Cary Chan

第六十一章大国者下流，天下之交，天下之牝，牝常以静胜牡，以静为下。故大国以下小国，则取小国；小国以下大国，则取大国。故或下以取，或下而取。大国不过欲兼畜人，小国不过欲入事人。夫两者各得其所欲，大者宜为下。Chapter 61When a country obtains great power,it becomes like the sea:all streams run downward into it.The more powerful it grows,the greater the need for humility.Humility means trusting the Tao,thus never needing to be defensive.A great nation is like a great man:When he makes a mistake, he realizes it.Having realized it, he admits it.Having admitted it, he corrects it.He considers those who point out his faults as his most benevolent teachers.He thinks of his enemyas the shadow that he himself casts.If a nation is centered in the Tao,if it nourishes its own peopleand doesn't meddle in the affairs of others,it will be a light to all nations in the world.

第六十章治大国，若烹小鲜。以道莅天下，其鬼不神；非其鬼不神，其神不伤人；非其神不伤人，圣人亦不伤人。夫两不相伤，故德交归焉。Chapter 60Governing a large countryis like frying a small fish.You spoil it with too much poking.Center your country in the Taoand evil will have no power.Not that it isn't there,but you'll be able to step out of its way.Give evil nothing to opposeand it will disappear by itself.

第五十九章治人事天，莫若啬。夫唯啬，是谓早服；早服谓之重积德；重积德则无不克，无不克则莫知其极；莫知其极，可以有国；有国之母，可以长久。是谓深根固柢，长生久视之道。Chapter 59For governing a country wellthere is nothing better than moderation.The mark of a moderate manis freedom from his own ideas.Tolerant like the sky,all-pervading like sunlight,firm like a mountain,supple like a tree in the wind,he has no destination in viewand makes use of anythinglife happens to bring his way.Nothing is impossible for him.Because he has let go,he can care for the people's welfareas a mother cares for her child.

第五十八章其政闷闷，其民淳淳；其政察察，其民缺缺。祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏。孰知其极？其无正，正复为奇，善复为妖，人之迷，其日固久。是以圣人方而不割，廉而不刿，直而不肆，光而不耀。Chapter 58If a country is governed with tolerance,the people are comfortable and honest.If a country is governed with repression,the people are depressed and crafty.When the will to power is in charge,the higher the ideals, the lower the results.Try to make people happy,and you lay the groundwork for misery.Try to make people moral,and you lay the groundwork for vice.Thus the Master is contentto serve as an exampleand not to impose her will.She is pointed, but doesn't pierce.Straightforward, but supple.Radiant, but easy on the eyes.

第五十七章以正治国，以奇用兵，以无事取天下。吾何以知其然哉？以此。天下多忌讳，而民弥贫；民多利器，国家滋昏；人多技巧，奇物滋起；法令滋彰，盗贼多有。故圣人云：“我无为而民自化，我好静而民自正，我无事而民自富，我无欲而民自朴。”Chapter 57If you want to be a great leader,you must learn to follow the Tao.Stop trying to control.Let go of fixed plans and concepts,and the world will govern itself.The more prohibitions you have,the less virtuous people will be.The more weapons you have,the less secure people will be.The more subsidies you have,the less self-reliant people will be.Therefore the Master says:I let go of the law,and people become honest.I let go of economics,and people become prosperous.I let go of religion,and people become serene.I let go of all desire for the common good,and the good becomes common as grass.

第五十六章知者不言，言者不知。塞其兑，闭其门，挫其锐，解其纷，和其光，同其尘，是谓玄同。故不可得而亲，不可得而疏；不可得而利，不可得而害；不可得而贵，不可得而贱。故为天下贵。Chapter 56Those who know don't talk.Those who talk don't know.Close your mouth,block off your senses,blunt your sharpness,untie your knots,soften your glare,settle your dust.This is the primal identity.Be like the Tao.It can't be approached or withdrawn from,benefited or harmed,honored or brought into disgrace.It gives itself up continually.That is why it endures.

第五十五章含德之厚，比于赤子。毒虫不螫，猛兽不据，攫鸟不搏。骨弱筋柔而握固。未知牝牡之合而脧作，精之至也。终日号而不嗄，和之至也。知和曰常，知常曰明，益生曰祥，心使气曰强。物壮则老，谓之不道，不道早已。Chapter 55He who is in harmony with the Taois like a newborn child.Its bones are soft, its muscles are weak,but its grip is powerful.It doesn't know about the unionof male and female,yet its penis can stand erect,so intense is its vital power.It can scream its head off all day,yet it never become hoarse,so complete is its harmony.The Master's power is like this.He lets all things come and goeffortlessly, without desire.He never expects results;thus he is never disappointed.He is never disappointed;thus his spirit never grows old.

第五十四章善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以祭祀不辍。 修之于身，其德乃真；修之于家，其德乃余；修之于乡，其德乃长；修之于国，其德乃丰；修之于天下，其德乃普。故以身观身，以家观家，以乡观乡，以国观国，以天下观天下。吾何以知天下然哉？以此。Chapter 54Whoever is planted in the Taowill not be rooted up.Whoever embraces the Taowill not slip away.Her name will be held in honorfrom generation to generation.Let the Tao be present in your lifeand you will become genuine.Let it be present in your familyand your family will flourish.Let it be present in your countryand your country will be an exampleto all countries in the world.Let it be present in the universeand the universe will sing.How do I know this is true?By looking inside myself.

第五十三章使我介然有知，行于大道，唯施是畏。大道甚夷，而民好径。朝甚除，田甚芜，仓甚虚；服文彩，带利剑，厌饮食，财货有余。是为盗夸。非道也哉﹗Chapter 53The great Way is easy,yet people prefer the side paths.Be aware when things are out of balance.Stay centered within the Tao.When rich speculators prosperWhile farmers lose their land;when government officials spend money on weapons instead of cures;when the upper class is extravagant and irresponsible while the poor have nowhere to turn.All this is robbery and chaos.It is not in keeping with the Tao.

第五十二章天下有始，以为天下母。既得其母，以知其子；既知其子，复守其母，没身不殆。塞其兑，闭其门，终身不勤；开其兑，济其事，终身不救。见小曰明，守柔曰强。用其光，复归其明，无遗身殃，是为习常。Chapter 52In the beginning was the Tao.All things issue from it;all things return to it.To find the origin,trace back the manifestations.When you recognize the childrenand find the mother,you will be free of sorrow.If you close your mind in judgementsand traffic with desires,your heart will be troubled.If you keep your mind from judgingand aren't led by the senses,your heart will find peace.Seeing into darkness is clarity.Knowing how to yield is strength.Use your own lightand return to the source of light.This is called practicing eternity.

第五十一章道生之，德畜之，物形之，势成之。是以万物莫不尊道而贵德。道之尊，德之贵，夫莫之命而常自然。故道生之，德畜之。长之育之，亭之毒之，养之覆之。生而不有，为而不恃， 长而不宰。是谓玄德。Chapter 51Every being in the universeis an expression of the Tao.It springs into existence,unconscious, perfect, free,takes on a physical body,lets circumstances complete it.That is why every beingspontaneously honors the Tao.The Tao gives birth to all beings,nourishes them, maintains them,cares for them, comforts them, protects them, takes them back to itself,creating without possessing,acting without expecting,guiding without interfering.That is why love of the Taois in the very nature of things.

第五十章出生入死。生之徒，十有三；死之徒，十有三；人之生，动之死地，亦十有三。夫何故？以其生生之厚。盖闻善摄生者，陆行不遇兕虎，入军不被甲兵；兕无所投其角，虎无所措其爪，兵无所容其刃。夫何故？以其无死地。Chapter 50The Master gives himself upto whatever the moment brings.He knows that he is going to die,and he has nothing left to hold on to:no illusions in his mind,no resistances in his body.He doesn't think about his actions;they flow from the core of his being.He holds nothing back from life;therefore he is ready for death,as a man is ready for sleepafter a good day's work.

第四十九章圣人无常心，以百姓心为心。善者吾善之，不善者吾亦善之，德善。信者吾信之，不信者，吾亦信之，德信。圣人在天下怵怵，为天下浑其心，百姓皆注其耳目，圣人皆孩之。Chapter 49The Master has no mind of her own.She works with the mind of the people.She is good to people who are good.She is also good to people who aren't good.This is true goodness.She trusts people who are trustworthy.She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy.This is true trust.The Master's mind is like space.People don't understand her.They look to her and wait.She treats them like her own children.

第四十八章为学日益，为道日损，损之又损，以至于无为，无为而无不为。取天下常以无事，及其有事，不足以取天下。Chapter 48In pursuit of knowledge,every day something is added.In the practice of the Tao,every day something is dropped.Less and less do you need to force things,until finally you arrive at non-action.When nothing is done,nothing is left undone.True mastery can be gainedby letting things go their own way.It can't be gained by interfering.

第四十七章不出户，知天下；不窥牖，见天道。其出弥远，其知弥少。是以圣人不行而知，不见而名，不为而成。Chapter 47Without opening your door,you can open your heart to the world.Without looking out your window,you can see the essence of the Tao.The more you know,the less you understand.The Master arrives without leaving,sees the light without looking,achieves without doing a thing.

第四十六章天下有道，却走马以粪。 天下无道，戎马生于郊。罪莫大于可欲；祸莫大于不知足；咎莫大于欲得。故知足之足，常足矣。Chapter 46When a country is in harmony with the Tao,the factories make trucks and tractors.When a country goes counter to the Tao,warheads are stockpiled outside the cities.There is no greater illusion than fear,no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself,no greater misfortune than having an enemy.Whoever can see through all fearwill always be safe.

第四十五章大成若缺，其用不弊。大盈若冲，其用不穷。大直若屈，大巧若拙，大辩若讷。躁胜寒，静胜热。清静为天下正。Chapter 45True perfection seems imperfect,yet it is perfectly itself.True fullness seems empty,yet it is fully present.True straightness seems crooked.True wisdom seems foolish.True art seems artless.The Master allows things to happen.She shapes events as they come.She steps out of the wayand lets the Tao speak for itself.

第四十四章名与身孰亲？身与货孰多？得与亡孰病？ 是故甚爱必大费，多藏必厚亡，知足不辱，知止不殆，可以长久。Chapter 44Fame or integrity: which is more important?Money or happiness: which is more valuable?Success or failure: which is more destructive?If you look to others for fulfillment,you will never truly be fulfilled.If your happiness depends on money,you will never be happy with yourself.Be content with what you have;rejoice in the way things are.When you realize there is nothing lacking,the whole world belongs to you.

第四十三章天下之至柔，驰骋天下之至坚。无有入无间，吾是以知无为之有益。不言之教，无为之益，天下稀及之。Chapter 43The gentlest thing in the worldovercomes the hardest thing in the world.That which has no substanceenters where there is no space.This shows the value of non-action.Teaching without word,performing without actions:that is the Master's way.

第四十二章道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物。万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和。人之所恶，唯孤、寡、不谷，而王公以为称。故物或损之而益，或益之而损。人之所教，我亦教之。强梁者不得其死，吾将以为教父。Chapter 42The Tao gives birth to One.One gives birth to Two.Two gives birth to Three.Three gives birth to all things.All things have their backs to the female and stand facing the male.When male and female combine,all things achieve harmony.Ordinary men hate solitude.But the Master makes use of it,embracing his aloneness, realizinghe is one with the whole universe.