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Shelters； comforts； and makes a home for us。
Making without controlling；
Giving without demanding；
Guiding without interfering；
Helping without profiting；
This is love。
52
Restraint
The origins of the World are its mother；
Know the mother； and you understand the child；
Know the child； and you embrace the mother；
Who shall not perish when you die。
Reserve your judgments and words
And you maintain your influence；
Draw conclusions and speak your mind
And your cause is lost。
As seeing detail is clarity；
So maintaining tact is strength；
Keep your eyes and mind open
So that you may not regret your actions；
This is restraint。
53
Distractions
With but a small understanding
One may follow Tao like a main road；
Fearing only to leave it；
Following a main road is easy；
But being sidetracked is also easy。
When palaces are kept up
Fields are left to weeds
And granaries empty。
Wearing fine clothes；
Bearing sharp swords；
Glutting with food and drink；
Hoarding wealth and possessions …
These are the ways of theft
And deviation from Tao。
54
Go by Love
Love does not think of love
For this reason is it strong；
It does not act；
Yet leaves nothing undone。
Desire is intent upon love
For this reason is it weak；
It always acts；
Yet gets nothing done。
Nurture love in the Self； and love will be genuine；
Nurture love in the family； and love will be abundant；
Nurture love in the community； and love will multiply；
Nurture love in the culture； and love will flourish；
Nurture love in the World； and love will be ubiquitous。
Therefore：
Judge a person by their love；
Judge a family by its love；
Judge a community by its love；
Judge a culture by its love；
Judge the World by its love。
How can I know the love of the World？
By judging my Self。
55
Love and Nature
Who is filled with love is like a newborn。
Wasps will not sting him；
Tigers will not eat him；
Hawks will not tear out his eyes。
His bones are soft； yet his sinews are supple；
So his grip is strong；
He has no wife； yet his manhood is healthy；
So his vigour is unspoiled；
He sings all day yet his voice remains sweet
So his harmony is perfect。
To approach Nature is to know harmony；
To acheive Nature is to be enlightened；
But to surpass Nature invites calamity
For emotion will burst the lungs
And exhaustion will age the heart；
The light that burns twice as bright
Burns half as long。
56
Impartiality。
He who knows does not speak；
He who speaks does not know。
Reserve your judgments and words；
Dull your wit and simplify your purpose；
Be humble as earth and a part of Nature。
In this way
Friendship and enmity；
Profit and loss；
Honour and disgrace；
Will not affect you。
The impartial Self is of most benefit to the World。
57
Government
A nation is best governed by innocence；
A war is best waged by treachery；
The World is best controlled by inaction；
Why？
Because：
The more property and taxes there are；
The more poverty prevails；
The more guns and knives there are；
The more chaos prevails；
The more arts and sciences there are；
The more deceit prevails；
The more rules and regulations there are；
The more theft prevails。
Therefore the sage says：
I take no action； and the people become civilized；
I wage no war； and the people become just；
I transact no business； and the people become wealthy；
I have no desire； and the people become innocent。
58
Be Forgiving
When government is lazy and blunt
The people are kind and honest；
When government is efficient and severe
The people are discontented and deceitful。
Misery may yield happiness；
Happiness may conceal misery。
Who can say which will be for the best？
Nothing is straightforward。
Honesty is ever corrupted；
Kindness is ever seduced；
Men have been like this for a long time。
So the sage is firm but not cutting；
Pointed but not piercing；
Straight but not inflexible；
Brilliant but not blinding。
59
Restraint
Manage a great nation
As you would cook a delicate fish。
When directing men to a purpose
The sage is restrained；
Restraint allows time to prepare and strengthen；
To build loving relationships；
With sufficient strength and love all resistance is overcome；
When all resistance is overcome one's purpose is acheived。
Who can acheive his purpose is able to direct men
And his influence upon them long endures。
Deeply rooted and firmly established；
His vision lives on even after death。
60
Emotions
Because the sage follows Tao his emotions do no harm；
It is not that they lose their power
But that they do not hurt others；
Because they do not hurt others
He does not hurt others：
Because his emotions do no harm；
All his relations with people are loving。
61
International Relations
A nation acts as a hierarchy； a community； and a woman。
A woman seduces a man by being cool；
Being cool is a means of submission。
If a large country submits to a small country
It will seduce the small country；
If a small country submits to a large country
It will seduce the large country；
The large will submit in order to control
And the small will submit in order to prosper。
Therefore：
It is in the interests of a large country to give shelter；
And in the interests of a small country to give service；
If both would acheive their purposes；
Both must submit。
62
Sin
Tao is the source of all things；
The treasure of the saint；
And the refuge of the sinner。
Fine words win honour
And fine actions win respect；
But if a man sins； do not abandon him；
And if a man gains power； do not bribe him；
Just be calm and show accordance with Tao。
Why is Tao the treasure of the saint？
Because it absolves all sin。
Why is Tao the refuge of the sinner？
Because it is easily found when sought。
It is the most valuable gift。
63
Confront Difficulty
Practise no…action；
Attend to do…nothing；
Taste the flavorless；
Examine the small；
Multiply the few；
Return love for hate。
Deal with difficulty while it is yet easy；
Deal with the great while it is yet small；
The difficult develops naturally from the easy
And the great from the small；
So the sage； by dealing with the small
Acheives the great。
He who finds it easy to promise finds it hard to deliver；
He who takes things lightly makes things hard；
The sage confronts difficulty； and so has none。
64
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