Avoiding Striving and Daring Actions, The Way of Heaven is Quiet, Naturalness,
Tao Way, Courage, Freedom, Non-Competition, Wu Wei, Death, Heaven's
Net is Vast,
任為
"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, Chapter 73
"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,
Chapter 73
By Alexander Simkins. 
By Derek Lin.
By Ming-Dao Deng.
By Benjamin Hoff.
By Ming-Dao Deng.
Translated by Thomas Cleary.
"One who shows bravery by being daring will get killed
one who shows bravery by not being daring will survive.
But in both these cases: "Sometimes it helps, sometimes it harms.
What Heaven picks to hate - who knows the reason?
And so the Wise Person: Treats things as difficult.
Heaven's Way: Not contending, but excels at overcoming not speaking, but excels
in getting answers not summoning, but people come of themselves lax, but excels
at organization.
Heaven's net is very wide - loosely woven, but it lets nothing slip by."
- Translated by
Michael LaFargue, 1992, Chapter 73
"Reckless bravery leads to death;
careful bravery leads to life.
One leads to good, the other harm.
Heaven hates what it hates:
who knows the reason?
Not even those who are enlightened know why.
The Dao of heaven
does not contend yet overcomes with ease,
does not speak yet communicates with ease,
does not summon yet attracts things naturally,
seems unhurried yet plans with ease.
The net of Heaven is vast.
Its meshes may be wide,
but not a thing slips through."
- Translated by
Tim Chilcott,
2005, Chapter 73
By Hu Xuzehi
Annotated translation by Victor Mair 
By Ha Poong Kim
By Hans-Georg Moeller 
By Roger T. Ames and David T. Hall
By Wes Burgess
By Arthur Waley
"Daring to act means death
daring not to act means life
of these two one benefits
one harms what Heaven hates who knows the reasons
the Way of Heaven wins easily without a fight
answers wisely without a word
comes quickly without a summons
plans ingeniously without a thought
the Net of Heaven is all-embracing
its mesh is wide but nothing escapes."
- Translated by
Bill Porter (Red Pine),
1996, Chapter 73
"That courage which is manifest by bravado and
foolhardiness,
Leads to disaster and death.
That which is not so manifest,
Leads to life.
Between these two,
One benefits - one does not.
Even the Sage has difficulty in knowing why one of these brings destruction from
above.
It is the way of nature -
- Not to compete, yet to achieve victory.
- Not to ask, yet to obtain an answer.
- Not to summon, yet be supplied all needs.
- Not to overtly plan, yet to achieve results.
Truly - the net of nature is cast far and wide.
Tho' its mesh be coarse,
Yet nothing escapes."
- Translated by
Alan B. Taplow, 1982, Chapter 73
Dao Te Ching by Lao Tsu, Posts to the Cloud Hands Blog
Translation and elucidation by Hua Ching Ni
Translated by Brian Walker
Translated by Arthur Waley
Translated by Lionel and and Herbert Giles
By Eva Wong
"One who’s fearless in being brave will be killed.
One who’s fearless in being cautious remains alive.
One of these is useful, the other harmful.
Heaven disdains what it disdains
Who knows the reasons why?
Even the wise find these things difficult.
The way of heaven
Overcomes easily without contention,
Replies though it does not speak,
Invites though it does not summon,
Obeys the laws though it seems free.
The net of heaven is vast.
The mesh is wide
But nothing slips through."
- Translated by
A. S. Kline, 2003, Chapter 73
"Courage carried to daring leads to death.
Courage restrained by caution leads to life.
These two things, courage and caution, are sometimes beneficial and sometimes
harmful.
Some things are rejected by heaven, who can tell the reason?
Therefore the wise man deems all acting difficult.
The Tao of heaven does not quarrel, yet it conquers.
It speaks not, yet its response is good.
It issues no summons but things come to it naturally because its devices are
good.
Heaven's net is vast, indeed! its meshes are wide but it loses nothing."
- Translated by
Dwight Goddard, 1919, Chapter 73
Tao Te Ching
Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching
Translated by Livia Kohn
Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way
"Who is brave in daring you kill,
Who is brave in not daring you let live.
In these two,
There is some advantage and some disadvantage.
Even if Heaven dislikes certain people,
Who would know why?
Therefore even the Sage regards it as a difficult question.
Heaven's Way is good at conquest without strife,
Rewarding vice and virtue without words,
Making its appearance without call,
Achieving results without obvious design.
The heaven's net is broad and wide.
With big meshes, yet letting nothing slip through."
- Translated by
Lin Yutang, 1955,
Chapter 73
"When one is brave at acting bold then one will be
killed.
When one is braveat not acting bold then one will live.
Of these two, one may involve benefit and one may involve injury.
Who knows the reason for what Heaven hates.
The Dao of Heaven does not contend and yet is good at winning,
does not speak and yet is good at responding,
does not summon yet things come to it of their own accord,
is in repose and yet good at laying plans.
The vast net of Heaven is coarse, yet nothing escapes it."
- Translated by
Patrick E. Moran,
Chapter 73
Translated by Eva Wong 
Translated by Philip Ivahoe
By James Miller
Translated by Stephen Bokencamp
By Alexander and Annellen Simpkins
Translated by Thomas Cleary
By Livia Kohn
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