28 March 2024

Consider the beginning



Do the not-doing.
Practice the not-practising
Taste the not-tasting.
Make great the small
render many the few.

Respond to hatred with virtue.

Contemplate a difficulty while it is easy.
Manage a great thing while it is small.
The world's difficult affairs surely arise from easiness.
The world's great affairs surely originate from smallness.

Therefore the holy man to the end not plays the great.
Therefore he can accomplish his greatness.

Now, as rash promises surely are lacking faith,
many things are easy,
surely many things will be difficult
Therefore the holy man even difficult it.
Therefore to the end he has not difficulties.




 

23 March 2024

Practise reason



The rational man the ten thousand things their asylum,
the good man their treasure,
the not-good man's that which he holds fats to.

Beautiful words one can thereby sell.
Noble deeds one can thereby accomplish more with the people.

A man his not-goodness why thrown away he is?
Therefore was elected heaven's son
were appointed three ministers.

Though having reverently in hand as a screen
thereto riding with four horses,
not equalled by sitting still propounding this reason?

The ancient their reason why they esteemed this reason, that is:
What, indeed?
Is it not say that if sought then it is obtained?
He who has sin thereby can be saved?
Therefore it becomes the world's honor.


 

20 March 2024

Humility's virtue




A great state, one that downwards flows,
the empire's union,
the empire's wife.

The female always by quietude conquers the male,
by quietude she makes lowly,
thus a great state by stooping to small states,
on that account conquers the smaller states.
Smaller states by stooping to great states,
on that account conquer great states.

Therefore some stoop to conquer,
others stoop and conquer.

Great states not more wish to unite feed the people.
Small states not more wish to enter to serve the people.
Now both ones, each one in its way gain
they that which they wish.
the greater one properly must make itself lower.






 

18 March 2024

To maintain one's position

 



Govern a great state as one fries small fish.
With reason one governs the emprie
its ghosts not spook.
Not only its ghosts not spook
its gods not harm the people.
Not only its gods not harm the people
the holy man also not harms the people
Since both of them not mutually harm:
therefore virtue unitedly returns hereto.



16 March 2024

To keep reason




In governing the people,
in attending to heaven,
nothing surpasses moderation.
Now consider only moderation:
This is called early habit.
Early acquisition is called its heaping accumulating virtue.
By heaping accumulating virtue
then nothing not can be overcome.

Nothing not can be overcome,
then no one knows his limit.
No one knows his limit,
one can thereby possess the state.
Possesses the state's mother,
he can thereby be lasting enduring
This is called having deep roots a staunch stem.
Of long life lasting insight
the way.







13 March 2024

Adaptation to change

 



One's administration is unostentatious, unostentatious
one's people are simple, simple.
One's administration is prying, prying
one's people are needy, needy.
Misery alas! happiness's place it supports.
Happiness alas! misery's place it conceals.
Who knows its limits?
It not ceases.

The normal in turn becomes abnormal.
The good in turn becomes unlucky.
The people's confusion!
It daily assuredly since long.

Therefore the holy man is square yet not he injures
angular yet not he hurts
upright yet not strict
bright yet not shining.












12 March 2024

Simplicity in habit




With righteousness is administered the empire.
With craftiness is directed the army.
With non-diplomacy is taken the empire
I what-by know its being such, indeed?
It is this.

In the world the more restrictions prohibitions 
yet the people increasingly become poor.
The people the more sharp weapons, 
the state the more and more is confused.
The people  the more artful cunning,
abnormal things the more and more occur.
Laws orders the more and more made manifest,
robbers thieves the more appear.

Therefore the holy man says:
I not doing,
and the people of themselves reform.
I love quietude and the people of themselves are righteous.
I not-doing business,
and the people of themselves become rich.
I not having desires,
and the people of themselves are simple.