunate than making enemies

whoever can see through the fearwill live in peace

forty-seven.

you don't need to leave your roomto understand the world

you don't need to look outsideto see the way things work

the more you find outthe less you know

you can get it, without going for it.you can see it, without looking for it.

you can make it, without doing a thing.

forty-eight.

if you pursue knowledge,then you can add something new every day.

if you follow this way,then you can take something away every day.

less and less until you're not doing anythingand when you get to that pointthere'll be nothing left to do.

when you've mastered it,you let everything take its course

forty-nine.

when you know the way,you hold nothing in your heart.

you're good to people who are goodand good to people who aren't good.

that's the heart of goodness.

you trust people who can be trusted,you trust people who can't be trusted.

that's the heart of trust.

your heart does not depend on the worldand the world can hardly understand it.

people look to see where your affection liesbut you welcome them all as your children.

fifty.

birth means getting out.death means getting in.

some people love to bring life to the world.some love to bring death.

some, who desperately cling to life, also bring death.

and a few are just alive.

those few can meet rhinos and tigersand meet no danger.

they can go into battlewith no armour and no weapon.

the rhino's horn won't gore themthe lion's claw won't scratch them

weapons never catch them.

there's no room for death in them.

fifty-one.this is the way things start

growing from the hearttaking shape

finding their place

but whatever the shapeand whatever the place

behind them you'll find the way and the heart.

the way leads themand the heart feeds them.

nurturing, comforting, embracing.

making without owning.doing without wanting.

leading without controlling.

this is the heart of the wayand the way of the heart.

making without owning,doing without wanting,

leading without controlling.

this is the heart of the way

and the way of the heart.

fifty-two.the world has a mother:the source of the world.

and you know this sourcethe way children know their mother.

and if you stay close to the source,even if you die, you’ll never perish.

stand in the way.let nothing through.

a peaceful life.

get out of the way.push through everything.

a life without peace.

pay attention to little thingsand brightness follows.

be gentleand find strength.follow brightness

and find its source.

this is a way that lasts forever.

pay attention to little things

and brightness follows.

fifty-three.

the way is wide open.like an empty road.

but still it seems like it's easy to go off course.

out in the fields - drought.but inside, there are wardrobes full of luxury

tables piled high with foodand huge stockpiles of weapons.

it seems easy to go astrayfrom the easy way.

fifty-four.

if you set it up in this way,it won't be knocked down.

if this is the way you make it,it won't be destroyed.

it will last through generations.

at home with yourself,health.

at home with your family,happiness.

at home with your community,wealth.

at home with your country,growth.

at home with the world,everything.

be yourself with yourself.be family with family.

be a member of your community.be a citizen of your country.

be a being in the world.

how can you be at home with the world?

this way.

you can get rich and grow old,

but that doesn't last long.

that's not the way

fifty-five.if you follow the way

you're like a new-born child

a scorpion wouldn't sting youa tiger wouldn't hunt you

an eagle wouldn't prey on you

weak and softwith a strong grip

without lust, but easily arousedyou can scream all day and not lose your voice

it works.

what works, lasts.what lasts, grows.

what grows has luck.

you can get rich and grow oldbut that doesn't last long

that's not the way

fifty-six.you only talk about the way when you've lost it.there's nothing to say when you're on your way.

better to keep quiet.stop listening.sit in the dark.

crumble into dust.unravel completely.

and there you are - one with everything.

you can't embrace itcan't escape it

can't help itcan't break itcan't praise itcan't hate it

if you want to find it,give up.

keep quiet.stop listening.sit in the dark.crumble into

dust.unravel

completely.

fifty-seven.if you want to lead,then stay at home.

give up controlabandon your plans

forget your ideasand let the world find its own way.

more rules bring less trust.more weapons bring less security.more support brings less strength.

don't force itand people find their own way

don't keep watchand people take care of themselves

give no adviceand people know what to do

don't fight for the good...then watch goodness flourish everywhere.

give up controlabandon your

plansforget your ideas

fifty-eight.

be a friendly leaderand people get lazy

be an unfriendly leaderand they give up hope

bad luck follows good luckjust as good luck follows bad

is there no way out?

if you know the way

you use no forceeven if you're strong

you don't push ahead,even if you have a point

you stay dimeven if you're bright

you stay crookedeven if you're straight

fifty-nine.if you want to be lucky

when you're following your purposeor leading a crowd

then travel lightand be ready to move quickly.

whatever you have nowis everything you need

with luck, you could run a countrywith luck, it would run itself

leaving you deeply rooted, well grounded and well established.

with a long life and shiny eyes.

whatever you have

nowis

everything you need

sixty.whether you're ruling a big country

or frying a little fishthe rules are the same.

do it the right way and you'll have no trouble.or, you'll have trouble, but it will pose no threat.

or, it'll pose a threat, but it will do no harm.

if there is no resistance, there can be no battlejust a little movement back and forth.

if there is no

resistance, there can

be no battle

sixty-one.

if you're powerful, you don't need to do anything to become more powerful.

your power means that if you meet someone weak, you need do nothing.

so, if you're powerful, you need only stay humble when faced with someone weaker.

and if you're weak, the only strength you have is your humility.

power stays close to the ground.and gives power to people who stay close to it.

sixty-two.

if you follow this way,the good are rewarded

and the bad given refuge.

no need for fine wordsto make you more persuasive.

no need for good mannersto make you more charming.

no need to impress anyonewith your gifts and your skills.

the best gift you can give isto let everyone find their own way.

this was the way things worked in the old days.

rewarding effortforgiving mistakes

this way was well-loved.

sixty-three.

just carry on.don't push ahead.

just do the work.don't make an effort.

it's easy to start work on something difficult.you can do great things in very small steps.

if you know the way you don't look for greatness(though it may find you)

don't promise great thingsdon't treat things too lightly

if you assume everything is difficultthat makes everything easier.

do nothingwant

nothingstudy

nothingteach

nothing

sixty-four.something big starts out as something small

so start work when it’s small.

it's easy to give up too soon.to get careless when you're nearly done.

be as careful at the end as at the beginning.

do nothingwant nothingstudy nothingteach nothing

everyone can learn something from that.

sixty-five.

in the old days,people who knew the way

didn’t try to show other people the waybut left them as they were

(it’s easier to lead peopleif you’re not trying to teach them.leading without trying to be clever

brings everyone blessings.)

the know-it-all brings only discord.the fool brings harmony.

to understand the difference between theseis to understand the heart of the way.

the heartleads the other way

to peace and simplicity.

sixty-six.

why is the ocean so vast and so powerful?because it lies lower than the rivers and the streams.

everything flows to it.

so, if you are thought of highlystay humble

if you are in the leadlet everyone go ahead of you

this way, you can stay on top of thingswithout putting anybody down,

move forwardswithout leaving anybody behind

bringing happiness and light.

if you compete with no one,then no one can compete with you.

sixty-seven.

everyone thinks this way is greatbut not very useful.

if it was very useful, it wouldn’t be so great.it wouldn’t last.

there are three thingsi hold on to.

compassion moderation

humility

with compassion, it’s easy to be brave.with moderation, it’s easy to be generous.

with humility, it’s easy to lead.

but if, trying to be brave, i gave up on compassion,or, trying to be generous, i gave up on moderation,

or, trying to lead, i gave up on humility,it would be fatal.

compassion wins throughand compassion defends.

and the world conspires to protect the compassionate.

sixty-eight.

the best generals have no love for warthe best fighters have no anger

the best strategists avoid confrontationthe best leaders stay behind

call it the power of not competingcall it using other people’s strengthscall it the natural way of doing things

sixty-nine.

old soldiers have a saying:“don’t take the initiative.

wait.it’s better to retreat a footthan to advance an inch.

this is calledmaking progress without moving forward

defending without forceresponding without making a move

opposing without weapons

there’s nothing more dangerousthan underestimating your enemy.

when you underestimate your enemyyou’re as good as lost.

when two equal forces confront each otherthe one who surrenders wins.

seventy.

the way is easy to understand and easy to follow.but does anyone actually understand it or follow it?

it follows certain principlesit has a clear direction

but does anyone understand it?does anyone even know about it?

very few people know it.how noble are the few who follow it?

underneath their dirty, dusty clothes -a heart of jade.

seventy-one.

there's nothing better than knowing that you don't know

nothing worse than not knowing

that you don't know.

but if you know

there's nothing worsethan not knowing

that you don't know,then it's not so badif you don't know

that you don't know.

seventy-two.

let things happen naturallyand you'll avoid disaster.

give your life the time it needsand you'll always have enough time

if you know yourself well enoughto know you're nothing special

if you love yourselfas much as you love everyone

then your way will be clear.

give your life the time

it needs

and you'll always have

enough time

seventy-three.

being brave enough to step up will get you killedbeing brave enough to give up will keep you alive

one way you live, one way you die.who knows why?

because nature will win without fighting youit'll win the argument without saying a wordit never gives orders, but is always obeyedit never steps up - but people follow its lead

a vast, loose netthat nothing slips through.

seventy-four.

if people have no fear of death,then a death penalty does no good.

if everyone lives in constant fear of deathand you can seize anyone who breaks your laws

and put them to death,then who would dare to do anything?

death comes to us all.to reach for the scythe,to do the work of death,

is like a novicedoing the work of the master carpenter.

you’re likely to cut your own hand.

seventy-five.

imagine a tax on foodthat feeds the rich

and leaves the poor to starve

or a corrupt elitethat looks after itself

and leaves everyone else to fight amongst themselves

or imagine someone who is so obsessed with lifethat they cling on to it

and try to pretend that death doesn't exist.

there's more life in someonewho has no interest in life

than in someone who is desperate to hold on to it.

seventy-six.

life is soft and bendydeath is hard and stiff

compare a young saplingwith an old twig

be stiff and hardlike death.

or soft and bendylike life

stiff and hard snapssoft and bendy lasts

seventy-seven.

how do things move in nature?what happens when you stretch a bow?

the top bends downwardsthe bottom bends upwards

likewise, where there's plentysomething is taken from it

and where there's littlesomething is given to it

it's only natural for things to movefrom where there is plenty

to where there is a little

so, why do we take from those who have little?and give to those who already have plenty?

if you have plenty,why give it to someone who has little?

because it's the natural thing to do.

give what you have and ask for nothinglet go of what you’ve gainedand don't hold out for praise

give what you have

and ask

for nothing

seventy-eight.

what's softer or weaker than water?what's better than water at dissolving the hard and the

strong?

weak beats strong. soft beats hard.

everyone knows it, but who lives by it?

if you know your way, you say:

i take the shame of the world as my own(that brings me back to earth)

i take the world's bad luck as my fortune(that brings me everything under the sun)

the truth doesn't always make sense.

seventy-nine.

maybe you can forgive,but not forget.

is it so bad if the memory stays?

you can keep careful accountswithout demanding payment.

you can know where you standand still be at home.

but when you demand what you’re owedyou know you’ve lost your way.

eighty.picture a small group of people living together

no complex rules or governmentno machines to make life easier

they know life is short,so they travel little.

there are boats and cartsbut no passengers.

there's armour and weaponsbut no warriors.

knots tied in rope keep account.

they eat wellthey dress well

they cherish every daythey are at home.

the next village is so close you can hear dogs barking and cockerels crowingbut as long as they live

no one feels a need to go there.

they are at home

eighty-one.

if beautiful words aren't trueand true words aren't beautiful

if winning an argument makes you a fool(because only fools argue)

if having everything does no goodand the good have nothing

then let go of everything.

helping others is being helpedand giving to others is being given to.

if you grow naturally, you’ll do no harm.if you win, you’ll see there’s no competition.

then let go of

everything