Profound Te is so deep； so far…reaching。
It causes things to return and eventually reach Great Confluence。
66
The river and sea rule the hundred valleys by making the lower position an asset。
Hence； they are kings of the hundred valleys。
One must speak as if under them；
That is how the Sage remains over the people without oppressing them。
That is how he remains in front without blocking them。
The whole world is happy to draw near him and does not tire of him。
Because he does not compete； absolutely no…one can compete with him。
67
All the world considers my Tao great and unrelated to anything else。
Precisely because it is so great it is 〃unrelated to anything else。〃
If it were related to other things it would have grown small a long time ago。
I have three treasures which I possess and maintain securely。
The first is parental love。
The second is frugality。
The third is not daring to be first。
Possessing parental love； one can be courageous。
Possessing frugality； one can be generous。
Not daring to be first； one can lead all 〃instruments〃。
Today； many people reject parental love but desire courage。
They reject frugality but desire generosity。
And they reject following but desire to be first。
This is to court death。 Influenced by parental love； the offence will win wars； and the defence will be firm。
Through the influence of parental love； heaven will provide succour and protection。
68
Good men are not aggressive。
A good fighter does not lose his temper。
Those good at defeating the enemy do not engage them directly。
One who is good at using men places himself below them。
This is the Te of non…contention or strength from the ability to use people。
It is in accord with most ancient heaven。
69
Military tacticians have a saying：
〃I dare not be the aggressor； but rather the defender。
I dare not advance an inch； but would rather retreat a foot。〃
This is to move without moving；
To raise one's fists without showing them；
To lead the enemy on but against no adversary；
To wield a weapon but not clash with the enemy's。
No disaster is greater than taking the enemy lightly。
If I take the enemy lightly； I am on the verge of losing my treasures。
Hence； when opposing troops resist each other； the one stung by grief will be the victor。
70
My words are very easy to understand and very easy to practice。
Yet no…one in the world can understand them；
No…one can practice them。
My words have their sources； my deeds their precedents。
If people do not understand that； they do not understand me。
The fewer who know me； the more valuable I am。
That is why the Sage wears course clothes while carrying jade in his bosom。
71
To know yet appear not knowing is best。
To not know yet appear knowing is sickness。
Whoever is sick of sickness will not be sick。
The Sage is never sick； because he is sick of sickness。
Thereby he is never sick。
72
If people do not fear the awesome； something more awful is imminent。
But do not be disrespectful of their dwellings。
If not oppressed； they will not press。
That is why the Sage knows himself but does not reveal himself。
He has self…respect； but does not seek recognition。
Hence； he rejects one and takes the other。
73
To have the courage to dare is to die。
To have the courage to dare not is to live。
Heaven abominates in both these cases； whether harmful or beneficial。
Who knows why？
Even the Sage feels it is difficult。
The Tao of heaven does not contend； yet it easily wins；
It does not speak； yet gets a good response；
It comes without being called；
It is calm； yet everything is minutely planned。
The web of heaven is so vast； so vast。
Though its mesh is wide； it loses nothing。
74
If the people do not fear death； it is useless to threaten them with the spectre of death。
If the people have a normal fear of death； and some do something unorthodox；
Then I would catch them and put them to death。
Who would dare break the law？
There is always an executioner in charge of killing。
If someone tries to do the killing for the executioner； it is called trying to chop wood for the Great Carpenter。
Few who substitute for the Great Carpenter do not injure their own limbs。
75
If the people starve； it is because those above them tax their livelihood too heavily。
That is why they starve。
If the people are unruly；
It is because those above them are too Active。
That is why they are unruly。
If the people take death lightly； it is because they seek life's bounty。
That is why they take death lightly。
Those who live life without striving are exemplars of valuing life。
76
When a person is born he is soft and supple。
When he dies he is stiff and hard。
All things； including plants are soft and tender at birth。
At death they are withered and dry。
Hence the stiff and the hard are the closest to death； the soft and the supple are closest to life。
That is why a rigidly strong army is not victorious。
The sturdy tree gets cut down。
Rigidity and strength are inferior；
Suppleness and softness are superior。
77
The Tao of heaven is like drawing a bow：
For high things； lower： for low things； raise；
If excessive； reduce； if insufficient； supplement。
The Tao of heaven reduces the excessive and supplements the insufficient。
The way of man is not so。
It takes from the insufficient and adds to the excessive。
Who can have enough surplus to supplement the world？
Only those with Tao。
That is why the Sage acts but does not demand subservience； is deserving of merit yet claims no credit。
He has no desire to show his worth。
78
Nothing in the world is softer and more supple than water。
Yet when attacking the hard and the strong nothing can surpass it。
The supple overcomes the hard。
The soft overcomes the strong。
None in the world do not know this。
Yet none can practice it。
That is why the Sage says to accept the filth of a nation is to be the lord of the society。
To accept the disasters of a nation is to be is to be the ruler of the world。
Words of truth seem contradictory。
79
Compromising with great hatred inevitably leads to more hatred。
How can this be considered good？
That is why the Sage holds the left half of the tally…stick yet does not demand others measure up。
To have Te is to hold the other half of the tally…stick。
To be without Te is to lose the tally…stick。
The Tao of heaven is not clannish。
It always dwell with the good man。
80
In small country of few people； even if there are hundreds of weapons； they are unnecessary。
Cause the people to respect death and they will not migrate。
Though there are ships and vehicles； no…one boards them。
Though there are armour and weapons； no…one parades with them。
Let men return to knotting strings and using them。
Food will be sweet。
Clothes will be beautiful。
Homes will be comfortable。
Customs will delight。
Although neighbouring states will see each other and hear the other's chickens and dogs； the citizens of each will age and die establishing contact with the other。
81
Words of truth are not beautiful。
Beautiful words are not truthful。
The good do not argue；
Those who are argue are not good。
The wise are not extensively learned；
The extensively learned are not wise。
The Sage is not mean。
Simply doing things for others he feels the greater fulfilment。
Simply giving to others he feels he has gained more。
The Tao of heaven benefits and does not harm。
The Tao of the Sage is to accomplish without competing。
English_Goddard_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese … English by
Dwight Goddard； 1919
Vorwort/Foreword
I LOVE LAOTZU！ That is the reason I offer another interpretative translation； and try to print and bind it attractively。 I want you to appreciate this wise and kindly old man； and come to love him。 He was perhaps the first of scholars （6th century B。C。） to have a vision of spiritual reality； and he tried so hard to explain it to others； only； in the end； to wander away into the Great Unknown in pathetic discouragement。 Everything was against him； his friends misunderstood him； others made fun of him。
Even the written characters which he must use to preserve his thought conspired against him。 They were only five thousand in all； and were ill adapted to express mystical and abstract ideas。 When these characters are translated accurately； the translation is necessarily awkward and obscure。 Sinologues have unintentionally done him an injustice by their very scholarship。 I have tried to peer through the clumsy characters into his heart and prayed that love for him would make me wise to understand aright。
I hate scholarship that would deny his existence； or arrogant erudition that says patronizingly； 〃Oh； yes； there doubtless was some one who wrote some of the characteristic sonnets； but most of them are an accumulation through the centuries of verses that have similar structure； and all have been changed and amended until it is better to call the book a collection of aphorisms。〃
Shame on scholarship when； sharing the visions of the illuminati； they deride them！
There are three great facts in China to…day that vouch for Laotzu。 First； the presence of Taoism；which was suggested by his teachings； not founded upon them。 This is explained by the inability of the scholars； who immediately followed him to understand and appreciate the spirituality of his teachings。 Second； Confucian dislike for Laotzian ideas； which is explained by their opposition to Confucian ethics。 Third； and the greatest fact of all； is the characteristic traits of Chinese nature