Dao De Jing by Lao Zi (Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu): Chapters 61-81, Selected Translations, Commentary, Notes

Chapter 61 The Virtue of Humility, Stillness, Great States Need to Acquiesce, Passivity is Power

Chapter 62 Practicing the Dao, Practice Reason, Sitting Still and Reasoning, World Honored Tao

Chapter 63 A Consideration of Beginnings, Deal with the Great While it is Small, Do Without Doing,
Practice Non-Practice, Taste Without Tasting, Return Love for Hate, Difficult and Easy

Chapter 64 Consider the Insignificant, Don't Cling, The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step,
Remain Careful to the End, Great Things Have Humble Beginnings, Guard the Minute

Chapter 65 The Virtue of Simplicity, Effortless Excellence, Avoid Being Overly Clever

Chapter 66 Subordinate the Self, Put Yourself Last, Valley Streams Flow Downward

Chapter 67 Three Precious Things: Gentleness, Liberality, Humility; Three Precious Values: Compassion, Economy, Modesty

Chapter 69 The Function of the Mysterious (Dao), Act as a Guest with Reserve, Never Make Light of an Enemy

Chapter 70 Difficult to Understand, They Who Know Me Are Few, Hide Your Jewels, Easy to Know and Easy to Practice

Chapter 73 Avoiding Striving and Daring Actions, The Way of Heaven is Quiet, Heaven's Net is Vast

Chapter 75 Harmed Through Greed, Excessive Taxes, Avoid an Excessive Interest in Daily Affairs

Chapter 78 The Soft Overcomes the Hard, The Failed are Often Chosen, Paradoxes, Have Faith

Chapter 79 Meeting Your Obligations, Making Agreements, Patience in Collecting Debts

Chapter 81 The Nature of the Essential, Hidden Value, Propounding the Essential, The Manifestation of Simplicity

The Virtue of Humility, Stillness, Great States Need to Acquiesce, Passivity is Power, 謙德
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 61, by Lao Tzu

"A great state, one that lowly flows, becomes the empire's union, and the empire's wife.
The wife always through quietude conquers her husband, and by quietude renders herself lowly.
Thus a great state through lowliness toward small states will conquer the small states,
And small states through lowliness toward great states will conquer great states.
Therefore some render themselves lowly for the purpose of conquering;
Others are lowly and therefore conquer.
A great state desires no more than to unite and feed the people;
A small state desires no more than to devote itself to the service of the people;
Both may obtain their wishes, the greater one must stoop."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

"What makes a great state is its being like a low-lying, down-flowing stream;
It becomes the centre to which tend all the small states under heaven.
To illustrate from the case of all females:
The female always overcomes the male by her stillness.
Stillness may be considered a sort of abasement.
Thus it is that a great state, by condescending to small states, gains them for itself;
And that small states, by abasing themselves to a great state, win it over to them.
In the one case the abasement leads to gaining adherents, in the other case to procuring favor.
The great state only wishes to unite men together and nourish them;
A small state only wishes to be received by, and to serve, the other.
Each gets what it desires, but the great state must learn to abase itself."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

Practicing the Dao, Practice Reason, Sitting Still and Reasoning, World Honored Tao, 為道
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 62, by Lao Tzu

"The man of Reason is the ten thousand creatures' refuge, the good man's wealth, the bad man's stay.
With beautiful words one can sell.
With honest conduct one can do still more with the people.
If a man be bad, why should he be thrown away?
Therefore, an emperor was elected and three ministers appointed;
But better than holding before one's face the jade table of the ministry and riding with four horses,
Is sitting still and propounding the eternal Reason.
Why do the ancients prize this Reason?
Is it not, say, because when sought it is obtained and the sinner thereby can be saved?
Therefore it is world-honored."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

"Tao has of all things the most honored place.
No treasures give good men so rich a grace;
Bad men it guards, and doth their ill efface.
Its admirable words can purchase honor;
Its admirable deeds can raise their performer above others.
Even men who are not good are not abandoned by it.
Therefore when the sovereign occupies his place as the Son of Heaven,
And he has appointed his three ducal ministers,
Thought a prince were to send in a round symbol of rank large enough to fill both the hands,
And that as the precursor of the team of horses in the court-yard,
Such an offering would not be equal to a lesson of this Tao, which one might present on his knees.
Why was it that the ancients prized this Tao so much?
Was it not because it could be got by seeking for it, and the guilty could escape from the stain of their guilt by it?
This is the reason why all under heaven consider it the most valuable thing."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

A Consideration of Beginnings, Deal with the Great While it is Small, Do Without Doing,
Practice Non-Practice, Taste Without Tasting, Return Love for Hate, Difficult and Easy, 恩始
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 63, by Lao Tzu

"Do without "doing."
Get involved without manipulating.
Taste without tasting.
Make the great small,
The many, few.
Respond to anger with virtue.
Deal with difficulties while they are still easy.
Hand the great while it is still small.

The difficult problems in life
Always start off being simple.
Great affairs always start off being small.
Therefore the sage never deals with the great
And is able to actualize his greatness.

Now light words generate little belief,
Much ease turns into much difficulty.
Therefore the sage treats things as though they were difficult,
And hence, never has difficulty."
- Translated by Charles Mueller, 2004

"Practice no-action;
Attend to do-nothing;
Taste the flavorless,
Magnify the small,
Multiply the few,
Return love for hate.
Deal with the difficult 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,
Achieves the great."
- Translation by Peter A. Merel, 1992

"It is the way of the Tao to act without thinking of acting;
To conduct affairs without feeling the trouble of them;
To taste without discerning any flavor;
To consider what is small as great, and a few as many;
And to recompense injury with kindness.
The master of it anticipates things that are difficult while they are easy,
And does things that would become great while they are small.
All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy,
And all great things from one in which they were small.
Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things.
He who lightly promises is sure to keep but little faith;
He who is continually thinking things easy is sure to find them difficult.
Therefore the sage sees difficulty even in what seems easy, and so never has any difficulties."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"Act without considering it to be acting.
Work without considering it to be working.
Taste without considering it to be tasting.
Big or small, many or few - respond to complaints with virtue.
Plan for difficult times when they're still easy to change.
What becomes enormous was once something minute.
All the difficulties in the world arise from what was originally easy to change.
Everything enormous in the world arises from what was originally minute.
It's natural for the wise person to end up not having to act on what's become enormous, and therefore has the ability to achieve what's great.
You see, lightly making promises must show a lack of sincerity.
If many things are taken lightly, then many things will cause difficulty.
It's natural for a wise person to keep in touch with what might become difficult.
Therefore, he ends up without difficulties."
- Translation by Nina Correa, 2008

"Accomplish do-nothing.
Attend to no-affairs.
Taste the flavorless.
Whether it is big or small, many or few,
Requite hatred with virtue.
Deal with the difficult while yet it is easy;
Deal wit the big while yet it is small.
The difficult (problems) of the world
Must be dealt with while they are yet easy;
The great (problems) of the world
Must be dealt with while they are yet small.
Therefore the Sage by never dealing with great (problems)
Accomplishes greatness.
He who lightly makes a promise
Will find it often hard to keep his faith.
He who makes light of many things
Will encounter many difficulties.
Hence even the Sage regards things as difficult,
And for that reason never meets with difficulties."
- Translated by Lin Yutang, 1948

"Do that which consists in taking no action;
Pursue that which is not meddlesome;
Savor that which has no flavor.
Make the small big and the few many;
Do good to him who has done you an injury.
Lay plans for the accomplishment of the difficult before it becomes difficult;
Make something big by starting with it when small.
Difficult things in the world must needs have their beginnings in the easy;
Big things must needs have their beginnings in the small.
Therefore it is because the sage never attempts to be great that he succeeds in becoming great.
One who makes promises rashly rarely keeps good faith;
One who is in the habit of considering things easy meets with frequent difficulties.
Therefore even the sage treats some things as difficult.
That is why in the end no difficulties can get the better of him."
- Translated by D. C. Lau

"Do things non-coercively (wuwei),
Be non-interfering in going about your business (wushi),
And savor the flavor of the unadulterated in what you eat.Treat the small as great and the few as many.
Requite enmity with character (de).
Take account of the difficult while it is still easy,
And deal with the large while it is still tiny.
The most difficult things in the world originate with the easy,
And the largest issues originate with the tiny.
Thus, it is because the sages never try to do great things
That they are indeed able to be great.
One who makes promises lightly is sure to have little credibility;
One who finds everything easy is certain to have lots of difficulties.
Thus, it is because even the sages pay careful attention to such things
That they are always free of difficulties."
- Translated by Roger T. Ames and David L Hall, 2003

"Assert non-assertion.
Practice non-practice.
Taste the tasteless.
Make great the small.
Make much the little.
Requite hatred with virtue.
Contemplate a difficulty when it is easy.
Manage a great thing when it is small.
The world's most difficult undertakings necessarily originate while easy,
And the world's greatest undertakings necessarily originate while small.
Therefore the holy man to the end does not venture to play the great, and thus he can accomplish his greatness.
Rash promises surely lack faith, and many easy things surely involve in many difficulties.
Therefore, the holy man regards everything as difficult, and thus to the end encounters no difficulties."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

"Act without doing;
work without effort.
Think of the small as large
and the few as many.
Confront the difficult
while it is still easy;
accomplish the great task
by a series of small acts.
The Master never reaches for the great;
thus she achieves greatness.
When she runs into a difficulty,
she stops and gives herself to it.
She doesn't cling to her own comfort;
thus problems are no problem for her."
- Translated by Stephen Mitchell, 2006

Consider the Insignificant, Don't Cling, The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step,
Remain Careful to the End, Great Things Have Humble Beginnings, Guard the Minute, 守微
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 64, by Lao Tzu

"When sitting still, they are easy to hold down
No omens yet, it is easy to plan
When fragile, they are easy to break
When small, they are easy to scatter.
Work on it when it isn't yet
Put it in order when it is not yet disordered.
A tree you can barely get your arms around grows from a tiny shoot
A nine-story tower begins as a heap of earth
A thousand mile journey begins under your feet.
Working ruins, grasping loses.
The wise person does not work, so does not ruin
Does not grasp, so does not lose.
'When the people are engaged in some task,
They are always on the point of finishing when they ruin it.'
Careful at the end just as at the beginning,
Then there will be no ruining of the work.
The wise person desires to be desireless
Does not prize goods hard to come by
Learns to be un-learned
Turns back to the place all others have gone on from.
So as to help the naturalness
Of the thousands of things
Without presuming to be a worker."
- Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992

"It is easy to sustain what is at rest.
It is easy to plan for that of which there is not even a sign.
What is fragile is easily broken.
What is minute is easily dispersed.
Act upon it before it exists.
Regulate it before it becomes chaos.
A massive tree grows from a little sprout.
A nine-story building rises from a clod of earth.
A thousand fathoms begin with a single step.
Those who impose action upon it will fail.
Thos who cling to it will loose it.
So the sage, through non-action, does not fail.
Not clinging, he does not lose.
The common people's engagement in affairs fails prior to success.
So the saying goes,
"give as much careful attention to the end as to the beginning: then the affairs will not fail"
It is on that account that the sage desires not to desire and does not value goods that are hard to get.
He learns not to learn and restores the common people's losses.
He is able to support the nature of all things and , not by daring, to impose action."
- Translated by Edward Brennan and Tao Huang, 2002

"That which is at rest is easily kept hold of;
Before a thing has given indications of its presence, it is easy to take measures against it;
That which is brittle is easily broken;
That which is very small is easily dispersed.
Action should be taken before a thing has made its appearance;
Order should be secured before disorder has begun.
The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout;
The tower of nine stories rose from a small heap of earth;
The journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.
He who acts with an ulterior purpose does harm;
He who takes hold of a thing in the same way loses his hold.
The sage does not act so, and therefore does no harm;
He does not lay hold so, and therefore does not lose his bold.
But people in their conduct of affairs are constantly ruining them when they are on the eve of success.
If they were careful at the end, as they should be at the beginning, they would not so ruin them.
Therefore the sage desires what other men do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get;
He learns what other men do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed by.
Thus he helps the natural development of all things, and does not dare to act with an ulterior purpose of his own."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"What is still at rest is easily kept quiet.
What has not as yet appeared is easily prevented.
What is still feeble is easily broken.
What is still scant is easily dispersed.
Treat things before they exist.
Regulate things before disorder begins.
The stout tree has originated from a tiny rootlet.
A tower of nine stories is raised by heaping up bricks of clay.
A thousand miles' journey begins with a foot.
He that makes mars.
He that grasps loses.
The holy man does not make; therefore he mars not.
He does not grasp; therefore he loses not.
The people when undertaking an enterprise are always near completion, and yet they fail.
Remain careful to the end as in the beginning and you will not fail in your enterprise.
Therefore the holy man desires to be desireless, and does not prize articles difficult to obtain.
He learns, not to be learned, and seeks a home where multitudes of people pass by.
He assists the ten thousand things in their natural development, but he does not venture to interfere."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

Chapter 64 of the Dao De Jing by Laozi
Comments, Related Thoughts, Reflections

"Precisely the least, the softest, lightest, a lizard's rustling, a breath, a flash, a moment - a little makes the way of the best happiness."
- Frederich Nietzsche, Thus Spake Zarathustra

The Virtue of Simplicity, Effortless Excellence, Avoid Being Overly Clever, 淳德
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 65, by Lao Tzu

"The ancients who showed their skill in practicing the Tao did so, not to enlighten the people, but rather to make them simple and ignorant.
The difficulty in governing the people arises from their having much knowledge.
He who tries to govern a state by his wisdom is a scourge to it;
While he who does not try to do so is a blessing.
He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule.
Ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call the mysterious excellence of a governor.
Deep and far-reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessor as opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"The ancients who were well versed in Reason did not thereby enlighten the people;
They intended thereby to make them simple-hearted.
If people are difficult to govern, it is because they are too smart.
To govern the country with smartness is the country's curse.
To govern the country without smartness is the country's blessing.
He who knows these two things is also a model like the ancients.
Always to know the model is called profound virtue.
Spiritual virtue, verily, is profound.
Verily, it is far-reaching.
Verily, it is to everything reverse.
But then it will procure great recognition."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

Subordinate the Self, Put Yourself Last, Valley Streams Flow Downward, 後巳
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 66, by Lao Tzu

"That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;
It is thus that they are the kings of them all.
So it is that the sage ruler, wishing to be above men, puts himself by his words below them;
And, wishing to be before them, places his person behind them.
In this way though he has his place above them, men do not feel his weight, nor though he has his place before them, do they feel it an injury to them.
Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary of him.
Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive with him."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"That rivers and oceans can of the hundred valleys be kings is due to their excelling in lowliness.
Thus they can of the hundred valleys be the kings.
The holy man, when anxious to be above the people, must in his words keep underneath them.
When anxious to lead the people, he must with his person keep behind them.
The holy man dwells above, but the people are not burdened.
He is ahead, but the people suffer no harm.
The world rejoices in exalting him and does not tire.
He strives not, no one in the world will strive with him."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

Three Precious Things: Gentleness, Liberality, Humility; Three Precious Values: Compassion, Economy, Modesty, 三寶
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 67, by Lao Tzu

"All in the world call me great; but I resemble the unlikely.
Now a man is great only because he resembles the unlikely.
Did he resemble the likely, how lasting, indeed, would his mediocrity be!
1 have three treasures which I cherish and prize.
The first is called compassion.
The second is called economy.
The third is called not daring to come to the front in the world.
The compassionate can be brave;
The economical can be generous;
Those who dare not come to the front in the world can become perfect as chief vessels.
Now, if people discard compassion and are brave;
If they discard economy and are generous;
If they discard modesty and are ambitious, they will surely die."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

"All the world says that, while my Tao is great, it yet appears to be inferior to other systems of teaching.
Now it is just its greatness that makes it seem to be inferior.
If it were like any other system, for long would its smallness have been known!
But I have three precious things which I prize and hold fast.
The first is gentleness; the second is economy; and the third is shrinking from taking precedence of others.
With that gentleness I can be bold;
With that economy I can be liberal;
Shrinking from taking precedence of others, I can become avessel of the highest honor.
Now-a-days they give up gentleness and are all for being bold;
Economy, and are all for being liberal;
The hindmost place, and seek only to be foremost;
Which in the end is death.
Gentleness is sure to be victorious even in battle, and firmly to maintain its ground.
Heaven will save its possessor, by his very gentleness protecting him."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

Compliance with Heaven, Be a Peaceful Warrior, Not Striving, 配天
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 68, by Lao Tzu

"He who excels as a warrior is not warlike.
He who excels as a fighter is not wrathful.
He who excels in conquering the enemy does not strive.
He who excels in employing men is lowly.
This is called the virtue of not-striving.
This is called utilizing men's ability.
This is called complying with heaven-since olden times the highest."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

"He who in Tao's wars has skill
Assumes no martial port;
He who fights with most good will
To rage makes no resort.
He who vanquishes yet still
Keeps from his foes apart;
He whose hests men most fulfill
Yet humbly plies his art.
Thus we say, 'He ne'er contends,
And therein is his might.'
Thus we say, 'Men's wills he bends,
That they with him unite.'
Thus we say, 'Like Heaven's his ends,
No sage of old more bright.' "
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

The Function of the Mysterious (Dao), Act as a Guest with Reserve, Never Make Light of an Enemy, 玄用
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 69, by Lao Tzu

"A master of the art of war has said, 'I do not dare to be the host (to commence the war);
I prefer to be the guest to act on the defensive.
I do not dare to advance an inch;
I prefer to retire a foot.'
This is called marshalling the ranks where there are no ranks;
Baring the arms to fight where there are no arms to bare;
Grasping the weapon where there is no weapon to grasp;
Advancing against the enemy where there is no enemy.
There is no calamity greater than lightly engaging in war.
To do that is near losing the gentleness which is so precious.
Thus it is that when opposing weapons are actually crossed, he who deplores the situation conquers."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

A military expert used to say:
'I dare not act as host who takes the initiative but act as guest with reserve.
I dare not advance an inch, but I withdraw a foot."
This is called marching without marching, threatening without arms, charging without hostility, seizing without weapons.
No greater misfortune than making light of the enemy!
When we make light of the enemy, it is almost as though we had lost our treasure - compassion.
Thus, if matched armies encounter one another, the one who does so in sorrow is sure to conquer."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

Difficult to Understand, They Who Know Me Are Few, Hide Your Jewels, Easy to Know and Easy to Practice, 知難
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 70, by Lao Tzu

"My words are very easy to understand and very easy to practice:
but in the world no one can understand, no one can practice them.
Words have an ancestor; Deeds have a master - Reason.
Since he is not understood, therefore I am not understood.
Those who understand me are few, and thus I am distinguished.
Therefore the holy man wears wool, and hides in his bosom his jewels."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

"My words are very easy to know, and very easy to practice;
But there is no one in the world who is able to know and able to practice them.
There is an originating and all-comprehending (principle) in my words,
And an authoritative law for the things which I enforce.
It is because they do not know these, that men do not know me.
They who know me are few, and I am on that account the more to be prized.
It is thus that the sage wears a poor garb of hair cloth, while he carries his signet of jade in his bosom."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

The Disease of Knowledge, Knowing the Unknowable, Sick of Sickness, 知病
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 71, by Lao Tzu

"To know and yet think we do not know is the highest attainment;
Not to know and yet think we do know is a disease.
It is simply by being pained at the thought of having this disease that we are preserved from it.
The sage has not the disease.
He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"To know the unknowable, that is elevating.
Not to know the knowable, that is sickness.
Only by becoming sick of sickness can we be without sickness.
The holy man is not sick.
Because he is sick of sickness, therefore he is not sick."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

Respect Yourself, Know Yourself, Don't be Narrow, 愛巳
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 72, by Lao Tzu

"If the people do not fear the dreadful, the great dreadful will come, surely.
Let them not deem their lives narrow.
Let them not deem their lot wearisome.
When it is not deemed wearisome, then it will not be wearisome.
Therefore the holy man knows himself but does not display himself.
He holds himself dear but does not honor himself.
Thus he discards the latter and chooses the former."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

"When the people do not fear what they ought to fear, that which is their great dread will come on them.
Let them not thoughtlessly indulge themselves in their ordinary life;
Let them not act as if weary of what that life depends on.
It is by avoiding such indulgence that such weariness does not arise.
Therefore the sage knows these things of himself, but does not parade his knowledge;
Loves, but does not appear to set a value on, himself.
And thus he puts the latter alternative away and makes choice of the former."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

Avoiding Striving and Daring Actions, The Way of Heaven is Quiet, Heaven's Net is Vast, 任為
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 73, by Lao Tzu

"He whose boldness appears in his daring to do wrong, in defiance of the laws is put to death;
He whose boldness appears in his not daring to do so lives on.
Of these two cases the one appears to be advantageous, and the other to be injurious.
When Heaven's anger smites a man,
Who the cause shall truly scan?
On this account the sage feels a difficulty as to what to do in the former case.
It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and yet it skillfully overcomes;
Not to speak, and yet it is skilful in obtaining a reply;
Does not call, and yet men come to it of themselves.
Its demonstrations are quiet, and yet its plans are skilful and effective.
The meshes of the net of Heaven are large; far apart, but letting nothing escape."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"Courage, if carried to daring, leads to death;
Courage, if not carried to daring, leads to life.
Either of these two things is sometimes beneficial, sometimes harmful.
"Why is it by heaven rejected,
Who has the reason detected?"
Therefore the holy man also regards it as difficult.
The Heavenly Reason strives not, but it is sure to conquer.
It speaks not, but it is sure to respond.
It summons not, but it comes of itself.
It works patiently, but is sure in its designs.
Heaven's net is vast, so vast.
It is wide-meshed, but it loses nothing."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

The Fear of Death, The Executioner, Overcoming Delusions, 制惑
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 74, by Lao Tzu

"The people do not fear death; to what purpose is it to try to frighten them with death?
If the people were always in awe of death, and I could always seize those who do wrong, and put them to death, who would dare to do wrong?
There is always one who presides over the infliction death.
He who would inflict death in the room of him who so presides over it may be described as hewing wood instead of a great carpenter.
Seldom is it that he who undertakes the hewing, instead of the great carpenter, does not cut his own hands!"
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"If the people do not fear death, how can one frighten them with death?
If we teach people to fear death, then when one rebels he can be seized and executed; after that who will dare to rebel?
There is always an officer to execute a murderer, but if one takes the place of the executioner, it is like taking the place of a skilled carpenter at his hewing.
If one takes the place of the skilled carpenter he is liable to cut himself.
Therefore do not interfere with Dao."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

Harmed Through Greed, Excessive Taxes, Avoid an Excessive Interest in Daily Affairs, 貪損
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 75, by Lao Tzu

"The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors.
It is through this that they suffer famine.
The people are difficult to govern because of the excessive agency of their superiors in governing them.
It is through this that they are difficult to govern.
The people make light of dying because of the greatness of their labours in seeking for the means of living.
It is this which makes them think light of dying.
Thus it is that to leave the subject of living altogether out of view is better than to set a high value on it."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"Starvation of a people comes when an official appropriates to himself too much of the taxes.
The reason a people are difficult to govern is because the officials are too meddlesome.
The people make light of death because they are so absorbed in life's interests.
The one who is not absorbed in life is more moral than he who esteems life."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

Soft and Supple is Best, Yielding is Wise, Beware of Strength, 戒強
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 76, by Lao Tzu

"When people are born, they are soft and gentle.
When they die, they are stiff and callous.
When myriad things, grasses and trees, are born, they are soft and tender.
When they die, they are withered.
So stiffness and callousness are the company of death,
Softness and suppleness are the company of life.
The powerful army will not win.
A stiff tree will break.
So stiffness and power stay below.
Softness and suppleness stay above."
- Translated by Edward Brennan and Tao Huang, 2002

"When man is born, he is tender and weak;
At death, he is hard and stiff.
When the things and plants are alive, they are soft and supple;
When they are dead, they are brittle and dry.
Therefore hardness and stiffness are the companions of death,
And softness and gentleness are the companions of life.
Therefore when an army is headstrong, it will lose in a battle.
When a tree is hard, it will be cut down.
The big and strong belong underneath.
The gentle and weak belong at the top."
- Translated by Lin Yutang, 1948

"When a man is living he is tender and fragile.
When he dies he is hard and stiff.
It is the same with everything, the grass and trees, in life, are tender and delicate, but when they die they become rigid and dry.
Therefore those who are hard and stiff belong to death's domain, while the tender and weak belong to the realm of life.
Therefore soldiers are most invincible when they will not conquer.
When a tree is grown to its greatest strength it is doomed.
The strong and the great stay below; the tender and weak rise above."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

"While alive, the body is soft and pliant
When dead, it is hard and rigid
All living things, grass and trees,
While alive, are soft and supple
When dead, become dry and brittle
Thus that which is hard and stiff
is the follower of death
That which is soft and yielding
is the follower of life
Therefore, an inflexible army will not win
A strong tree will be cut down
The big and forceful occupy a lowly position
While the soft and pliant occupy a higher place.
- Translated by Derek Lin, 2006

"Man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong.
So it is with all things.
Trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered.
Thus it is that firmness and strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, the concomitants of life.
Hence he who relies on the strength of his forces does not conquer.
A tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms, and thereby invites the feller.
The place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"The life of man is also yielding, weak
His death is also rigid, unyielding.
The 10,000 thins, the grass and trees,
Their living is also yielding, fragile
Their dying is also dried up, withered.
So that which is rigid, unyielding, is the pupil of dying
That which is yielding, weak is the pupil of living.
With unyielding soldiers, next comes the lack of conquering
With an unyielding tree, next comes being attacked.
Dwelling in the unyielding and great is worse
Dwelling in the yielding and supple is better."
- Translated by David Lindauer, 2009

"Man during life is tender and delicate. When he dies he is stiff and stark.
The ten thousand things, the grass as well as the trees, while they live are tender and supple.
When they die they are rigid and dry.
Thus the hard and the strong are the companions of death.
The tender and the delicate are the companions of life.
Therefore he who in arms is strong will not conquer.
When a tree has grown strong it is doomed.
The strong and the great stay below.
The tender and the delicate stay above."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

The Way of Heaven, The Bow, Supplement Deficiency, Don't Brag, 天道
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 77, by Lao Tzu

May not the Way of Heaven be compared to the method of bending a bow?
The part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up.
So Heaven diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency.
It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency.
It is not so with the way of man.
He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.
Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven?
Only he who is in possession of the Dao!
Therefore the ruling sage acts without claiming the results as his.
He achieves his merit and does not rest arrogantly in it;
He does not wish to display his superiority."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"Heaven's Way is like the stringing of a bow:
It pulls down wha is high
It lifts up what is low
It takes away from what has an abundance
To give to what has not enough.
Heaven's Way:
Take away from what has an abundance
Heop along what has not enough.
People's way is not like this:
Take away from what has not enough
To offer it to what has an abundance.
Who can have an abundance to offer the world?
Only the one who has Tao.
And so the Wise Person:
Works but does not rely on this
Achieves successes but does not dwell in thm
Has no desire to show of his worth."
-   Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992

"Tao of heaven resembles the stretching of a bow.
The mighty it humbles, the lowly it exalts.
They who have abundance it diminishes and gives to them who have need.
That is Dao of heaven: it depletes those who abound, and completes those who lack.
The human way is not so.
Men take from those who lack to give to those who already abound.
Where is the man who by his abundance can best serve the world?
The wise man makes but claims not, he accomplishes merit, yet is not attached to it, neither does he display his excellence.
Is it not so?"
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

The Soft Overcomes the Hard, The Failed are Often Chosen, Paradoxes, Have Faith, 任信
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 78, by Lao Tzu

"In the world, nothing is more fragile than water, and yet of all the agencies that attack hard substances nothing can surpass it.
Of all things there is nothing that can take the place of Dao.
By it the weak are conquerors of the strong, the pliable are conquerors of the rigid.
In the world every one knows this, but none practice it.
Therefore the wise man declares: he who is guilty of the country's sin may be the priest at the altar.
He who is to blame for the country's misfortunes, is often the Empire's Sovereign.
True words are often paradoxical."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence over.
There is nothing so effectual for which it can be changed.
Every one in the world knows that the soft overcomes the hard, and the weak the strong, but no one is able to carry it out in practice.
Therefore a sage has said,
'He who accepts his state's reproach,
Is hailed therefore its altars' lord;
To him who bears men's direful woes
They all the name of King accord.'
Words that are strictly true seem to be paradoxical."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

Meeting Your Obligations, Making Agreements, Patience in Collecting Debts, 任契
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 79, by Lao Tzu

"When a reconciliation is effected between two parties after a great animosity, there is sure to be a grudge remaining in the mind of the one who was wronged.
How can this be beneficial to the other?
Therefore, to guard against this, the sage keeps the left-hand portion of the record of the engagement, and does not insist on the speedy fulfillment of it by the other party.
He who has the attributes of the Dao regards the conditions of the engagement, while he who has not those attributes regards only the conditions favorable to himself.
In the Way of Heaven, there is no partiality of love; it is always on the side of the good man."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"When reconciling great hatred there will some remain.
How can it be made good?
Therefore the wise man accepts the debit side of the account and does not have to enforce payment from others.
They who have virtue keep their obligations, they who have no virtue insist on their rights.
The Tao of heaven has no favorites but always helps the good man."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

Contentment, Remaining in Seclusion, Simple Life, Standing Alone, 獨立
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 80, by Lao Tzu

"In a little state with a small population, I would so order it, that, though there were individuals with the abilities of ten or a hundred men, there should be no employment of them.
I would make the people, while looking on death as a grievous thing, yet not remove elsewhere to avoid it.
Though they had boats and carriages, they should have no occasion to ride in them.
Though they had buff coats and sharp weapons, they should have no occasion to don or use them.
I would make the people return to the use of knotted cords instead of the written characters.
They should think their coarse food sweet;
Their plain clothes beautiful;
Their poor dwellings places of rest;
And their common simple ways sources of enjoyment.
There should be a neighboring state within sight, and the voices of the fowls and dogs should be heard all the way from it to us;
But I would make the people to old age, even to death, not have any intercourse with it."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"In a small country with few people let there be officers over tens and hundreds but not to exercise power.
Let the people be not afraid of death, nor desire to move to a distance.
Then though there be ships and carriages, they will have no occasion to use them.
Though there be armor and weapons there will be no occasion for donning them.
The people can return to knotted cords for their records.
They can delight in their food, be proud of their clothes, be content with their dwellings, and rejoice in their customs.
Other states may be close neighbors, their cocks and dogs may be mutually heard, but people will come to old age and die and will have no desire to go or come."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

The Nature of the Essential, Hidden Value, Propounding the Essential, The Manifestation of Simplicity, 顯質
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 81, by Lao Tzu

"Faithful words are often not pleasant; pleasant words are often not faithful.
Good men do not dispute; the ones who dispute are not good.
The learned men are often not the wise men, nor the wise men, the learned.
The wise man does not hoard, but ever working for others, he will the more exceedingly acquire.
Having given to others freely, he himself will have in plenty.
Tao of heaven benefits but does not injure.
The wise man's Dao leads him to act but not to quarrel."
- Translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919

"Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere.
Those who are skilled in the Dao do not dispute about it; the disputatious are not skilled in it.
Those who know the Dao are not extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it.
The sage does not accumulate for himself.
The more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own;
The more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself.
With all the sharpness of the Way of Heaven, it injures not;
With all the doing in the way of the sage he does not strive."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing)
Classic of the Way and Virtue
道德經
Chapters 61-81

By Lao-Tzu (Laozi, Lao Tse, Lan Dan, Li Ehr)
Circa 500-300 BCE
Old Master, Old Sage, Long-eared Wise Man, Wise Child
老子

Thematic Index 61-81 Bibliography Thematic Index 1-81 Chapter Index 1-81 Taoism

Chapters 1-20 Chapters 21-40 Chapters 41-60 Chapters 61-81 Recitation

Compiled by
Michael P. Garofalo

Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) Classic of the Way and Virtue 道德經 Chapters 61-81 By Lao-Tzu (Laozi, Lao Tse, Lan Dan, Li Ehr) Circa 500-300 BCE Old Master, Old Sage, Long-eared Wise Man, Wise Child 老子 Thematic Index 61-81 Bibliography Thematic Index 1-81 Chapter Index 1-81 Taoism

Chapters 1-20 Chapters 21-40 Chapters 41-60 Chapters 61-81 Recitation

Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo

Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing)
Classic of the Way and Virtue
道德經
Chapters 61-81

By Lao-Tzu (Laozi, Lao Tse, Lan Dan, Li Ehr)
Circa 500-300 BCE
Old Master, Old Sage, Long-eared Wise Man, Wise Child
老子

Thematic Index 61-81 Bibliography Thematic Index 1-81 Chapter Index 1-81 Taoism

Compiled by
Michael P. Garofalo