Tao Te Ching
Written by Lao Tzu
Translated by S. Mitchell
Poems 41-60
41
When a superior man hears of the Tao, he immediately begins to embody
it. When an average man hears of the Tao, he half believes it, half doubts it. When a
foolish man hears of the Tao, he laughs out loud. If he didn't laugh, it wouldn't be the
Tao.
Thus it is said: The path into the light seems dark, the path forward
seems to go back, the direct path seems long, true power seems weak, true purity seems
tarnished, true steadfastness seems changeable, true clarity seems obscure, the greatest
are seems unsophisticated, the greatest love seems indifferent, the greatest wisdom seems
childish.
The Tao is nowhere to be found. Yet it nourishes and completes all
things.
42
The 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, realizing he is one with the whole universe.
43
The gentlest thing in the world overcomes the hardest thing in the
world. That which has no substance enters where there is no space. This shows the value of
non-action.
Teaching without words, performing without actions: that is the Master's
way.
44
Fame or integrity: which is more important? Money or happiness: which is
more valuable? Success of 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.
45
True 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 way and lets the Tao speak for itself.
46
When 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 fear will always be safe.
47
Without 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.
48
In 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 gained by letting things go their own way. It can't
be gained by interfering.
49
The 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.
50
The Master gives himself up to whatever the moment brings. He knows that
he is going to die, and her 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 sleep after a good day's work.
51
Every being in the universe is 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 being spontaneously 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
Tao is in the very nature of things.
52
In 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 children and find the mother, you will be free of sorrow.
If you close your mind in judgements and traffic with desires, your
heart will be troubled. If you keep your mind from judging and 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 light and return to the source of light. This is called practicing eternity.
53
The 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 prosper While 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.
54
Whoever is planted in the Tao will not be rooted up. Whoever embraces
the Tao will not slip away. Her name will be held in honor from generation to generation.
Let the Tao be present in your life and you will become genuine. Let it
be present in your family and your family will flourish. Let it be present in your country
and your country will be an example to all countries in the world. Let it be present in
the universe and the universe will sing.
How do I know this is true? By looking inside myself.
55
He who is in harmony with the Tao is like a newborn child. Its bones are
soft, its muscles are weak, but its grip is powerful. It doesn't know about the union of
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 becomes hoarse, so complete is its harmony.
The Master's power is like this. He lets all things come and go
effortlessly, without desire. He never expects results; thus he is never disappointed. He
is never disappointed; thus his spirit never grows old.
56
Those 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.
57
If 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.
58
If 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 content to serve as an example and not to impose her
will. She is pointed, but doesn't pierce. Straightforward, but supple. Radiant, but easy
on the eyes.
59
For governing a country well there is nothing better than moderation.
The mark of a moderate man is 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 view and makes use of anything life happens to bring his
way.
Nothing is impossible for him. Because he has let go, he can care for
the people's welfare as a mother cares for her child.
60
Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with
too much poking.
Center your country in the Tao and 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 oppose and it will disappear by itself.
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