Chapter 1 The Tao is empty When utilized, it is not filled up The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal So deep! It seems to be the source of all things Tao It blunts the sharpness The name that can be named is not the eternal Unravels the knots name Dims the glare The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Mixes the dusts Earth The named is the mother of myriad things So indistinct! It seems to exist Thus, constantly without desire, one observes I do not know whose offspring it is its essence Its image is the predecessor of the Emperor Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations Chapter 8 These two emerge together but differ in name The unity is said to be the mystery The highest goodness resembles water Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders Water greatly benefits myriad things without contention Chapter 2 It stays in places that people dislike Therefore it is similar to the Tao When the world knows beauty as beauty, ugliness arises Dwelling with the right location When it knows good as good, evil arises Feeling with great depth Giving with great kindness Thus: Speaking with great integrity being and non-being produce each other Governing with great administration Difficult and easy bring about each other Handling with great capability Long and short reveal each other Moving with great timing High and low support each other Music and voice harmonize each other Because it does not contend Front and back follow each other It is therefore beyond reproach Therefore the sages: Manage the work of detached actions Chapter 9 Conduct the teaching of no words They work with myriad things but do not Holding a cup and overfilling it control Cannot be as good as stopping short They create but do not possess Pounding a blade and sharpening it They act but do not presume Cannot be kept for long They succeed but do not dwell on success It is because they do not dwell on success Gold and jade fill up the room That it never goes away No one is able to protect them Wealth and position bring arrogance And leave disasters upon oneself Chapter 4 When achievement is completed, fame is attained
Chapter 1 The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal name The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth The named is the mother of myriad things Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations These two emerge together but differ in name The unity is said to be the mystery Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders Chapter 2 When the world knows beauty as beauty, ugliness arises When it knows good as good, evil arises Thus: being and non-being produce each other Difficult and easy bring about each other Long and short reveal each other High and low support each other Music and voice harmonize each other Front and back follow each other Therefore the sages: Manage the work of detached actions Conduct the teaching of no words They work with myriad things but do not control They create but do not possess They act but do not presume They succeed but do not dwell on success It is because they do not dwell on success That it never goes away Chapter 4 The Tao is empty When utilized, it is not filled up So deep! It seems to be the source of all things It blunts the sharpness Unravels the knots Dims the glare Mixes the dusts So indistinct! It seems to exist I do not know whose offspring it is Its image is the predecessor of the Emperor Chapter 8 The highest goodness resembles water Water greatly benefits myriad things without contention It stays in places that people dislike Therefore it is similar to the Tao Dwelling with the right location Feeling with great depth Giving with great kindness Speaking with great integrity Governing with great administration Handling with great capability Moving with great timing Because it does not contend It is therefore beyond reproach Chapter 9 Holding a cup and overfilling it Cannot be as good as stopping short Pounding a blade and sharpening it Cannot be kept for long Gold and jade fill up the room No one is able to protect them Wealth and position bring arrogance And leave disasters upon oneself When achievement is completed, fame is attained
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