Still the two are the same； the secret andits manifestations came from the same ground； the same mould； but anywaysound different …
they're given different names where theyappear。
They can both be called the cosmic mystery；awesome deep
or rather more secret than so…called mystery。
There's the deeper mystery： the gate and doorwayfrom which issued all secret essences； yes； all subleties；
and the subtle mysterial opening homewards。
Call it the door mystery or golden secretof all life。
2
When the people of the world see beauty asbeauty；
the notion of ugliness pops up along withthat
And equally if every one recognize virtueas virtue； if they all know the good as good； the recognition of adjacentevil is wont to rise。
So： Being and not…yet…being interdepend ingrowth； grow out of another； they can produce each other。
And hard and easy interdepend in completion；
long and short interdepend。 They test eachother in contrast。
High and low determine one another and interdependor distinguish each other in position。 So it seems。
Pitch and mode give harmony to one another；tones； sound and voice interdepend in basic； functional harmony；
Front and back give sequence to one another。
The couples follow each other … interdependin company； so to speak。
From this the wise man relies on doing nothingin the open； it's wu…wei。 And he spreads doctrines without true or falsewords； by oddly wordless influence。
All things appear； and he hardly turns awayfrom the creatures worked on by him：
Some he gives solid； good life； he hardlydisowns his chosen ones。
He hardly takes possession of anyone underfair conditions。
He rears his sons in earthly ways； but neitherappropriates nor lays blatant claim to any one。
He acts； but doesn't rely on his outer； visiblesmartness or miracle…working ability。 He very often claims no credit。
At times he controls them； but hardly leanson any of them。
Because he lays claim to no credit； the handycredit can hardly be taken away from him。
Yes； for the very reason that he hardly callsattention to what he does； he isn't ejected at once。
3
Stop looking for rare； moral persons （hsien）to put in power。
There will be jealousies among people； jealousiesand strife。
If we cease to set store by products thatare hard to get； there will be less outright thieves。
If the people never see such things as excitedesire； their hearts can remain placid and undisturbed。
Therefore the wise one rules by emptyingtheir hearts ＇like the clown＇。 He fills their bellies； weakens their brightnessand toughens their bones；
ever striving to make the people withoutknowledge。
He sees to it that if there are any who arebright and clever； they dare not interfere。
Through his non…do actions all ＇such subjection＇runs well ＇for some time＇。
4
Dao is like an empty vessel that yet canbe drawn from
without ever needing to be filled。
It's without bottom；
the very breeder of all things in the world。
In it all sharpness is blunted；
all tangles untied；
all glare tempered；
all turmoil smoothed。
It's like a deep pool that never dries。
Was it too the child of something else？
We can hardly tell。
A substanceless image of all things seemedto exist before the progenitor that we hardly know of。
5
The universe seems without mercy； quite ruthless；
in that wider perspective all things arebut as ritual straw dogs。
The wise man too is hard as nail； to himthe people are but as straw dogs to throw。
Yet heaven and earth and all that lies betweenis like a bellows；
empty； yet yielding a supply that hardlyfails。
Work it； and more comes out。
Whereas the force of words is soon spent。
It seems far better to keep what's in theheart。
So hold to the heart core and a regular mean。
6
The valley spirit never dies。
It's named the mystic woman。
And the gate of the profound woman is theroot that heaven and earth sprang from。
It's there within us all the while；
draw upon it as you will；
you can never wear it out。
7
Heaven is always； the earth； too。
How can it be？
Well； they don't live only for themselves；
that's why they live long。
So the wise man puts himself last； and findshimself in the foremost place；
puts himself in the background； yet alwayscomes to the fore。
He keeps well fit； looks on his body almostas accidental； outer； something to be well taken care of；
still it always there； and always remains。He remains in the open by it； too。
He hardly strives for great personal ends；
his main ends seem fulfilled。
8
The highest good is like that of water。
The goodness of water is that it benefitsthe ten thousand creatures； yet itself hardly ever scrambles …
it seems quite content with the places thatall men disdain。
It's this that can make water so near tosome dao。
And if men think the ground the best placefor building a house upon；
if among thoughts they value those that areprofound；
if in friendship they value gentleness；
in words； truth； or sincere faithfulness；
in government； ＇bugbear＇ order；
in deeds： competence； ability； effectiveness；
in actions： timeliness and being properlytimed …
In each case it's because they prefer thingsthat hardly lead to strife； and therefore hardly go much astray or amiss。
9
Stretch a bow to the full； and you'll endup wishing you'd stopped in time； to hold and fill to overflowing isn'tquite as able as to stop in time。
Temper a sword…edge to its very sharpest；and you'll find it soon grows dull。
When gold and jade fills your hall； can itbe well guarded any more？
To be proud with things and glory given；could bring ruin。 Wealth and place breed insolence and could slowly harmand ruin：
If your work is done； withdraw！
That's heaven's way。 It can be opposed tolots of ways of man。
10
Can you keep the unquiet physical…soul fromstraying； hold fast to the unity and middle； and never quit it？
Can you； when concentrating your breath；make it soft like that of an infant？
Strive after less tainted perfection； letit be aided by penetrating insight。 So wipe and cleanse your vision ofthe mystery till all is without blur。
Can you love the people and rule the land；yet remain unknown？
Can you in opening and shutting the heavenlygates； ever play the feminine part？
Can your mind penetrate every corner of theland； but you yourself never interfere？ Can you renounce the grosser mindfor comprehending all inside knowledge？
Produce things and rear well；
but never lay claims to such things …
control them； never lean upon them。
Rely on some innate ability to act well。
Be a sort of master among others； just refrainfrom mismanaging。
Here is found the essence of dao might； itsdeep； mystic virtue。
11
We put thirty spokes together and call ita wheel； but it's on the space where there's nothing that the usefulnessof the wheel depends。
We turn clay to make a vessel； but it's onthe space where there's nothing that the usefulness of the vessel depends。
We pierce and cut out doors and windows tomake a house；
and it's on these spaces where there's nothingthat the usefulness of the house depends。
Take advantage of what is； turn existinginto a great advantage： just make as much as you can out of it here。
Feel free to recognise the possible usefulnessof whats not yet here。 Prosper by clever use of something not yet。
12
The five colours tend to confuse the eye；
the five sounds of music can deafen the ear；
the five tastes all dull or spoil the palate。
Excess of hunting and chasing makes a mindgo mad。
Things hard to get； keeps one on one's guard。Valuable things and products quite hard to get； can impede their owner'sprogress。
So the wise man is concerned with his tummybefore his eyes。 He can consider the tummy first； not the eye。 That is：He disregards the world outside … 〃that〃； and he accepts； goes for andin the end grabs the supernormal powers dormant within … his daoist 〃this〃。Therefore he rejects the one but accepts the other。
13
Be glad for favour。 Still receive favouror disgrace with regular apprehension。
Be cautious not to lose the winning sortof favour。 Lower favour and disgrace can cause one dismay；
We can have fears because we have a self。Yet what we value and what we fear are as if within that inner sanctimoniumself。〃
What does this mean：
〃Favour and disgrace can cause one dismay？
Those who receive favour from above are dismayedwhen they receive it。
And should they lose it they turn distraught。
What does this mean：
〃What we value and what we fear are as ifwithin our serious self？〃
Regard great trouble as seriously as youregard the body。 One reason that we suffer hurt is that we have bodies。
When we don't regard that gross body as ＇mostimportant aspect of self； what have we to fear？ ＇Lao tse。＇
And