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Dao is thought up as the mysterious secretof the universe； it could be the storehouse of 〃all things〃； like the pivotalworship centre in the south…west corner in the ＇old Chinese＇ house。 It'sthe good man's treasure and the bad man's support and resort。
Fine words can buy honour； fine sayings canbe sold。 Fine deeds can win respect from others。 The best conduct is agift。 Persons of noble； grave demeanour are accepted as gifts。
Even if a man is bad； when has （dao） rejectedhim？ Why reject bad people ＇the winners of tomorrow if all goes fine＇？Even the bad let slip no opportunity to acquire gifts that fit them wellenough。
Therefore on the crowning of an emperor andappointing his three ministers of the state； rather than send ta disc ofjade and teams of four horses； sit down and deliver this dao。 It can bedone without moving from one's seat。
What did the old ones say of this dao； howdid they prize it？ Why did they treasure such dao？
Did they not say of those that have it 〃Pursuing；they shall catch； pursued； they shall escape？〃 Or； 〃Search for the guiltyones and pardon them？〃 Or； 〃Those who seek shall have it； those who sinshall be freed〃？
They thought ＇common＇ dao to be the mostprecious； the treasure of the world。
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Succeed in the magician's wu…wei： Accomplishseemingly do…nothing。
Attend seemingly to no…affairs。 And do completelywithout ado。 What runs； acts without action； does without doing；
So let's taste without tasting。 Taste theflavourless。 Taste the flavourless without tasting。 Find flavourless flavour。
Whether it's big or small； many or few； requitehatred with virtue。
Dao can make the small great and the fewmany； can requite injuries with some decent deeds。 But prepare for thehard while it's still easy。 Deal with it while it's still easy。 Deal withthe great or big while it's still small。
In governing your kingdom everything hardmust be dealt with while it's still easy。 The hard has to be dealt withwhile still very easy。 All the great （ones and great problems） of the worldare to be dealt with while they're yet small。 Everything great must bedealt with while it's still small。
Therefore the wise man never has to deal withthe great； and so gets greatness。 He never strives for the great； by thisthe great is had。
So great undertakings shall start with what'ssmall。
But again 〃Who makes rash promises surelylacks。 Who lightly makes a promise； can find it too hard to keep his faith。And light assent inspires little confidence。 Who takes things very easilyis surely in for dealing with more difficulty in the end。 So 〃many easies〃means many a hard。 In other words； who makes light of many things shouldfind many difficulties。
From all this even the wise man regards thingsas hard； but he also knows how to make the easy difficult。 For that reasonhe very seldom meets with difficulties。＇Uha。＇
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What remains placid is quite easy to hold。
Not determined happenings can be preparedfor well in advance。 Before there has been an omen it's easy to lay plans。It's easy to forestall some things that don't are or not yet occur。 It'squite easy to plan for and prepare well in advance。
＇But such forestalling is had by thoughts；and thoughts are airy and can be tender and brittle； to say the least。＇And what's brittle is easy to crack。 What's tender is easily torn。 What'sbrittle like ice is easy to melt。 And what's tiny is easy to scatter。
＇All the same； reach up to＇ deal with thingsin their state of not…yet…being； deal with things well before they appear。Just put things well in shape before disorder and confusion。 Put all verywell in order before disorder； and next go on to check loss or disorderwell。 A tree as big as a man's hug grows from a tiny sprout。 A tower ninestoreys high begins with a clod of earth。 Further； the journey of threehundred miles began with 。。。 the feet。 A journey of a thousand li beginsright where one stands； even with the very first step。
Still； he who takes a ＇visible forestalling＇action fails。 Who acts； harms； he who grabs； lets slip。 And therefore thewise man doesn't act in the open； and so doesn't spoil or harm； yes； hetakes seemingly no action and therefore hardly fails。
And why is this？ It's due to： He who graspsthings ＇often＇ loses them。 He doesn't grasp a lot； he doesn't let slipa lot。 Does hardly grab in the open； and so doesn't let slip a lot。 Hegrasps nothing visibly to others； and therefore he doesn't lose much。 Whereaspeople in their handling of affairs often fail when they're about to succeedat their tasks。 Such people constantly spoil things when within an aceof completing them。
Be as careful at the end as at the start toavert failures at hand。 Then there will be no such failures。 Heed the endno less than the start； so that your valuable work will not be spoiledand ruined。
Therefore the wise man learns to seem unlearned；wants only things that are unwanted。 Yes； the wise man publicly desiresto have no desire。 Therefore the wise man desires no desire … and desiresall the same。
He doesn't often value rare treasures publicly。He hardly values objects hard to get or find … in public。 He says he learnsthat which is unlearned。 He claims he sets no store by products difficultto get； and so teaches things untaught。＇It's a trap。＇
But he also turns all beings back to thevery thing they have left behind； so that he can assist in the course ofnature somehow。 And if so； 〃the ten thousand creatures〃 can be restoredto their self…sameness； the self…so which is of ＇some＇ dao。 Yes； he supportsall things in some of their natural states。
This he does； but hardly presume to interfereall right。 He hardly dares to act in the open。 So he denies to take anyvisible action。
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In old times those who practised a dao well；did hardly aim to enlighten people； but to make them ignorant and holdthem that way。 It seems that the more knowledge people have； the harderthey are to rule。 Maybe it's hard for people to live in peace due to verymuch knowledge。
So he who rules the state through knowledgeis robber of the state； and who seek to rule by giving knowledge couldbe like ＇coming＇ bandits preying on the land。 Maybe all who seek to ruleby knowledge form the nation's curse； eventually。
He who rules a state not through knowledgeis a blessing。 Those who seek not to rule by knowledge； are the nation'sblessing。 To rule without giving knowledge could bring a stock of goodfortune to the land。＇And maybe not。＇
One who knows these two things also （sets）the standard。
Always to know such an old standard is calledto of the deep； secret calibre。
When such secret virtue becomes clear； outgoing；far…reaching； and lets things revert back to some guessed at source； allrelated things could return to some natural state。 It could go all theway back to ＇brutal＇ concord and harmony。
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How did the great rivers and seas becomethe kings of the ravines？ By being experts at keeping low。
Therefore to be above the people you haveto speak as though you're lower than the people in some ways。
So to be ahead of the people； you have tofollow them in your own per