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Bad harvests follow big wars。
Be firm and that is all：
Dare not rely on force
Be firm but not haughty；
Firm but not boastful；
Firm but not proud：
Firm when necessary；
Firm but non…violent。
Things that flourish
Fall into decay。
This is not…Tao；
And what is not…Tao soon ends。
31
Fine weapons are tools of ill fortune；
All things seem to hate them。
Whoever has Tao does not depend on them。
At home a gentleman favors the left；
In war he favors the right。
Since weapons are tools of ill fortune；
They are not the tools for a gentleman；
Who uses them only from necessity。
Peace and quiet he upholds；
Victory he does not enjoy。
To enjoy victory is to like slaughter。
Whoever likes it
Cannot thrive beneath heaven。
Things of good omen favor the left；
Things of ill omen favor the right。
The under…general stands to the left；
The top…general stands to the right：
The way to stand at a burial rite。
Killing multitudes brings weeping and sorrow；
Treat victory like a funeral。
32
Tao is always without a name；
Simple and small。
Beneath…heaven dares no subject it。
If kings and barons can hold to it；
The ten thousand things will pay homage。
Heaven and earth will mutually join
And sweet dew will fall。
Not by law but of themselves
The people will stay in balance。
When law and order arose；
Names appeared。
Aren't there enough already？
Is it not time to stop？
To know when to stop
Is to be free from danger。
Tao is to all beneath heaven
As rivers and seas are to rivulets and streams。
33
Whoever knows others has wisdom；
Whoever knows himself has insight。
Whoever conquers others has force；
Whoever conquers himself has strength。
Whoever knows he has enough has wealth。
Whoever perseveres has purpose。 Whoever keeps to one place endures。
Whoever dies without perishing lives long。
34
The great Tao flow everywhere：
It can go to the right or the left。
The ten thousand things draw life from it；
And it does not deny them。
It completes its work
But takes no title。
It clothes and feeds the ten thousand things；
But does not own them。
You can call it small。
The ten thousand things return to it；
But it does not own them。
You can call it great。
Because it does not seek to be great；
Its greatness is accomplished。
35
Hold to the great symbol：
All beneath heaven will follow；
Follow without harm；
Quiet； even； secure。
Music and dainties
Make passing guests pause。
But Tao is bland and without taste。
Looked at； it can't be seen；
Listened to； it can't be heard；
Used； it can't be used up。
36
What is going to shrink has first been stretched。
What is going to weaken has first been made strong。
What is going to be ruined has first been raised up。
What is going to be taken away has first been given。
Call this the subtle truth：
The soft and weak conquer the hard and strong。
Fish should not leave the depths；
Neither should weapons of state ever be aired。
37
Tao never does anything；
And everything gets done。
If rulers can keep to it；
The ten thousand things will changes of themselves。
Changed； things may start to stir。
Quiet them with the namelessly simple；
Which alone will bring no…desire。
No…desire： then there is peace；
And beneath…heaven will settle down of itself。
38
High virtue is not virtuous；
Therefore it has virtue。
Low virtue is always virtuous；
Therefore it has no virtue。
High virtue does nothing
And has no ulterior ends。
Low virtue does something；
Also has ulterior ends。
High ceremony does something；
And when it gets no response
It rolls up its sleeves and takes to force。
When Tao is lost； there is virtue。
When virtue is lost； there is humaneness。
When humaneness is lost； there is morality。
When morality is lost there is ceremony。
Now ceremony is the shell
Of loyalty and trust
And the beginning of befuddlement。
As to foreknowledge；
It is a blossomy path
And the beginning of folly。
Therefore；
The fulfilled man holds to
The solid rather than the shell；
The fruit rather than the blossom。
He avoids the outward； accepts the inward。
39
From of old； there are those who reached oneness：
Heaven reached oneness and became clear；
Earth reached oneness and became tranquil；
The spirits reached oneness and became mystic；
The valleys reached oneness and became full；
The ten thousand things reached oneness and became potent；
Barons and kings reached oneness and became sovereign。
Did they not all become so through oneness？
If heaven were not clear；
It probably would crack；
If earth were not tranquil；
It probably would quake。
If spirits were not mystic；
They would probably desist。
If the valleys were not full；
They probably would die out。
If the thousand things were not potent；
They probably would die off。
If barons and kings were not sovereign；
They probably would fall。
Indeed；
The great has its roots in the humble；
The high has its foundations upon the low。
Barons and kings call themselves
The orphaned； the lonely； the unworthy：
Do they not have their roots in the humble？
Truly； the parts of a cart are not the cart。
Do not shine like jade
Or sound like stone chimes。
40
Returning is the motion of Tao；
Softness is the utility of Tao。
All things in heaven and earth
Are born of being；
Being is born of non…being。
41
When a superior man hears about Tao；
He goes after it diligently。
When an average man hears about Tao；
He both gets it and loses it。
When an inferior man hears about Tao；
He laughs loudly at it。
If he did not laugh；
It would not be Tao。
There is an old saying：
The bright way looks dark；
The forward way looks backward；
The smooth way looks rough；
High virtue looks low；
Great whiteness looks defiled。
Broad virtue looks deficient；
Solid virtue looks illicit；
Simple virtue looks decayed。
Great space has no corners。
Great talent ripens late。
Great music is out of key。
The great symbol is out of shape。
Tao is without name and hidden。
Hence Tao helps and completes。
42
Tao bore one； one bore two； two bore three；
Three bore the ten thousand things。
The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang；
Whose blending breaths makes them harmonize。
Men hate to be
Orphaned； lowly； unworthy；
Yet barons and kings
Use these names as titles。
Indeed；
You may gain by losing；
And you may lose by gaining。
What others have taught； I also teach：
Men of violence come to