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
Thus excessive love must lead to great spending Excessive hoarding must lead to heavy loss Knowing contentment avoids disgrace Knowing when to stop avoids danger Thus one can endure indefinitely Chapter 48 Pursue knowledge, daily gain Pursue Tao, daily loss Loss and more loss Until one reaches unattached action With unattached action, there is nothing one cannot do Take the world by constantly applying The one who interferes is not qualified to take the world Chapter 57 Use justice to rule a country Use surprise to wage war. Use non-action to govern the world. How do I know it so? As for the world, The more restrictions there are, The poorer the people will be. The more sharp weapons people have in a country, The bigger the disorder will be. The more clever and cunning people are, The stranger the events will be. The more laws and commands there are, The more thieves and robbers there will be. Therefore the sages says: I do not act, And people become reformed by themselves. I am at peace, and people become fair by themselves. I do not interfere, And people become rich by themselves. I have no desire to desire, And people become like the uncarved wood by themselves. Chapter 68 The great generals are not warlike The great warriors do not get angry Those who are good at defeating enemies do not engage them Those who are good at managing people lower themselves It is called the virtue of non-contention It is called the power of managing people It is called being harmonious with Heaven The ultimate principle of the ancients Chapter 81 True words are not pleasing. Pleasing words are not true. Those who are right do not argue. Those who argue are not right. Those who know are not learned. Those who are learned do not know. The sage does not hoard. The more he does for others, The more he has. The more he thereby gives to others. The ever more he gets. Heaven's Way Is to benefit and not to harm. The sage's Way Is to act and not to contend.